Researchers at Texas A&M University announced on June 29 the development of a new animal model that triggers Parkinson's disease symptoms through infection with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), eliminating the need for gene modifications or toxicant injections. This approach offers a nontoxic alternative to traditional methods used in Parkinson's research, which have relied on genetic changes or exposure to harmful substances that may not accurately reflect human disease.
The study demonstrates that a simple viral infection can produce the same brain damage and physical disabilities observed in people with Parkinson's disease. The findings could pave the way for further studies into how viruses might trigger neurodegenerative diseases.
Parkinson's disease affects more than 10 million people worldwide and is second only to dementia among brain disorders. It destroys dopamine-producing cells, leading to balance issues, tremors, stiffness, and emotional distress. While its exact origins remain unknown, experts have long suspected that brain inflammation from viruses—sometimes contracted decades earlier—alongside genetics and environmental factors may play a role.
"Viruses are known to cause entirely different diseases based on a person's genetics," said Brinkmeyer-Langford of Texas A&M University. "For example, the Epstein-Barr virus causes mononucleosis, but may also contribute to cancer or multiple sclerosis, and SARS-CoV-2 can attack the heart and brain as well as the lungs."
With this pilot study validating TMEV as an effective model for studying Parkinson's, future research will compare it directly against older models, seek early warning signs and biological markers for Parkinson’s disease, and analyze how immune responses to viruses affect the brain. "The clock is ticking, since the rapidly aging global population means the number of people with Parkinson's is expected to jump significantly," Brinkmeyer-Langford said.
Other contributors from Texas A&M included graduate student Tae Wook Kang; Rahul Srinivasan; and C. Jane Welsh, all affiliated with various departments including Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences as well as Neuroscience. The study was published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity-Health.
