Inês Martins, PhD, managing science editor —

Encapsulating the antioxidant small molecule ellagic acid into a nanoparticle that also has some antioxidant properties may be a promising approach to treat neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, in which oxidative stress plays a critical role, a study suggests. In addition to reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ongentys (opicapone) as an oral, add-on daily treatment for Parkinson’s disease patients experiencing off periods while on a levodopa/carbidopa regimen. The approval is for 25 mg and 50 mg capsules, either taken once a day. It comes after…

Prasinezumab (PRX002/RG7935), an antibody designed to eliminate the toxic clumps of alpha-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease patients, did not lessen the progression of motor and non-motor symptoms over one year, compared with a placebo, findings from a Phase 2 clinical trial show. While the results mean that…

Immune cells targeting the alpha-synuclein protein are common in Parkinson’s patients, and new research shows that these cells can be present in the blood up to 10 years before diagnosis, long before disease symptoms are evident. This finding carries important implications for people at risk, such as those carrying genetic factors…

Some clinical features of Parkinson’s disease patients — such as age at disease onset, disease duration, initial motor symptom, and use of dopaminergic agonists — can predict with high accuracy which patients will experience dyskinesia (abnormal involuntary movements) induced by levodopa treatment, a study found. The study,…

Differences in gene expression between the left and right hemispheres of the brain may explain why Parkinson’s patients often show symptoms on one side of the body first, and continue to have more pronounced symptoms on that side as their disease progresses, a study suggests. According to…

Levels of two mitochondrial-related proteins, clusterin and VPS35, may accurately diagnose Parkinson’s disease using a single blood drop, findings from a new study suggest. The research also suggests that a translational approach — one that moves from cell lab work to patients — which also incorporates relevant protein…

The clinical symptoms experienced by people with Parkinson’s disease, like dyskinesia or postural instability, may help to distinguish and group patients whose ability to perform daily activities are more or less affected, a new study suggests. These findings were detailed in, “Can We Predict the…

The National Research Council (NRC) of Canada will conduct a final phase of preclinical testing of GB Sciences‘ cannabinoid-based formulations for Parkinson’s disease to determine their mechanisms of action. This final step in testing follows promising results in a fish model of the disease, in which these…

Long-term use of blood pressure medication Dynacirc (isradipine) does not slow disease progression in people with early Parkinson’s disease, according to findings from a Phase 3 clinical trial. These results contrast with what was previously observed in mice, in which the medication eased damage to dopaminergic…