Prof David Smith Picture: John Houlihan
A NASAL spray drug treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease is a step closer to becoming a reality thanks in part to York scientists.
Researchers at the University of York have developed a new gel that can adhere to tissue inside the nose alongside the drug levodopa, helping deliver treatment directly to the brain.
Levodopa is converted to dopamine in the brain, which makes-up for the deficit of dopamine-producing cells in Parkinson’s patients, and helps treat the symptoms of the disease. Over extended periods of time, however, levodopa becomes less effective, and increased doses are needed.