Exploring the Effects of Antioxidants on αSynuclein-Induced Motor Deficits in Drosophila Larvae

Parkinson's disease (PD) is marked by dopaminergic neuron loss, motor deficits, and oxidative stress. Misexpression of mutant human α-synuclein in Drosophila larvae induces PD-like motor impairments, making it a powerful and accessible model for studying neurodegeneration. In this Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE), we used a novel Ring Maze assay to quantify larval locomotion following expression of A53T and E46K α-synuclein variants. Both induced robust crawling deficits. Notably, antioxidant treatment with vitamin C or açaí extract significantly improved motor performance. These findings demonstrate the value of the larval model for both PD research and hands-on student learning in neurobiology and therapeutic screening.