Priorities in Parkinson’s disease research.
Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2011-05-01; 10(5): 377-393
DOI: 10.1038/nrd3430
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1. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2011 May;10(5):377-93. doi: 10.1038/nrd3430.
Priorities in Parkinson’s disease research.
Meissner WG(1), Frasier M, Gasser T, Goetz CG, Lozano A, Piccini P, Obeso JA,
Rascol O, Schapira A, Voon V, Weiner DM, Tison F, Bezard E.
Author information:
(1)Service de Neurologie et Centre de référence atrophie multisystématisée, CHU
de Bordeaux, Avenue Magellan F-33604 Pessac France.
The loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta leads to
the characteristic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease: bradykinesia, rigidity
and resting tremors. Although these symptoms can be improved using currently
available dopamine replacement strategies, there is still a need to improve
current strategies of treating these symptoms, together with a need to alleviate
non-motor symptoms of the disease. Moreover, treatments that provide
neuroprotection and/or disease-modifying effects remain an urgent unmet clinical
need. This Review describes the most promising biological targets and therapeutic
agents that are currently being assessed to address these treatment goals.
Progress will rely on understanding genetic mutations or susceptibility factors
that lead to Parkinson’s disease, better translation between preclinical animal
models and clinical research, and improving the design of future clinical trials.
DOI: 10.1038/nrd3430
PMID: 21532567 [Indexed for MEDLINE]