Scientists uncover kidney-to-brain route for Parkinson’s-related protein spread

Scientists uncover kidney-to-brain route for Parkinson’s-related protein spread

A new study published in Nature Neuroscience has uncovered evidence that Parkinson’s disease and related conditions may start not in the brain, but in the kidneys. Researchers found that a key protein involved in the development of these diseases, called alpha-synuclein, can build up in the kidneys and travel to the brain through nerve pathways—especially when kidney function is impaired. The findings suggest that chronic kidney disease may incr…