Overview

• Published in Nature Neuroscience, the Harvard-led study housed α-synuclein–injected mice in continuous 11% oxygen, roughly equivalent to living at 4,800 meters in altitude.
• Compared with controls breathing normal air, hypoxia-exposed mice retained neurons and normal movement despite the continued formation of Lewy body aggregates.
• When introduced six weeks after symptoms began, the low-oxygen regimen reversed motor deficits, reduced anxiety-like behavior, and halted further neuron loss.
• Researchers report that mitochondrial dysfunction leaves excess oxygen in affected brain regions, making oxygen a local toxin that is mitigated by lowering overall supply.
• The team is exploring hypoxia‑mimicking drugs, but they emphasize the results are preclinical and any use in people will require rigorous safety and efficacy testing.