Brazil strengthens research on treatment of senile neurodegenerative diseases

According to statistics from the World Parkinson's Association, there are currently about 4 million Parkinson's patients in the world. With the increase in the elderly population, the incidence of senile neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease is also increasing. There is currently no treatment that can completely cure Parkinson's disease. Most treatments are to alleviate the condition through medication and surgery. Parkinson's disease has become the "third largest killer" of middle-aged and elderly people after tumors and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Recently, at a seminar on "Treatment of Parkinson's Disease and Other Senile Neurodegenerative Diseases" held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, nearly 20 medical experts in the field of neurosurgery from eight major hospitals in the city exchanged ideas online to discuss new progress in the treatment and research of such diseases.

The cause of Parkinson's disease is that the nerve cells that produce "dopamine" in the brain gradually die due to aging or the invasion of various toxins in the environment. When the cell death reaches more than 80%, movement disorders such as slowness, muscle stiffness and tremor will gradually appear. "Most Parkinson's patients will have obvious improvement in symptoms after supplementary treatment with levodopa in the early stage, but as time goes by, the efficacy of the drug will decrease. About 50% of patients will have movement disorders and symptom fluctuations, and later treatment will become more difficult." Rodriguez, a neurosurgeon at Santa Catarina Hospital, said that the research direction of the hospital is to clone the relevant genes for treating the disease, that is, to use genetic engineering methods to artificially transform cells, and transplant these cells into specific parts of the brain that control motor functions through neurosurgery, so that each cell becomes a "micro-pharmaceutical factory" that produces dopamine or nerve growth factor, thereby improving the quality of life of patients.

Dr. Andrew, who is engaged in the research of the pathophysiological mechanism of Parkinson's disease, pointed out that Parkinson's disease is a chronic disease, and most patients have a course of more than ten years, requiring lifelong treatment. In recent years, Parkinson's disease patients have become younger, and most of them have been exposed to toxic and harmful substances for a long time or have a family history of genetic diseases. "Studies have found that gene mutations and commonly used pesticides and herbicides can lead to the loss of function of the protein degradation system, resulting in nerve cell degeneration and Parkinson's disease. In addition, most Parkinson's patients also have inflammatory cell infiltration. We isolate neuronal cells, establish dopamine cell lines, purify neurotrophic factors to repair dopamine nerve damage, and reduce nerve damage by inhibiting inflammation."

Senile neurodegenerative diseases are multidisciplinary diseases that require joint diagnosis and treatment, involving departments such as neurosurgery, neurology, rehabilitation, and psychology. São Paulo Albert Einstein Hospital has integrated medical resources to establish a comprehensive neurological diagnosis and treatment center that includes neurology, neurosurgery, rehabilitation, and radiological intervention. When patients visit the hospital, they can enjoy collaborative diagnosis and treatment from multiple experts in multiple disciplines. Neurology and neurosurgery will jointly evaluate and formulate drug or surgical treatment plans based on the patient's condition. The rehabilitation and neuropsychology departments will assist patients in physical and psychological rehabilitation training.

"This multidisciplinary cross-integration model provides patients with more efficient and high-quality services, reduces the waiting time for admission and hospitalization, and saves medical expenses to a certain extent. At the same time, it also promotes the comprehensive development of medical care, scientific research, and management." said Joyna, a neurologist at the center.