Lindsey Shapiro, PhD, science writer —

Lindsey earned her PhD in neuroscience from Emory University in Atlanta, where she studied novel therapeutic strategies for treatment-resistant forms of epilepsy. She was awarded a fellowship from the American Epilepsy Society in 2019 for this research. Lindsey also previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher, studying the role of inflammation in epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.

Articles by Lindsey Shapiro

IPX203 shows sustained safety, efficacy in RISE-PD extension trial

Using IPX203, an extended-release formulation of carbidopa/levodopa (CD/LD), was associated with a sustained control of symptoms for Parkinson’s disease patients who participated in the open-label extension of the RISE-PD Phase 3 trial. Final results from the nine-month extension study (NCT03877510) indicate dose adjustments and side effects were…

Study finds pain to be common in early-onset Parkinson’s

More than three-quarters of people with early-onset Parkinson’s disease (EOPD) experience pain, according to a recent study conducted in Vietnam, with more severe pain reported by older patients and those with nonmotor symptoms such as depression, sexual dysfunction, and hallucinations. Additional studies with well-validated tools are needed to further…

Gut bacteria Bifidobacteria breaks down levodopa: Study

Bifidobacteria, a type of bacteria found at higher levels in the gut of Parkinson’s disease patients, is capable of breaking down levodopa, the gold-standard therapy for the neurodegenerative disease, according to recent laboratory studies. Levels of the bacteria in the guts of Parkinson’s patients correlated with the dose of…

Gene linked to movement disorder with Parkinson’s-like symptoms

Researchers have discovered a new early-onset movement disorder associated with mutations in the ACBD6 gene, and several symptoms are similar to those observed in Parkinson’s disease. Genetic sequencing across more than two dozen unrelated families uncovered disease-causing mutations in the gene that were linked to a distinct neurodevelopmental disease that has…

Swallowing problems may be due to poorer sensation in the airways

Major problems with sensation in the airways — essential in preventing the dysphagia or swallowing difficulties that can lead to complications like aspiration pneumonia — were not observed between Parkinson’s disease patients and healthy adults in a small recent study. But given the proposed relationship between airway sensory impairments…

Trial to determine if SIS imaging system makes DBS more effective

Surgical Information Sciences (SIS) has opened a clinical trial to evaluate whether its visualization technology system for locating brain structures can enhance the accuracy of implant placement during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery in people with Parkinson’s disease. Called VISION (NCT05774041), the observational and postmarketing study…