Flushing out 'zombie cells' could help stave off Parkinson's, study suggests

Possible approach to treating effects of neurodegenerative diseases - and even ageing - revealed by trial

In work that could open a new front in the war on Parkinson's disease, and even ageing itself, scientists have shown that they can stave off some of the effects of the neurodegenerative disease by flushing "zombie cells" from the brain.

The research in mice raises hopes for a fresh approach to treating the most common forms of Parkinson's disease, which typically arise through a complex interplay of genetics, lifestyle and potentially toxic substances in the environment.