Author Archives: Charlotte Baker

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted breakthrough device designation to nQ Medical’s neuroQUERTY software, which is designed to monitor brain health and Parkinson’s disease progression. Breakthrough device status is given to medical devices that have the potential to be an effective treatment or…

A mutation in the ATP13A2 gene disrupts the transport of polyamines — positively charged molecules that interact with DNA and proteins to control cell growth, survival, and proliferation — killing nerve cells and potentially leading to Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. The study, “ATP13A2…

People who develop Parkinson’s disease before the age of 50 may have been born with the defective brain cells responsible for causing the illness, a study suggests. These results also reveal that a medicine, which is already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating…

People who live less than 50 meters (about 54 yards) from major roads or 150 meters (164 yards) from a highway have a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease or other neurodegenerative disorders, according to a Canadian study. Meanwhile, green spaces such as parks seem to offer protection and lower…

Two key types of brain nerves cells affected by Parkinson’s disease — cholinergic neurons and dopaminergic neurons — communicate and interact via signaling systems, researchers were able to “see” using a new imaging approach. This beneficial neuron-to-neuron interaction, confirmed through the novel approach in a rat model of the…

A single dose of cannabidiol (CBD) can decrease anxiety and tremor strength in people with Parkinson’s disease during situations known to induce anxiety, such as a public speaking exercise, a study found. The results of the study, “Effects of acute cannabidiol administration on anxiety and…

By deleting a section of alpha-synuclein, a protein that forms damaging clumps in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients, researchers were able to prevent Parkinson’s-like symptoms in fruit flies, a study reports. The study, “The Non-amyloidal Component Region of α-Synuclein Is Important for α-Synuclein Transport Within Axons,”…