Overview
- The study, which researchers presented at the FENS Forum in Barcelona on Wednesday, analysed post‑mortem brain tissue from 73 people with Parkinson’s disease and 24 controls to compare gene activity across cell types.
- Across five brain regions the team found a shared cellular stress signature in Parkinson’s, including activation of chaperone proteins that help misfolded proteins refold.
- Astrocytes showed sex differences in genes linked to mitochondria and energy production, while oligodendrocytes showed sex differences in genes tied to myelin formation and maintenance.
- The findings build on earlier blood studies of agricultural workers that found far more DNA methylation changes in women than men, suggesting sex-specific epigenetic responses to genetics and environmental exposures such as pesticides.
- Authors and commentators stress the results are preliminary because of small sample sizes and are calling for coordinated, larger sex‑stratified efforts, with the DFG 'SEX and GLIA' priority programme planned to begin in autumn 2026 to validate and extend the work.