Northwestern University researchers, led by Professor D. James Surmeier, found the drug isradipine rejuvenates aging dopamine cells, whose death in the brain causes the symptoms of the disease.

Isradipine is widely used to treat hypertension and stroke, while dopamine is a critical chemical messenger in the brain that affects a person's ability to direct his movements.

"Our hope is that this drug will protect dopamine neurons, so that if you began taking it early enough, you won't get Parkinson's disease, even if you were at risk," said Surmeier. "It would be like taking a baby aspirin everyday to protect your heart." Isradipine might also significantly benefit people who already have Parkinson's disease. In animal models of the disease, Surmeier's team found the drug protected dopamine neurons from toxins that would normally kill them by restoring the neurons to a younger state in which they are less vulnerable.

The study is described in the online edition of the journal Nature.