ISLAMABAD, August 06(ABC): Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects at least 8.5 millionTrusted Source people worldwide, most of them aged over 60. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number has more than doubled in the past 25 years.
Diagnosis is difficult in the early stages as many of the symptoms may indicate other disorders, so these numbers are almost certainly an underestimate.
Common symptoms include tremors, muscle rigidity, and slowness of movement. Some people also experience pain, anxiety, and depression.
Currently, there is no cure for PD, although existing treatments can help manage the symptoms and improve quality of life.
A number of factors are responsible for the symptoms, such as low dopamine levelsTrusted Source, low norepinephrine levelsTrusted Source, and clumps of a protein called alpha-synucleinTrusted Source in the brain.
These clumps form the structural core of Lewy bodies, which cause a loss of nerve cells, leading to changes in movement, thinking, behavior, and mood that are the main symptoms of PD.
Now, scientists from Johns Hopkins University have genetically engineered a nanobodyTrusted Source to target alpha-synuclein clumps in the brain and destabilize them. The research could lead to new treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
Why nanobodies
Nanobodies, or single-domain antibodies, are the smallest fragment of an antibody with binding ability. They are highly stable and can penetrate into tissues.
Dr. Melita Petrossian, neurologist, and director of the Movement Disorders Center at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, told Medical News Today:
“Compared to a traditional antibody, a nanobody is about 90% smaller and therefore better able to enter a cell. This is important because much of the alpha-synuclein pathology is found intracellularly — inside the brain cells — so nanobodies would be expected to be more effective against PD than traditional antibodies.”
In this study, researchers genetically modified a nanobody that could get through the tough exterior of brain cells. By removing disulfide bonds in the nanobody, they ensured that it remained stable once inside the brain cells, allowing it to bind with alpha-synuclein clumps.
The advantage of this nanobody, named PFFNB2, is that it binds only to the alpha-synuclein clumps that cause the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
It does not bind to single molecules of alpha-synuclein that researchers believe to be important in the transmissionTrusted Source of nerve impulses.
- eaningful human relationships through interactions with nature.
- Formative: When elements such as mood, attitude, behaviors, and values change instantly or over a short duration, following interaction with nature.
- Satisfactive: Feeling that your expectations and needs are satisfied through interactions with nature.
- Transcendent: Obtaining benefits related to religious or spiritual values after interacting with nature.
“Although the findings are not necessarily surprising — at least to experts in our field — our study provides the first comprehensive effort to systematize them,” Gasparatos said. “In this sense, it provides a cohesive information base and conceptual framework of how these linkages occur.”
When it comes to connecting with nature and the environment, these mechanisms can be stimulated in various ways. For instance, a gentle stroll in the forest, helping out with a beach clean-up, exploring a new city, or foraging for berries are all activities that stimulate a sense of connection.
The researchers also noted that a crossover of mechanisms may occur, further enhancing their impact. For instance, caring for nature with a nature-based recreation activity, such as gardening, would encompass both cognitive and evolutive mechanisms.
But stimulation doesn’t always have to come from the outside world.
“For centuries, it was known to builders of temples worldwide that their high ceilings nudge us toward abstract thought and feelings of awe,” explained Michal Matlon, a place and architectural psychologist at the LivingCore.
Outcomes on well-being
Researchers like Gasparatos say that it’s been challenging to gauge the true effects of nature on well-being.
“Although we have a good level of understanding that these linkages between non-material benefits and human well-being do exist, we are still not very sure as to the actual ways that these connections happen in reality, or their actual effect on different aspects of human well-being,” Gasparatos said.
“This is largely because many of the existing studies have used different methodologies [and] metrics, or focused on individual benefits, ecosystems, and geographical contexts.”
Still, Gasparatos said that he and his research team were able to better understand how the linkages occur in reality as well as their relative effects on different aspects of well-being.
The biggest benefits were seen in physical and mental health, with recreation, tourism, and aesthetic value — all notable CES contributors.
The significant role of CESs in driving feelings of connectedness and belonging followed second, as well as in establishing a sense of learning and capability.
According to Gasparatos, a variety of factors can influence a pathway’s impact on well-being.
“These include demographic background (i.e., gender, age, education, income), characteristics of landscape (i.e., greenery, size and shape of landscape elements), distance to the site, cultural and historical features, and personal preferences, and so on,” Gasparatos explained.
Not all of nature’s effects were positive
Despite finding myriad benefits in their analysis, the researchers also saw not-so-favorable outcomes between CESs and human well-being — discovering three negative mechanisms and some less beneficial pathways.
“Although we knew that such links might exist, there are few studies that try to systematize this information,” said Gasparatos.
Two primary factors were recognized as potential negative contributors to well-being:
- The degradation or loss of an existing CES, such as an unmaintained park or building development.
- “Disservices,” such as constant loud tweeting of birds outside your window, which some might find annoying.
They also identified the existence of “trade-offs,” whereby some individuals benefit from a particular CES, but others do not.
“For example, in an Indigenous community, promotion of tourism activities can create recreation opportunities for visitors — with multiple benefits for well-being, such as physical health, learning, etc. — and economic benefits to some locals (such as economic well-being),” Gasparatos said.
However, at the same time, he adds, the challenges of dealing with an influx of tourists “can compromise different well-being components for other locals (i.e., spirituality).”
Still, it’s important to remember that the study findings were largely positive.
“Overall, there is a higher prevalence in the literature of positive and high-magnitude CES impacts on human well-being, while there is a comparatively lower prevalence of lower magnitude or negative impacts,” the study authors wrote.