Diapocynin, a
synthetic molecule derived from a naturally occurring compound (apocynin [which it turns out is related to vanillin, that gives vanilla its smell?]), has
been found to protect neurobehavioral function in mice with Parkinson's Disease
symptoms by preventing deficits in motor coordination.
In a specific type
of transgenic mouse called LRRK2R1441G, the animals lose coordinated movements
and develop Parkinson's-type symptoms by ten months of age. In this study, the
researchers treated those mice with diapocynin starting at 12 weeks. That
treatment prevented the expected deficits in motor coordination.
"These early
findings are encouraging, but in this model, we still do not know how this
molecule exerts neuroprotective action. Further studies are necessary to
discover the exact mode of action of the diaopocynin and other molecules with a
similar structure," said Dr. Kalyanaraman.
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