José Lopes, PhD, managing science editor —

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has granted more than $1 million to Inflazome to fund the development of a brain-imaging probe that may help track progression of Parkinson’s and develop new therapies for the disease. The funding will help develop a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer…

Although there are now more treatment options available for non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, a lack of evidence on their effectiveness and safety means that more studies and new therapeutic strategies are needed, according to a review study. The study, “Update on Treatments for Nonmotor Symptoms…

Mild cognitive impairment, motor and olfactory deficits, and erectile dysfunction are among the markers able to predict the development of Parkinson’s and associated disorders in people with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, according to a large study. The research was published in the article, “Risk…

Hydrotherapy may provide significant balance and mobility benefits in patients with Parkinson’s disease compared to medication and land-based exercises, according to a review study. The research, “The Effects of Hydrotherapy on Balance, Functional Mobility, Motor Status, and Quality of Life in Patients with Parkinson Disease: A Systematic…

Maintaining good nutritional status may protect Parkinson’s patients from greater motor impairments associated with weight loss, according to new research. The study, “Untangling the relationship between fat distribution, nutritional status and Parkinson’s disease severity,” was published in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. Prior research…

Exposure to the metal manganese may lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease by promoting the release from nerve cells of alpha-synuclein, the subsequent aggregation of which causes inflammation and neurodegeneration, according to a study. The study, “Manganese promotes the aggregation and prion-like cell-to-cell exosomal transmission…

Treatment with a single dose of the leukemia therapy Tasigna (nilotinib) improves the brain’s ability to use dopamine in people with Parkinson’s by reducing inflammation and levels of toxic alpha-synuclein, according to Phase 2 trial results. The research, “Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single dose…

Parkinson’s disease patients improved their gait after undergoing training in which they tapped their fingers in synchrony to regular beats set at a faster pace than their walking speed, a study has found. The research, “Rhythmic priming across effector systems: A randomized controlled trial with Parkinson’s disease…

One-time treatment with the gene therapy candidate AXO-Lenti-PD led to improved motor function and was well-tolerated after three months in two patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease, according to early results of an ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial. These findings are from the open-label, dose-escalation portion of the SUNRISE-PD…

Seelos Therapeutics has acquired an exclusive license to further develop a treatment approach called SLS-007 for Parkinson’s disease which is intended to lessen the aggregation of alpha-synuclein protein. The therapeutic strategy was developed by scientists at University of California, Los Angeles, and includes a family of peptide blockers that…