TSPO agonist to treat Parkinson's disease

INDICATION: Parkinson's disease (PD)

Mouse studies suggest a TSPO agonist could help treat PD. In a human neuronal cell-based model of toxin-induced PD, a tool compound TSPO agonist decreased cytotoxicity in cells expressing TSPO compared with TSPO-knockout cells. In a mouse model of PD, the TSPO agonist decreased motor dysfunction, microgliosis and astrogliosis -- markers of neuroinflammation -- and loss of brain dopaminergic neurons and striatal dopamine levels compared with vehicle. Next steps include testing the compound in additional models of PD...