Team Schlossmacher

Typical Parkinson’s is a ‘complex disorder’, where select environmental triggers and genetic risk factors interact near host surfaces to initiate mechanisms that lead to neurodegeneration. We explore olfaction circuitry, which begins with alpha-synuclein-rich dendrites protruding into the nasal cavity. We previously discovered that alpha-synuclein participates in olfaction and host defence. We are investigating how interactions between the environment and alpha-synuclein-rich neurons outside the brain initiate Parkinson’s-associated pathology inside the brain, promoting inflammation, hyposmia and neurodegeneration. Our proposal encompasses all ASAP themes: circuits, PD-gene function, body-brain connections and inflammation. We have the required expertise and a track record of innovative collaborations.