This study was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and includes provisional patents related to ophthalmic acid and calcium-sensing receptors.

The findings were published in the October issue of the journal Brain, marking a significant advancement in the understanding of potential treatments for movement disorders.

This groundbreaking discovery opens new therapeutic possibilities for treating Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, potentially transforming the current treatment landscape.

Recent research from the University of California, Irvine, has identified ophthalmic acid as a potential alternative neurotransmitter that binds to and activates calcium-sensing receptors in the brain, offering a new therapeutic target for Parkinson's and other movement disorders.

Co-corresponding author Amal Alachkar noted that this discovery broadens the understanding of neurotransmission in motor function and challenges the long-held belief that dopamine is the sole neurotransmitter responsible for motor control.

Parkinson's disease, a disabling neurodegenerative condition affecting millions worldwide, primarily those over 50, is characterized by tremors and motor impairments due to the depletion of dopamine in the brain.

Current treatments, such as L-dopa, aim to replace lost dopamine but have limited effectiveness and can lead to side effects like dyskinesia after prolonged use.

In mouse models of Parkinson's disease, ophthalmic acid demonstrated remarkable efficacy, improving movement for over 20 hours, significantly longer than the 2 to 3 hours of relief provided by L-dopa.

Alachkar's interest in exploring motor function beyond dopamine spans over 20 years, culminating in the identification of ophthalmic acid as a key player in motor activity.

Alachkar and co-corresponding author Olivier Civelli have filed a provisional patent for products associated with ophthalmic acid and its role in motor function.

The research team is now focused on developing methods to deliver ophthalmic acid to the brain or enhance its synthesis to further investigate its neurological functions.

The research team, comprising scholars and specialists from the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences and the School of Medicine at UC Irvine, conducted extensive analyses to establish the role of ophthalmic acid in motor activity.