Inhibition of Tau Phosphorylation as a Potential Strategy in Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

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At present, Parkinson’s disease (PD) has become the third most common neuropathy following cerebrovascular diseases and epilepsy, and is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is growing evidence that neuronal apoptosis plays a key role in the mechanism in PD, AD and other neurodegenerative diseases [Mattson, 2000; Yuan & Yankner, 2000]. Therefore, regulating neuronal apoptosis signaling pathway will provide a theoretical basis to reveal the mechanism of neuronal apoptosis; and on the basis of research, development of antineuronal apoptosis drugs to selectively interfere with critical target of apoptosis signaling pathway would be an important means in prevention of neurodegenerative diseases effectively. Although subject to intensive research, the etiology of PD is still enigmatic, which in turn has hindered the development of effective treatment. Today, PD treatment is basically symptomatic, and no neuroprotective therapies are available. The current therapy for PD mainly aims at replacing the lost neurotransmitters. The signs and symptoms of PD can be alleviated with drugs that enhance dopamine function, among which, levodopa is considered the most effective one. The most severe shortcoming of levodopa treatment is that it fails to alter the progression of PD. Patients with advanced PD may develop a variety of motor complications associated with levodopa therapy, such as switching phenomena and dyskinesia [Rylander et al., 2010]. More disappointing is the therapeutic effect of levodopa weakens after about two years (Marsden & Parkes, 1977). Therefore, there is still an urgent need of finding more beneficial treatment strategy for the disease. Here, we proposed a neuroprotective drugs to effectively control the course of PD: it can inhibit substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons from primary progressive loss, so as to achieve the purpose of effective treatment of Parkinson’s Disease.