Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

The neurotransmitter dopamine sparks movement, but does not sustain it, according to a Portuguese and American study with implications for the development of Parkinson’s therapies. A feature of Parkinson’s disease is the death of dopamine-producing nerve cells in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra. Dopamine is a…

Psychosis is an important marker for impaired volition (the act of making a conscious choice) in people with Parkinson’s disease who are treated with dopamine replacement therapy, a new study shows. The study, titled “Markers of impaired motor and cognitive volition in…

People with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have impaired emotional recognition and expression compared to healthy people, a new study shows. The study, titled “Altered emotional recognition and expression in patients with Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and…

A nanowired delivery of cerebrolysin and mesenchymal stem cells was found to have marked neuroprotective effects in a Parkinson’s disease model, concludes a study presented Nov. 14 at the Neuroscience 2017 meeting in Washington, D.C. The abstract, “Traumatic brain injury exacerbates Parkinson’s disease neuropathology. Neuroprotective effects of co-administration of TiO2 nanowired…

MIT researchers have developed REPAIR, a new version of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system that can edit RNA instead of DNA — so as not to alter a person’s genome — and may one day be used to treat Parkinson’s and a variety of other diseases. The findings are…

Two new tests that diagnose smell dysfunction are an effective method to detect Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases across different patient populations, a study shows. The study, “SMELL-S and SMELL-R: Olfactory tests not influenced by odor-specific insensitivity or prior olfactory experience,” was published in the journal…

The 3D structure of the PINK1 enzyme, which is linked to the development of early-onset Parkinson’s disease (PD), has finally been identified by researchers at the University of Dundee. The study, titled “Structure of PINK1 and mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease associated mutations,” was published in…

Poor adherence to antidepressants is correlated with an increase in all-cause mortality in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), a new study suggests. Based on the findings, the study’s authors recommend that neurologists, psychiatrists, and primary-care physicians prioritize the use of, and adherence to, antidepressants as indicated. The study, “…

A new algorithm can accurately predict cognitive decline in Parkinson’s disease patients within 10 years of disease onset, a study shows. The study, “Prediction of cognition in Parkinson’s disease with a clinical–genetic score: a longitudinal analysis of nine cohorts,” was published in the journal…

Singing may help people with Parkinson’s disease — especially in its earlier stages — because it strengthens muscles involved in swallowing and respiratory control, suggests two studies from researchers at Iowa State University. One study, “Therapeutic singing as an early intervention for swallowing in persons with Parkinson’s disease,” was published in…