Falk Schlaudraff

TL;DR: It is found that, in medial DA neurons of the substantia nigra (SN), activity of ATP-sensitive potassium (K-ATP) channels enabled NMDA-mediated bursting in vitro as well as spontaneous in vivo burst firing in anesthetized mice, suggesting that burst-gating K-atP channel function in DA neurons affects phenotypes in both disease and health.

TL;DR: By combining optimized UV-laser microdissection- and quantitative RT–PCR-techniques with suitable PCR assays, significantly elevated α-synuclein mRNA levels in individual, surviving neuromelanin- and tyrosine hydroxylase-positive substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons from idiopathic PD brains compared to controls are detected.

TL;DR: The dysfunctional neurotransmission and impaired synaptic plasticity seen in the A53T-SNCA overexpressing mice reflect early changes within the basal ganglia prior to frank neurodegeneration, and may help to develop neuroprotective therapeutic approaches.

TL;DR: It is revealed that L-type calcium channels can modulate D2-autoreceptor responses via the neuronal calcium sensor NCS-1, which is altered in Parkinson’s disease and could represent a therapeutic target.

TL;DR: Together, these results provide the first experimental evidence for an organ system in which p53-dependent mechanisms prevent tissue destruction in response to telomere dysfunction by depleting genetically instable stem cells.