Neurturin, GDNF, and Trophic Factors as Treatments for Parkinson's Disease

-Gene therapies and trophic factors are potential treatments under development for Parkinson’s disease

-Trophic factors are proteins that are important to cell development and brain cell survival

-Glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was placed into Parkinson’s disease brains but found to be ineffective and to have some worrisome adverse events

-Another trophic factor, a pill called Cogane, also failed a human trial

-CERE-120 or neurturin was yet another trophic factor that was recently announced to have failed clinical trials

-Though these early trophic factor trials have been disappointing, they have demonstrated the safety of using adeno-associated gene therapy in human patients and that is very exciting

-One of the keys to the successful use of trophic factors and other therapies is in developing a strategy to beat the brain's protective layer- the blood-brain barrier

-The most common trophic factor treatment for Parkinson's disease is simple exercise which stimulates the brain's native trophic factors

Read more about trophic factor treatment and Parkinson's disease at Dr. Okun's What's Hot in Parkinson's disease blog (NPF) or at Parkinson's Secrets

Michael OkunJuly 20, 2013

Neurturin, GDNF, and Trophic Factors as Treatments for Parkinson's Disease

To read more on Indu Subramanian M.D. she does live interviews of experts in Parkinson’s for the PMD Alliance. She is one of the few doctors in the world trained in both Parkinson’s disease neurology and in integrative medicine.

To see more on our blog by artist Jonny Acheson MD check out his website at JonnyAchesonArt.com. Jonny is a physician in the U.K. who also has Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Michael S. Okun

Hot Topics in Parkinson’s Disease

Neurturin, GDNF, and Trophic Factors as Treatments for Parkinson's Disease

To read more on Indu Subramanian M.D. she does live interviews of experts in Parkinson’s for the PMD Alliance﻿. She is one of the few doctors in the world trained in both Parkinson’s disease neurology and in integrative medicine.

To see more on our blog by artist Jonny Acheson MD check out his website at JonnyAchesonArt.com. Jonny is a physician in the U.K. who also has Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Michael S. Okun

To read more on Indu Subramanian M.D. she does live interviews of experts in Parkinson’s for the PMD Alliance. She is one of the few doctors in the world trained in both Parkinson’s disease neurology and in integrative medicine.