Ashraf Malhas, PhD,  —

Beat It! Learning to Walk to Music Reduces Falls for Parkinson’s Patients

A training program in which patients walk while listening to regular beats can improve the velocity and cadence of Parkinson’s disease patients, while reducing their risk of falling, a study shows. The study, “Rhythmic auditory stimulation for reduction of falls in Parkinson’s disease: a randomized controlled study,” was published…

New Mouse Model Targets Parkinson’s Disease Mechanisms, New Therapies

Researchers have generated a new mouse model that can be used for in-depth studies of disease mechanisms and new therapeutic possibilities for Parkinson’s disease. Although the function of the protein α-synuclein is unknown, its accumulation in clumps known as Lewy bodies, hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease, suggests this protein plays a…

New Smartphone App Seen to Quickly and Ably Assess Parkinson’s Symptoms

A new smartphone application can be used to remotely assess Parkinson’s disease symptoms in a rapid and objective way, with the potential to transform how a range of neurological diseases are evaluated, the research team that created it report. The study, “Using Smartphones and Machine Learning to Quantify Parkinson…

U.K. Scientists Develop Fluorescent Dye to Improve Brain Studies in Parkinson’s, Other Diseases

A two-year collaboration between British neuroscientists and chemists has led to a new fluorescent dye that’s less toxic than other dyes on the market. The new tool will help researchers understand the mechanisms underlying many neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s. Scientists at England’s Keele University in Staffordshire and Newcastle University in Newcastle upon…