Neuromodulation of Motor Neurons in Parkinson’s disease

Project: Research project

Project Details

Description

The focus of this project is gain an increased understanding of one of the motor symptoms that is resistant to current medical treatments. We believe that abnormal modulation of spinal motor neurons could contribute to bradykinesia (slowing of movements) but also may play an important role in akinesia, particular in people with postural instability and gait dysfunction as major manifestations of their disease. The findings of this work have the potential to open up important new avenues of inquiry into how PD affects neurotransmitter systems apart from dopamine and how deficits in monoamines affect the function of spinal motor neurons. This line of research may lead to the development of new approaches to early diagnosis, therapeutic interventions targeted at restoring motor neuron function and decreasing movement impairments that are resistant to current dopaminergic treatments. For these reasons, the results of this work have the long-term potential to significantly impact patient care.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date1/1/138/31/14

Funding

  • Northwestern Memorial Foundation (Fully-executed 1/29/13)

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