Effects of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments on respiratory changes observed in a murine model of Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects approximately 1% of the population over 60 years. It is characterized by classic motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, tremors and postural instability. In addition, there are also autonomic non-motor symptoms (constipation, orthostatic hypotension), cognitive and respiratory changes that greatly impair patients' quality of life. Respiratory symptoms, such as obstructive sleep apnea, can lead to the death of PD patients and are present in more advanced stages of the disease. Thus, the understanding of these symptoms in animal models may contribute to the development of more effective or preventive therapies. Animals with damage to the nigrostriatal fibers (PD model) present hypoventilation and a hypercapnia-induced injury response. These functional alterations have a correlation with neuronal and glial changes in specific regions that control breathing, such as the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN). Thus, the objective of the present project is to investigate whether the RTN region presents a protein remodeling and associate that to the neuroanatomical changes and investigate if different pharmacological treatments and photostimulation can reverse or reduce these functional respiratory changes. The results of this project may contribute to the development of new therapies for respiratory symptoms of PD and contribute to elucidate the neural substrate of these symptoms. (AU)