Parkinson's double take

Emory University researchers have found that a mouse model of Parkinson's disease they developed in 2007 could be more useful than expected. A second look at the mice showed that the model recapitulates not only tremors and rigidity, but also nonmotor defects of the disease that are absent in other models.¹

Until about 10 years ago, PD was thought to be a motor disease resulting specifically from disturbances to the dopamine system-namely a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta subunit of the brain, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. Now, PD is recognized as a neurodegenerative disease affecting not only motor functioning, but also many nonmotor processes...