Male transgenic rat Parkinson's disease model characterization

Promising Outcomes of Original Grant:
The original project focused on the creation and characterization of pre-clinical models that express mutations in the protein alpha-synuclein that are known to cause human Parkinson’s disease (PD). These models were found to exhibit alterations in behavior and neurotransmitter levels. Such findings warrant a more thorough and detailed investigation of the potential PD phenotype in these models.
Objectives for Supplemental Investigation: 
At 12 months of age, pre-clinical models expressing Parkinson’s disease (PD)-causing mutations will be examined for neurochemical and neuropathological alterations, compared to wild-type controls (models not expressing the mutation). This work represents a more detailed examination of these key endpoints compared to the original proposal.
Importance of This Research for the Development of a New PD Therapy: 
These models may provide a new genetic model of PD that may be useful for testing potential therapies. Because alpha-synuclein is involved in both genetic and sporadic forms of PD, such animals may be particularly useful in assessing the efficacy of therapeutics targeted at alpha-synuclein. The characterization of these animals in this project is the first major step in determining the utility of these animals for PD research.