Lindsey Shapiro, PhD, science writer —

A new dual-target, adaptive deep brain stimulation (DBS) protocol may offer more clinical benefits for patients than does traditional DBS for Parkinson’s disease, according to newly published data from a small clinical trial. DBS surgery — in which a small device is implanted in the brain to deliver…

Led by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF), an international group of patients, researchers, and industry leaders has proposed a framework for defining and staging Parkinson’s disease based on its underlying biology rather than by hallmark disease symptoms. Called the neuronal alpha-synuclein disease integrated…

Produodopa (foslevodopa/foscarbidopa), AbbVie‘s continuous under-the-skin (subcutaneous) infusion formulation of levodopa/carbidopa, now is available in the European Union (EU) for advanced Parkinson’s disease patients whose severe motor fluctuations and involuntary movements are not controlled well with standard therapies. AbbVie initially was granted marketing authorization for Produodopa — also known…

A three-month exercise program focusing on Brazilian dance led to greater gains in lower limb strength among Parkinson’s disease patients than Nordic walking or deep-water exercise programs, according to a clinical trial report. Most measures of motor performance, cognitive function, and quality of life were unaltered by any of…

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…

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…

Researchers have developed a way to generate a family of nerve cells implicated in Parkinson’s disease in the lab using human stem cells, according to newly published research. These cells, found in a brain region called the locus coeruleus (LC), produce a signaling chemical called norepinephrine, or NE. While these…

People with Parkinson’s disease at a higher risk of liver scarring, known as fibrosis, experienced faster cognitive declines compared with patients at a lower risk, according to a new analysis. In fact, over a five-year period, liver scarring was tied to a “more rapid decline in scores” across four…

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…

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…