Forest Ray PhD,  —

Eisai Korea has launched Equfina (safinamide) in South Korea as an add-on therapy to levodopa for people with Parkinson’s disease who are experiencing “off” episodes. Equfina was approved in South Korea last year and this represents the medication’s first launch in Asia outside of Japan. Marketed as Xadago…

A survey done in Germany showed that a majority of people with Parkinson’s disease were interested in exploring medical cannabis as a treatment option, with those already using it reporting positive effects. Notably, most non-users indicated that a lack of knowledge, and the fear of side effects, had stopped…

While scientists continue to shed light on a connection between gut bacteria and Parkinson’s disease, one study has found that gut fungi appear not to contribute to the neurodegenerative disorder. This result might serve as a useful warning against investing in potentially futile anti-fungal treatments for people with…

The more anxiety a person feels early in the course of Parkinson’s disease, the less likely that person will stay physically active, which correlates with cognitive impairment. The study with that finding, “Physical activity as a mediator of anxiety and cognitive functioning in Parkinson’s disease,” was…

Expanding telemedicine services and their accessibility could support people with Parkinson’s disease through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond by addressing unmet needs and economic disparities. These are some of the conclusions of a survey conducted by the Parkinson’s Foundation, in collaboration with Columbia University, that revealed key…

Visual dysfunction and its underlying brain changes can identify Parkinson’s disease patients at higher risk of cognitive decline, who might benefit most from future clinical trials, according to two new studies. The studies, “Organisational and neuromodulatory underpinnings of structural-functional connectivity decoupling in patients with Parkinson’s disease”…

Dormant viruses lying hidden in the nervous system can give rise to Parkinson’s disease, according to a newly-published biological model. The article describing this finding, “How microcompetition with latent viruses can cause α synuclein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and eventually Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the Journal…

Adamas Pharmaceuticals has acquired global rights to the Parkinson’s disease medication Osmolex ER (amantadine hydrochloride), used to treat motor symptoms, including those caused by other therapies. The purchase, worth $7.5 million, was part of a settlement agreement with the medicine’s developer, Osmotica Pharmaceutical US, according to a…

Sleep disturbances caused by home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic are linked to worsening Parkinson’s symptoms and poorer quality of life, according to a recent study. Physical activity and adopting new hobbies, the research found, correlated with better sleep. Titled “Impact of home confinement during…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) has received the Advocacy/Policy Award from the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in recognition of its role in Parkinson’s disease research and in shaping public health policy. The MJFF is only the second organization to receive this award. “This…