Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and neurodegenerative pathology that affects the patient’s nervous system and evolves progressively, causing different symptoms, such as tremors, muscle stiffness or difficulty walking, and others that do not affect movement, such as alterations cognitive disorders, sleep disorders or depression, among others.
Currently there is no cure for those affected and the goal of Parkinson’s treatment is to improve the quality of life of patients. Now, scientists from Haukeland University Hospital and the University of Bergen, (Norway), in collaboration with the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in New York, (USA) have found a new therapeutic target that could be key to controlling the disease.
Nicotinamide riboside (NR) belongs to the vitamin B3 family and can be found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat and milk. In addition, it is used as a nutritional supplement to increase cellular levels of NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a metabolic factor that is essential in a wide variety of cellular processes, including energy metabolism, DNA damage repair and control of gene expression.
“We believe that increasing the brain’s NAD metabolism can optimize neuronal metabolism and strengthen neurons, making them more resistant against age-related stress and neurodegenerative diseases.”
Increased levels of cellular NAD have been linked to longer, healthier lives in animals and have been shown to protect neuronal cells against different forms of stress. The new study has shown for the first time that NAD levels in the human brain can be increased by ingesting NR.
A potential new therapy against Parkinson’s
The researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, phase I trial, published in Cell Metabolism, to determine whether it is possible to increase NAD metabolism in the brains of Parkinson’s patients by ingesting NR, a precursor to NAD. A total of 30 individuals with this early-stage disease received NR 1,000 mg or placebo for 30 days.
The results showed that NR supplementation significantly increased NAD levels in the brains of patients, resulting in altered brain metabolism and decreased markers of inflammation in the fluid surrounding the brain and the spinal cord. A slight but significant improvement in Parkinson’s disease symptoms was also observed in participants who had substantially elevated levels of NAD in the brain, and this correlated with the change in the pattern of energy metabolism in the brain.
“We are very excited about these results. This trial represents a novel approach in the experimental therapy of PD”, said Professor Charalampos Tzoulis, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen and director of the study. “We believe that increasing the brain’s NAD metabolism will not only target and rectify disease-related processes specific to PD, but may also optimize neuronal metabolism and strengthen neurons, making them more resilient against age-related stress and changes.” neurodegenerative diseases. The trial results are very encouraging and nominate NR as a potential neuroprotective therapy for PD, warranting further investigation in larger trials. A phase II study is already being carried out at our Center”, comments the professor.
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