Breakthrough discovery could slow or reverse Parkinson’s disease

• A new study suggests that a low-oxygen environment, similar to the air around Mount Everest’s base camp, could be key to treating and potentially reversing Parkinson's disease.
• Research indicates that Parkinson's symptoms are linked to an accumulation of excess oxygen molecules in the brain, caused by dysfunctional cellular processes.
• In experiments, mice with Parkinson's-like conditions housed in low-oxygen chambers did not experience neuron loss or movement problems, despite developing protein clumps.
• The findings suggest that reducing overall oxygen supply protects brain cells from damage, even if it does not prevent the formation of toxic protein clumps.
• Scientists are now working on "hypoxia in a pill" drugs to mimic these low-oxygen effects, though further research is required before human application.

IN FULL

‘Mount Everest air’ could hold key to reversing Parkinson’s symptoms, study finds