A new study has revealed that the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (also known as "shaking palsy") is twice as high in men as it is in women, suggesting a potential cause related to a harmless protein in the brain.
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This protein is called PINK1 kinase, and it is typically not harmful; it plays an important role in regulating cellular energy use in the brain. However, the new study shows that, in some cases of Parkinson’s disease, the immune system mistakenly treats PINK1 as an enemy and attacks brain cells containing this protein.
According to the study, conducted by a team from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in California and based on blood samples from Parkinson's patients, damage to this protein caused by T-cells in the immune system is more widespread and aggressive in men's brains compared to women’s.
Immunologist Alessandro Sette, who participated in the study, said, "The sex-based differences in T-cell responses were truly remarkable."
He added, "In male Parkinson’s patients, we observed a six-fold increase in T-cells targeting brain cells that carry the PINK1 protein, compared to healthy brains. In female patients, there was only a 0.7-fold increase."
Researchers pointed out that these findings could help develop treatments to prevent T-cells from attacking the PINK1 protein, thereby protecting brain cells.
It’s important to note that Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition that gradually manifests with stiffness, tremors, and slow movement. The disease's symptoms are due to the death of important nerve cells in an area near the brainstem, which are indirectly involved in controlling fine motor skills.
