People with Parkinson’s disease who live in disadvantaged communities tend to have more severe motor symptoms and greater motor disability, according to a study that shows that social and environmental factors, many of which may be modifiable, can influence the severity of the disease. “If environmental exposures or other…
Using mathematical models, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) successfully predicted how to adjust deep brain stimulation (DBS) settings to improve gait for people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a study. With these techniques, researchers could improve DBS and other neuromodulatory therapies that influence nerve…
When combined with deep brain stimulation (DBS), a dynamic, cycling-based exercise program for people with Parkinson’s disease produces changes in brain activity indicative of potential neural rewiring, according to a study. The research was conducted at University Hospitals in Cleveland and the Veterans Affairs Northeast Ohio Healthcare System,…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with various medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. You know how when professional wrestlers or politicians take the stage, they’ll often play…
Infection with a common and otherwise harmless virus called human pegivirus (HPgV) might play a hidden role in Parkinson’s disease, particularly for those with specific genetic risks, according to a new study. “For a virus that was thought to be harmless, these findings suggest it may have important effects,…
Neu Health is launching its smartphone-based system to measure tremors in people with Parkinson’s disease in the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the company’s digital tool to track Parkinson’s symptoms remotely, which uses only a smartphone to measure tremor severity, reducing reliance on wearables…
There’s a particular kind of fear that creeps in when living with Parkinson’s disease. It’s not the shaking or the stiffness that haunts me the most; it’s the quiet dread that my own mind might one day turn against me. Not in some dramatic, movie-style way, but in the…
Researchers have uncovered how exposure to a common environmental pesticide may disrupt brain function in ways that contribute to Parkinson’s disease. Exposing rats to rotenone, a pesticide mostly banned in the U.S. and Canada, but still used in lake management, triggered changes in the activation of certain genes in…
Living with an incurable neurodegenerative disease can be discouraging and frustrating. While I am thankful for medications and surgeries that provide some symptom relief and control, they have limitations. And sometimes, the side effects of the therapies are worse than the disease itself. That’s why it’s encouraging to hear that…
Get regular updates to your inbox.
