Alice Melão,  —

A protein found on the surface of cells mediates nerve cells’ susceptibility to damage and death. This discovery may open new therapeutic avenues to prevent neuron degeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease. The study, “Targeted deletion of the aquaglyceroporin AQP9 is protective in a mouse model of Parkinson’s…

A common Parkinson’s gene mutation plays a role in the formation of fatty plaque in the brain that can destroy nerve cells controlling movement, a study suggests. The research, “GBA1 deficiency negatively affects physiological α-synuclein tetramers and related multimers,” was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy…

Low levels of two dopamine-related molecules in cerebrospinal fluid can help identify patients in the early stages of preclinical Parkinson’s disease, a study suggests. The study, “Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of central dopamine deficiency predict Parkinson’s disease,” was published in Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. Parkinson’s disease is mainly…

Low levels of vitamin B12 in patients in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease are linked to faster motor and cognitive decline, suggesting that vitamin supplements may help slow the progression of these symptoms, a study has found. The study, “Vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels predict…

Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a new scoring system intended to help identify genes that might be important factors in the development of sporadic Parkinson’s disease. This new approach is expected to accelerate the identification of relevant genetic biomarkers that require further study while helping researchers avoid “dead-end paths.”…

Unexpected external stimulus, such as a sound or visual cue, can act as an alarm for the brain to detect a dangerous situation, according to a study that has implications for Parkinson’s disease. These sensory triggers were found to promote an inhibitory signal from the brain to quickly stop muscles…

Lower levels of two proteins in the spinal fluid of Parkinson’s disease patients were found to be related to specific symptoms, suggesting they could be used as biomarkers for the disease, according to an observational study. Parkinson’s patients with postural instability and gait difficulty were found to have significantly lower…

Israel’s Pharma Two B has dosed the first patients in a Phase 3 trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its drug candidate P2B001 to treat early-stage Parkinson’s disease. P2B001 combines low-dose pramipexole and rasagiline, sold under the brand names Mirapex and Azilect. This…

Administering a naturally occurring protein directly to the brains of rats increased the amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine going to the animals’ nerve cells, suggesting it could be a way to treat Parkinson’s, a study reports. The findings further demonstrate the MANF protein’s potential to treat Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative disorders, according…

Voyager Therapeutics will soon initiate a global Phase 2/3 clinical trial program to evaluate its VY-AADC gene therapy for the treatment of advanced Parkinson’s disease. The trial follows approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the company’s investigational new drug (IND) application…