Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding the link between renal failure and Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression. A study published in Nature Neuroscience found that kidney dysfunction can cause the accumulation of alpha-synuclein, a protein associated with neurodegeneration, in the kidneys. This accumulation can lead to the spread of the protein to the brain, potentially facilitating PD development.
Previous studies have suggested that PD may initiate in the gut and that kidney failure can contribute to its emergence. However, the exact physiological processes connecting kidney failure to PD were poorly understood until now. The new study, led by Zhentao Zhang from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, aimed to clarify these mechanisms.
The researchers found that alpha-synuclein was deposited in the kidneys of patients with PD and that renal failure exacerbated PD-like pathology in mouse models. They also showed that severing the connections between the kidneys and brain blocked the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in the brain following renal failure.
These findings suggest that eliminating circulating alpha-synuclein may be a possible way to halt PD progression. Further research is needed to understand the molecular mechanisms behind this connection, but the study’s results offer new hope for the development of therapeutic interventions aimed at slowing down or stopping PD and potentially other Lewy body diseases (LBDs).
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-02-link-renal-failure-parkinson-disease.html