Problem
Describe what happens to people who have Parkinson's disease. What cells are affected and where do they project to? What is the consequence on motor behavior and why? How does PD relate to Huntington's disease (HD)? How does the number of CAG repeats in the HTT gene determine onset of HD and, as we discussed in class, is it really 100% penetrant? How is PD fundamentally different than the movement disorders ALS and polio? One experimental treatment for PD involves injecting stem cells that produce a particular neurotransmitter into the brain: what neurotransmitter do you think it is and where do you think surgeons implant the cells? If you could design the perfect treatment for PD, what would it be?