CSIR-Centre study suggests RNA viruses may raise Parkinson's risk
A fresh study from CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology suggests that catching RNA viruses like influenza or SARS-CoV-2 could increase your chances of developing Parkinson's disease later on.
These infections can cause changes in the brain, leading to a buildup of a protein called alpha-synuclein, which messes with how nerve cells talk to each other, a key factor in Parkinson's.
Researchers found DDX39A limits aggregation
Researchers also found that a protein called DDX39A can help limit damage by unwinding viral RNA structures and slowing alpha-synuclein aggregate formation.
But here's the catch: while not every infection is risky, getting hit by these viruses multiple times might stack up damage over time.
Repeated viral infections could increase the likelihood of harmful changes accumulating over time.