Search

Background: Uric acid is a natural antioxidant and it has been shown that low levels of uric acid may be a risk factor for the development of Parkinson's disease. We aimed to investigate the relationship between uric acid and improvement of motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation. Methods: We analyzed the correlation between serum uric acid levels in 64 patients with Parkinson's disease and the rate of improvement of motor symptoms 2 years after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation. Results: A non-linear correlation was observed between uric acid levels and the rate of motor symptom improvement after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation, during both the drug-off and drug-on periods. Conclusions: Uric acid is positively associated with the rate of motor symptom improvement in subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation within a certain range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential value of cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) in treating Parkinson's disease (PD) remains controversial. To evaluate the therapeutic effects of CDNF-expressing bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell (CDNF-MSCs) injections in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, we chose three different routes of CDNF-MSC administration, including intra-striatal, intra-ventricular, and intravenous pathways. Parkinsonism was induced by intra-striatal unilateral injection of 6-OHDA and then rats were subsequently randomized into three groups for either intra-striatal, intra-ventricular or intravenous injection for CDNF-MSC grafting. Therapeutic effects were evaluated by observing dopaminergic (DA) neurons both in the substantia nigra compacta (SNc) and within the striatum and by monitoring apomorphine-induced rotational behavior (circling). Data show that one intra-venous administration of CDNF-MSCs was ineffective for treating Parkinson's disease-like neurodegeneration. Conversely, intra-striatal grafts can reduce loss of DA neurons both in the SNc and striatum with improvement of Parkinson's-related behaviors, compared to intra-ventricular injections. Thus, intra-striatal grafts composed of CDNF-MSCs may provide a strategy for therapeutic delivery to treat PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]