The most common gene mutation in Parkinson’s triggers disease outside the brain by changing the body’s immune response to common infections, a study in mice reports. The research, “Mutant LRRK2 mediates peripheral and central immune responses leading to neurodegeneration in vivo,” was published in the journal Brain.
An innovative Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracer that has the potential to diagnose Parkinson’s disease will soon be tested in humans for the first time. Led by Switzerland-based AC Immune, which developed the technology, the study is expected to begin in the second half of 2018. The company recently presented…
India Globalization Capital (IGC) has joined with the nonprofit Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center (PICC) with the goal of moving cannabinoid-based treatments for Parkinson’s disease into clinical testing. IGC, a company reported to be at the forefront of such Parkinson’s research, recently signed a Joint Development and Services Agreement with PICC to identify…
A new DNA barcoding technique using nanoparticles could be used for large-scale testing of gene therapies for diseases such as Parkinson’s, according to Georgia Tech and Emory University researchers. The study, “A direct comparison of in vitro and in vivo nucleic acid delivery mediated by hundreds of nanoparticles…
A new way to measure levels of a critical protein in Parkinson’s disease could lead to improved diagnosis and treatments. Using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging camera, Swedish researchers were able to measure levels of a protein called dopamine transporter (DAT) as a way to investigate the dopamine system in…
Tears may be used to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, according to preliminary findings of a study that will be presented at the 2018 American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California, April 21-27. “We believe our research is the first to show that tears may be a reliable, inexpensive…
Excessive levels of calcium in the brain may trigger the formation of toxic protein clumps that typify Parkinson’s disease. This finding could be a new treatment target for researchers working to understand how and why people develop the neurodegenerative disease. The research, “C-terminal calcium binding of α-synuclein modulates synaptic vesicle…
Parkinson’s patients have lower blood levels of caffeine and its byproducts after consuming the stimulant, suggesting that caffeine could be used as a biomarker for diagnosing the disease. The findings appeared in the study “Serum caffeine and metabolites are reliable biomarkers of early Parkinson disease,” published in the…
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is accepting funding applications from researchers who want to do basic science projects on neurodegeneration. The goal is to increase scientists’ understanding of diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and attract new talent and ideas. Grant recipients will become part of the CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network, an…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted Acorda Therapeutics’ New Drug Application for Inbrija (CVT-301) as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Accepting the application means the agency is ready to start its regulatory review of the therapy. It expects to decide whether to approve Inbrija by Oct.
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