Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

A once-a-week multi-modal exercise program can improve and preserve motor function and cognition in Parkinson’s patients, according to a recent study. Results of the study were presented in a session, “Can a Weekly Multi-Modal Exercise Class Preserve Motor and Non-Motor Function in Parkinson’s?” at The Physiological Society‘s recent early…

Contrary to what is commonly thought, dopamine-producing nerve cells (neurons) that stop functioning in Parkinson’s disease may not die, but instead enter a state of senescence in which they cease to divide and cause damage to healthy neighboring cells, a study found. In fact, one researcher noted these senescence cells…

High levels of a protein called SIRT2 in the blood may serve as a diagnostic biomarker to differentiate between Parkinson’s patients and those with atypical Parkinson syndromes, a study finds. Levels of this marker also may aid in diagnosing Parkinson’s at early stages. The study, “Elevated Serum SIRT 2…

UCB has announced the start of a Phase 1b clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of its therapeutic candidate UCB0599 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. This multicenter clinical trial will take place across the United States. Current treatments for Parkinson’s, which include…

The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a Breakthrough Device designation to Amprion’s proprietary technology, Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA) — a device that holds the potential to diagnose Parkinson’s disease at a much earlier stage than current diagnostic methods. If approved by the…

Long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution does not directly contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease later in life, results from a Dutch study suggest. Still, non-smoking women and people with long-term residential stability were found to be at greater risk of developing the disease, according to the study. The…

People who have appendectomies have more than three times the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to the findings of a U.S. large-scale study. The study, “Parkinson’s Disease Is More Prevalent In Patients With Appendectomies: A National Population-Based Study,” will be presented during Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2019,…

The last Parkinson’s patient enrolled in Intec Pharma’s Phase 3 ACCORDANCE clinical trial has completed the final required visit, the company announced. Taking place at approximately 90 clinical sites throughout the United States, Europe, and Israel, the trial (NCT02605434) was designed to test the safety and efficacy of…

Felodipine, an approved therapy for high blood pressure, is able to promote the clearance of toxic protein aggregates in mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s, according to a study. The study, “Felodipine induces autophagy in mouse brains with pharmacokinetics amenable to repurposing,” was published in the journal…

Wearable motion sensors can allow doctors to objectively assess medication states in Parkinson’s disease patients being treated with levodopa, a new study shows. The study, “Assessment of response to medication in individuals with Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the journal Medical Engineering & Physics. Levodopa is the most…