Lasmiditan ameliorates cortico-hippocampal pathology and improves cognition in aging parkinsonian mice

While the etiopathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is complex, mitochondrial dysfunction is established to have a central role. Thus, mitochondria have emerged as targets of therapeutic interventions aiming to slow or modify PD progression. We have previously identified serotonergic 5-HT1F receptors as novel mediators of mitochondrial biogenesis (MB) - the process of producing new mitochondria. Given this, here, we assessed the therapeutic potential of the FDA-approved 5-HT1F receptor agonist, lasmiditan, in a chronic progressive PD model (Thy1-aSyn 'line 61' mice). It was observed that systemic lasmiditan exhibited robust brain penetration and reversed cognitive deficits in young (4-5.5 months old) Thy1-aSyn mice (1 mg/kg, every other day). Anxiety-like behavior was also improved while motor function remained unaffected. These behavioral changes were associated with enhanced MB and mitochondrial function and reduced alpha-synuclein aggregation particularly in cortico-hippocampal regions. In older (10-11.5 months old) mice, although the effects were milder, daily lasmiditan administration increased MB and bettered cognitive abilities. In essence, these findings indicate that repurposing lasmiditan could be a potential strategy to address PD-related cognitive decline.