Joana Carvalho, PhD, managing science editor —

Levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG), a formulation of levodopa and carbidopa infused into the intestines, can lower the duration of off episodes in people with advanced Parkinson’s disease, and is likely to be especially helpful to those whose daily episodes are long-lasting, an analysis of registry study…

Gocovri (amantadine) can reduce the number and duration of off episodes — periods during which levodopa-based treatments cease to be effective and motor symptoms return — as well as ease dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson’s, according to a post-hoc analysis of Phase 3 trials. These findings were presented…

When given to people at earlier stages of Parkinson’s disease, deep brain stimulation (DBS) reduces the complexity of their treatment, while safely providing long-term motor benefits and possibly slowing disease progression, data from a five-year pilot trial suggests. A planned Phase 3 study has already received the…

Alterations in the levels of melatonin — the hormone that controls sleep-wake cycles — circulating in the blood are associated with certain non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, namely sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal issues, and heart problems. The study with that finding, “Elevated Plasma Melatonin Levels…

Subtle changes in the levels of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in patients at the earlier stages of Parkinson’s disease may provide clues about the evolution of their motor and cognitive functions, a study says. The study, “Evolution of Alzheimer’s Disease Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Early…

Scientists have discovered, for the first time, that patients with Parkinson’s disease have a much greater number of opportunistic disease-causing microbes living in their gastrointestinal tract, compared to people without the disease. Further studies are needed to determine if these opportunistic microorganisms may be involved directly in the onset…

Multiple administrations of Affitope PD01A, an investigational vaccine for Parkinson’s disease, elicit a safe and sustained immune response against alpha-synuclein — a protein involved in the development of Parkinson’s — in patients at the early stages of the disease, according to results from a Phase 1…

Older men who have a weak or irregular circadian rhythm — the body’s internal clock that controls the sleep-wake cycle — are approximately three-times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease later in life, compared to those who have regular activity-rest cycles, a study has found. According to researchers,…

New magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques capable of zeroing in on a pea-size region of the brain responsible for movement control may allow physicians to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor without having to resort to invasive brain surgery. These methods were described in the…

Daily use of Nuplazid (pimavanserin) leads to strong and sustained reductions in the frequency and severity of hallucinations and delusions in people with Parkinson’s disease psychosis, according to data from a long-term extension study. These findings, “Improvement and Durability in SAPS-PD Assessment over 10…