GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Scientists from the Van Andel Institute say their latest research about brain circuits may lead to a new way to treat Parkinson’s disease.

Breakdowns in brain circuits that control movement, cognition and perception can play a role in Parkinson’s disease, according to a Thursday release from the Van Andel Institute. Some of these circuits are located in the thalamus and the cerebral cortex, two regions of the brain.

In a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, Van Andel Institute researchers found that suppressing disease-related messages from another region of the brain, the basal ganglia, can help repair some of these broken circuits in the thalamus and cerebral cortex.

They also found that two current treatments for Parkinson’s, deep brain stimulation and dopaminergic medications, may have an impact on these circuits, according to the release.

In a statement, the study’s senior author, Hong-yuan Chu, said scientists have not fully understood what has been going wrong with these circuits.

“This study is a first step toward remedying that problem and offers a clearer picture of both circuitry dysfunction and potential therapeutic strategies,” Chu said.