An image from the review “Genetic and environmental factors in Parkinson’s converge on immune function and inflammation” is featured on the cover of the January edition of the journal Movement Disorders.
The review, co-authored by Malú Gámez Tansey, Ph.D., co-director of UF’s Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CTRND), proposes that genetic and environmental factors, such as pesticides and infections, may converge to alter immune activation and inflammation and increase the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease and urges further investigation.
“By reviewing these interactions, we seek to stimulate future development of immunomodulatory approaches to prevent or delay onset of idiopathic Parkinson’s and perhaps other neurodegenerative conditions where chronic immune dysregulation is a hallmark,” Tansey said.