Name of Fellow

    POPA Daniela

    Institution

    Funder

    ANR

    Contact information of fellow

    Country

    France

    Title of project/programme

    Stimulation of the cerebellum for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and dyskinesia

    Source of funding information

    ANR

    Total sum awarded (Euro)

    € 293,280

    Start date of award

    01/01/13

    Total duration of award in years

    4.0

    The project/programme is most relevant to:

    Parkinson's disease & PD-related disorders

    Keywords

    Research Abstract

    Stimulation of the cerebellum for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and dyskinesia
    We want to study the role of the cerebellum in Parkinson’s disease and levodopa-induced dyskinesia to better understand how this region contributes to the development of these diseases, and how stimulation of this area could help to improve the symptoms.
    Role of the cerebellum in Parkinson’s disease and dyskinesia
    Levodopa is currently the best therapy for patients with Parkinson’s disease. This drug is a precursor of dopamine and its administration compensates dopaminergic deficits in the disease. In fact, it significantly improves the motor symptoms (mainly bradykinesia and rigidity) that are directly correlated with brain dopamine deficiency. However, after 2 years of treatment with levodopa, a third of patients develop severe motor complications such as dyskinesias, and up to 50% of patients suffer within 5 years after the start of treatment. Additional treatments should be introduced at this stage of the disease. Interestingly, repeated transcranial stimulation of the cerebellar cortex has recently been proposed for the long-term reduction of dyskinesias due to levodopa without reducing its benefits.
    My project is focused on studying the role of the cerebellum in Parkinson’s disease and exploring the therapeutic potential of repetitive cerebellar stimulation for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesias. My specific questions are:
    ? Stimulation of the cerebellum affect levodopa induced dyskinesias?
    ? The cerebellum participates in pathological neuronal activity in Parkinson’s disease?
    Methods
    To answer our questions, we use a multidisciplinary approach based on optogenetic methods (mouse line that expresses the channel-rhodopsin in Purkinje cells), behavioral (motor tests) and in vivo electrophysiology in the motor circuit in animal models of the disease.

Types: Fellowships
Member States: France
Diseases: Parkinson's disease & PD-related disorders
Years: 2016
Database Categories: N/A
Database Tags: N/A

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