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| Prof Thyagarajan and PhD student Dr Catherine Ding |
Researchers
from Hudson Institute and Monash University’s School of Clinical Sciences have
received a $58,000 Bethlehem
Griffiths Research Foundation grant to help
understand the sex-specific genetic causes for why men are more likely to
develop Parkinson’s Disease than women.
The grant will
support Hudson’s Dr Joohyung Lee and Professor Vincent Harley, and Professor of Neuroscience at Monash University’s
School of Clinical Sciences and Directory of Neurology at Monash Health, Professor
Dominic Thyagarajan, to carry out a research project in Hudson’s Brain and
Gender lab.
Dr Lee says the
research project may prove that Y-chromosome gene SRY is associated with the
loss of brain cells that produce dopamine, which causes the onset of Parkinson’s
Disease.
“Parkinson’s
Disease is a debilitating disorder, primarily associated with inability to
initiate and control voluntary movement,” Dr Lee said.
“These symptoms
result from the loss of brain cells that produce a chemical called dopamine,
which acts as a signal to initiate movement.
“Men are twice as likely to develop PD as women and the
progression of the disease is more rapid in men.”
Historically, this gender difference has been explained by
the protective actions of oestrogen in females, but emerging evidence suggests
that sex-chromosome genes also contribute.
“We have shown that the Y chromosome gene, SRY, a key gene
for switching on the male-sex, is also found in the male brain. We find SRY in
the same brain cells that make dopamine and that SRY can turn on dopamine
production in males,” Professor Harley said.
“Current PD
therapies only treat the symptoms and do not halt or slow the dopamine cell
loss in Parkinson’s Disease, so it’s important that we explore potential sex
genetic related causes of the disease.”
The researchers are hopeful the project may show that
reducing SRY levels can slow or halt the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease and
dopamine cell loss.
“This evidence would provide a novel explanation as to why
males are more susceptible to Parkinson’s Disease, and open up this gene as a
potential target for new therapies,” Professor Professor Dominic Thyagarajan said.
The research could
also be valuable in understanding the role of SRY in other male-biased brain
disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia and attention-deficit hyperactive
disorder (ADHD).
