Could Parkinson’s Disease Shed Light on Multiple System Atrophy?

Investigators must use methods developed for prion research, such as amplification of protein assemblies from patients through sonication, added Dr. Melki. In a recent study conducted with colleagues from Bordeaux, he obtained samples from patients who developed disease and amplified the assemblies in test tubes. The process resulted in fibrils that the investigators will inject into animals to evaluate whether they reproduce the distinct diseases.

—Fred Balzac