Researchers at Lund University have succeeded in preventing very early symptoms of Huntington’s disease, depression and anxiety, by deactivating the mutated huntingtin protein in the brains of mice.

“We are the first to show that it is possible to prevent the depression symptoms of Huntington’s disease by deactivating the diseased protein in nerve cell populations in the hypothalamus in the brain. This is hugely exciting and bears out our previous hypotheses”, explains Åsa Petersén, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Lund University.

The central nervous system’s mop-up crew, microglia, play an important role in protecting the brain against disease and injury. A Bagadilico research group has now developed a method that makes it possible to follow the behaviour of these support cells at close quarters. Increased knowledge about the specific role of microglia could open the door to new research avenues on several different neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease and stroke.

Starting this month Bagadilico has joined cause with the World Parkinson Coalition, the organizing force behind the triennial WPC congresses. This years congress takes place in Montreal, where quite a few bagadilicans are already set to take part.