Waterlogged brain region helps scientists gauge damage caused by Parkinson’s disease

NIH-funded research could aid drug development for the condition.

NIH-funded scientists have discovered that Parkinson’s disease increases the amount of “free” water in a particular brain area.Image courtesy of David Vaillancourt, Ph.D., University of Florida.
Scientists at the University of Florida have discovered a new method of observing the brain changes caused by Parkinson’s disease, which destroys neurons important for movement. The development suggests that fluid changes in a specific brain area could provide a way to track that damage. The study, published in the journal Brain, was supported by the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

“By finding a new way to detect and track how Parkinson’s affects the brain, this study provides an important tool for assessing whether a drug might slow or stop those changes and keep symptoms from getting worse,” said NINDS…