Brain-on-a-chip reveals how Parkinson's proteins weaken the brain's vascular barrier

Brain-on-a-chip reveals how Parkinson's proteins weaken the brain's vascular barrier

Scientists looking for the causes of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's generally focus on the buildup of aberrant proteins in the brain that impede normal neural connections. But new research from Binghamton University and Drexel University looks at a different, lesser-studied issue that also hurts patients and their quality of life: how Parkinson's affects the human vascular system.