Development of a new treatment for alzheimer’s disease and parkinson’s disease using anti-aggregatory β-synuclein-derived peptides

The synaptic protein α-synuclein is a major constitutent of Lewy bodies (LB), pathological neuronal inclusion bodies found in Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and other neurodegenerative disorders. Owing to data from patient brains, it was speculated that an imbalance between α-synuclein and β-synuclein might be one of the reasons for formation of LBs and the consequent functional deficits. This was supported by the fact that β-synuclein is able to prevent abnormal α-synuclein aggregation.