Catarina Silva, MSc,  —

Antioxidants like vitamin C may protect against the toxic effects of levodopa, researchers report. Their study, “Reducing oxidative toxicity of L-dopa in combination with two different antioxidants: an essential oil isolated from Rosa Damascena Mill., and vitamin C”, was published in Toxicology Reports. Levodopa (L-DOPA) treatment effectively…

Treadmill walking, but not over-ground walking, can improve gait stability in patients with Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. The research, “Treadmill walking reduces pre-frontal activation in patients with Parkinson’s disease” was published in Gait & Posture. It is widely known that Parkinson’s patients have difficulties preforming learned motor…

A modified form of the alpha-synuclein protein can be found in the salivary gland tissue of Parkinson’s patients even in the early stages of the disease, suggesting the protein could be a potential biomarker for this neurodegenerative disorder, a study reports. The study, “Nitrated alpha-synuclein in minor salivary gland biopsies…

Parkinson’s disease patients have “significantly elevated” levels of c-reactive protein, an acute-phase biomarker for inflammation in the body, according to a recent literature review. It remains to be understood, however, if c-reactive protein is a risk factor for this neurodegenerative disorder, or if the disease itself triggers an inflammatory…

Virtual reality gaming may improve the ability of Parkinson’s disease patients to perceive time, a skill that is often impaired in these individuals, a study suggests. Playing these virtual reality games may also benefit people with autism, schizophrenia, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conditions that can also affect time perception, according…

Tracer compounds with high affinity and selectivity to alpha-synuclein deposits have been identified that could be used to detect and track Parkinson’s disease progression, AC Immune announced. Findings were recently presented in the study, “Identification and Characterization of Selective and High Affinity Small Molecules for Positron Emission…

An investigational gene therapy being developed for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease was well-  tolerated and eased patients’ motor fluctuations in a dose-dependent manner after a one-time administration, according to interim results. The study, “Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Phase 1 Trial of Putaminal AADC Gene Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease,” was…

Researchers are conducting a study assessing the use of different motion-tracking sensors to remotely gather data from Parkinson’s disease patients. The technology holds the potential to noninvasively monitor Parkinson’s motor symptoms, as well as the effects of medication, over the course of patients’ normal daily lives at home. The…

Urate, a salt derived from uric acid, and homocysteine, an amino acid, may predict motor and cognitive decline in early Parkinson’s disease, researchers report. The study with that finding, “Urate and Homocysteine: Predicting Motor and Cognitive Changes in Newly Diagnosed Parkinson’s Disease” was published in the Journal…

People with Parkinson’s disease whose motor symptoms are eased by levodopa (L-DOPA) therapy may be “more likely” to develop earlier in their disease course the abnormal involuntary movements known as dyskinesia than do patients with a limited response to this treatment, researchers report. Data on this finding were presented…