07/10/2025
A groundbreaking study from Wuhan University is turning everything we thought we knew about Parkinson’s disease upside down. Researchers now believe the disease may not start in the brain at all, but in the kidneys.
The study found abnormal clusters of alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) proteins, the same ones heavily linked to Parkinson’s, inside the kidneys of affected patients. These proteins are known to trigger neurological damage when they build up in the brain. However, in animal experiments, healthy kidneys successfully cleared these proteins. When kidney function was impaired, the α-Syn proteins began to travel to the brain, setting the stage for Parkinson’s.
Shockingly, even people with chronic kidney disease but no neurological symptoms were found to have α-Syn buildup. This discovery suggests the kidneys might act as an early “reservoir” for toxic proteins, which could later spread through the bloodstream or nerves and affect the brain.
Though early and based on limited data, this research could completely change how we understand and treat Parkinson’s. It raises the possibility that monitoring and protecting kidney health might one day help prevent or delay the onset of this devastating condition.
