Lindsey Shapiro, PhD, science writer —

Certain biomarkers in the blood may help doctors in determining whether a person has Parkinson’s disease or atypical parkinsonism, both of which show similar symptoms, a study reported. Three biomarkers — neurofilament light chain (NfL) and malondialdehyde (MDA), particularly, but also 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-HC) — were found at significantly…

A history of using inhaled beta-2 adrenoceptor (B2AR) agonists to treat asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) was not associated with a decreased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent Finnish study. The findings contrast earlier epidemiological studies that found these medications, commonly used to treat…

Following promising new data from healthy volunteers in early clinical trials, NodThera now is testing its oral treatment candidate NT-0796 in a Phase 1b/2a biomarker study involving people with Parkinson’s disease. The biotech company announced the positive results from its first-in-human Phase 1 study (ACTRN12621001082897), which found…

Certain experiences particular to women, from a natural childbirth or pregnancy-related depression to a hysterectomy, could cause their Parkinson’s disease symptoms to be more severe, an exploratory U.S. study suggests. As noted by it authors, the study “sets the groundwork for acknowledging the role [women specific health factors] ……

NeuroOne Medical Technologies is seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its OneRF ablation system, which aims to remove select regions of brain tissue as a way of treating neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease. The company submitted its request in the form of…

Testing for the presence of misfolded alpha-synuclein — the protein that toxically builds up in Parkinson’s disease — in both the nasal passages and skin samples could serve as a sensitive way to detect Parkinson’s early pathology and distinguish its subtypes, according to a small recent study. By using…

Long-term treatment with sargramostim, an immune-modulating medication from Partner Therapeutics, was safe and improved motor function for five men with Parkinson’s disease, according to data from a small open-label Phase 1 clinical trial. Evidence suggested the therapy exerted its benefits by boosting the function of anti-inflammatory…

An experimental molecule called ONO-2506 was found to reduce the occurrence of abnormal movements — dyskinesia — resulting from early levodopa treatment without compromising levodopa’s therapeutic effects in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. The mechanisms by which ONO-2506 was able to ease levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) appeared…

Researchers have identified certain pesticides used in agricultural settings that were linked to Parkinson’s disease risk among people living in California — and that were toxic to nerve cells in laboratory studies. Particularly, a pesticide called trifluralin was a significant driver of nerve cell toxicity, an effect that was…

A new review study found limited evidence that exercise may be beneficial in slowing Parkinson’s disease progression, as assessed by behavioral, neurochemical, and imaging measures. Yet no particular exercise type emerged as superior to the others for Parkinson’s patients, although evidence hinted that a higher intensity training with…