Special vitamin B3 offers hope for Parkinson's therapy

Vitamin successfully used for the regeneration of nerve cells

So far, Parkinson's is considered an incurable neurodegenerative disease and with the available therapies can only delay the course of the disease. With a correspondingly early diagnosis, it is thus possible to gain a few years, but the common Parkinson's drugs in their turn show considerable side effects which, with increasing duration of use, can also bring about serious problems. As low as possible side effects alternatives are therefore urgently sought. Here, a specific form of vitamin B3 may possibly provide relief, according to a recent study.

A certain form of vitamin B3 boosts the energy metabolism in nerve cells and protects them from dying, reports the University of Tübingen from the current study results. The drug could represent a new possible therapeutic approach, the researchers hope Dr. med. Dr. Michela Deleidi from the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and the University of Tübingen. The scientists published their study results in the journal "Cell Reports".

A special vitamin could protect the nerve cells of Parkinson's patients from being scrapped and thus revolutionize the treatment. (Image: rob3000 / fotolia.com)

Typical signs of Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease is also known as shaking disease, as motor fine-tuning is increasingly compromised as the disease progresses, and many sufferers develop a strong tremor that shakes them down. Trembling hands, stiff muscles and slowed down movements are typical symptoms of Parkinson's disease, experts say. The researchers assume that there are 220,000 people affected in Germany, although other estimates lead to significantly higher results (up to 400,000 people affected).

Damaged mitochondria in the nerve cells

The neurodegenerative disease increasingly occurs with increasing age and is due to the loss of nerve cells in the brain, explain Dr. med. Dr. Michela Deleidi and colleagues. It remains unclear how the disease develops, but it is clear that in the process increasingly dopamine-containing neurons in the black matter (substantia nigra) region die in the brain. In addition, it has recently become clear that the mitochondria are damaged in the affected nerve cells. The mitochondria form the energy power plants of the cells and in case of a defect, the required energy can no longer be made available. This can lead to the death of the cell.

Connection with the mitochondria investigated

In their current study, the researchers investigated whether the damaged mitochondria are only a concomitant or trigger of Parkinson's disease, explains the study director. For this purpose, the scientists examined extracted cells from the skin of Parkinson's patients. These were stimulated in such a way that initially stem cells were created from them, which then evolved into nerve cells. However, these cells had a defect in the so-called GBA gene, the most common risk gene for Parkinson's disease. Accordingly, the function of their mitochondria and their energy production were affected as in "real" nerve cells, the experts report.

New formation of mitochondria achieved

On the cultured cells, the scientists investigated whether the formation of new mitochondria could be stimulated. According to the researchers, the coenzyme NAD plays an important role in this, and they therefore fed the cells with nicotinamide riboside, a form of vitamin B3 and precursor of the coenzyme. In this way, the concentration of NAD in the cells could be increased. "The energy balance in the nerve cells improved greatly. New mitochondria formed and energy production increased, "the study director summarizes the results.

Results confirmed in further investigations

"In order to observe the effect of the vitamin in a living organism, the researchers next examined flies with a GBA gene defect," said the University of Tübingen. Similar to Parkinson's patients, dopamine-rich nerve cells also died over time with the flies and they increasingly have problems with running and climbing with increasing age. When nicotinamide riboside was added to the flies of the flies, it also showed a very positive effect in comparison to a control group without an adequate feed supplement. "In the treated flies, much fewer nerve cells died than the untreated," said Deleidi. In addition, with them the mobility has been preserved longer.

Hopes for a new therapeutic approach

On the one hand, the study suggests that "the loss of mitochondria actually plays a significant role in the development of Parkinson's", and on the other hand it becomes clear that the administration of nicotinamide riboside may be a new therapeutic approach. The special form of vitamin B3 "boosts the defective energy metabolism in affected nerve cells and protects them from dying," says Deleidi. To what extent the vitamin can actually help with Parkinson's must now be examined in further investigations. "Other studies have shown that it is well tolerated by healthy subjects and also boosts their energy metabolism," emphasizes the study director. The next step is to investigate the active substance in Parkinson's patients. (Fp)