press release
Published: 03 April 2025

Could targeting Parkinson's outside of the brain improve symptoms?

Parkinson's doesn't just affect movement and the brain – it may also impact the heart, according to new research from the University of Surrey. Scientists from Surrey's School of Veterinary Medicine suggest that targeting a key protein outside of the brain could help manage Parkinson's-related heart issues.  

In a new study published in Experimental Physiology, Surrey researchers studied mouse models and found a harmful build-up of the alpha-synuclein protein, which is associated with Parkinson's disease, in a nerve cluster near the heart (the stellate ganglia). These nerves are part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls heart rate and rhythm.  

Researchers found that 27% of neurons in the nerve cluster contained aggregated alpha-synuclein, forming similar toxic clumps seen in the brains of Parkinson’s patients. This finding suggests that Parkinson’s could disrupt heart function, not just movement and brain activity. 

The research team used mouse models that produced a mutant form of alpha-synuclein. Then, using a precise dissection technique, they extracted the stellate ganglia, ensuring minimal tissue damage. The nerve clusters were then thinly sliced and stained with fluorescent markers, allowing scientists to track the spread and accumulation of the harmful protein within individual neurons.  

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