Lindsey Shapiro, PhD,  science writer—

A year of treatment with levodopa plus benserazide led to greater clinical improvements among Parkinson’s disease patients who were also using add-on Azilect (rasagiline), according to a small Chinese study. The use of Azilect was also associated with greater reductions in homocysteine (Hcy), a biomarker associated with…

Cognition tests given virtually showed results similar to in-person evaluations for Parkinson’s disease patients with no or mild cognitive impairments, but more work clearly is needed to overcome their technical limitations and improve their reliability, according to a recent study. “In-person cognitive testing with a neuropsychologist remains the gold…

Scientists have discovered that long-term changes in a biomarker of nerve damage, called neurofilament light chain (NfL), could be used to predict cognitive decline in people with Parkinson’s disease due to certain mutations. They found that a slower progression of dementia in people with LRRK2-associated Parkinson’s compared with those…

Motor abilities assessed via multiple sensors on a smartwatch correlated well with motor function as rated by clinicians, and could distinguish between “on” and “off” medication states for Parkinson’s disease patients, according to a study in Japan. “This study has shown that wearable devices can provide reliable and objective…

Michael J. Fox has received the 2023 Elevate Prize Catalyst Award in recognition of his work with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF), an organization dedicated to developing better treatments, and eventually, finding a cure for the Parkinson’s disease. Granted by the Elevate Prize…

Note: This story was updated Sept. 20, 2023, to reflect that Acadia is working on Nuplazid’s development as a treatment for schizophrenia. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the prescribing label for Nuplazid (pimavanserin) — an approved therapy for Parkinson’s disease-related hallucinations and delusions…

The Parkinson’s Foundation has launched a day of giving in an effort to encourage Parkinson’s disease awareness and raise funds to accelerate research and improve care for people living with the neurodegenerative disease. The inaugural event, called A Day to Reach Further, is today, Sept. 19. Lasting…

The 2024 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences has been awarded to three researchers who made groundbreaking discoveries related to the genetic causes of Parkinson’s disease. Breakthrough Prizes, popularly called the “Oscars of Science,” honor researchers who’ve made impactful discoveries across the life sciences, fundamental physics, and mathematics. There were…

Axim Biotechnologies has developed an assay to detect toxic clumps of the alpha-synuclein protein, a known biomarker of Parkinson’s disease, from a single teardrop. The company believes the noninvasive test, which can be run at the doctor’s office and provides faster results than other tear tests, could help…

Researchers have identified regions of DNA that appear to influence both Parkinson’s disease risk and sex-specific factors, including age of menstruation and menopause. Variants in these regions had different effects on gene activity in men and women, which scientists believe could underlie the higher prevalence of the neurodegenerative disease…