Magdalena Kegel,  —

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have discovered that an enzyme known to be highly active in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients places a molecular tag on the protein α-synuclein, causing it to aggregate and worsen its symptoms. The study, “Activation of tyrosine…

A discovery demonstrating that two Parkinson’s disease risk genes produce proteins preventing the immune system from attacking brain cells makes inherited Parkinson’s cases new candidates for autoimmune diseases. In addition to giving researchers new leads in the search for drugs that might postpone or prevent the disease, the findings might…

Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) are closer than ever to understanding the structure of a protein called ZIP4 – the only factor responsible for the uptake of zinc from food. Although zinc is a mineral essential for numerous bodily processes, unbalanced levels of the element can cause or contribute…

Poor decision-making processes — common enough among patients with Parkinson’s disease — may contribute to the movement difficulties that characterize the disease, a view that redefines Parkinson’s as more than a movement disorder. The findings may also lead to new discoveries of early disease markers, improving chances of halting brain degeneration at an early…

Dimethylfumarate (Tecfidera), a drug used to harness multiple sclerosis symptoms, generates a metabolite that could be used in Parkinson’s patients to improve defenses against oxidative damage. The drug acts on Nrf2, a molecule that has frequently been suggested as a target for neuroprotective drugs in Parkinson’s, as its activation is a…

Unfertilized human egg cells can give rise to so-called parthenogenetic stem cells, having the characteristics of embryonal stem cells but without the ethically debatable use of early embryos. Now, a new study demonstrates that neural stem cells derived from parthenogenetic cells transplanted to non-human primates with Parkinson’s disease improved…

A recent publication in the journal Nature Genetics describes a new genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease. The newly identified gene, called TMEM230, is involved in storage and release of the neurotransmitter dopamine from neurons. The findings open up new avenues of research into mechanisms leading to the…

Infection with the ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has repeatedly been linked to Parkinson’s disease. Recently, researchers revealed that the infection is associated with higher levels of certain autoantibodies — possibly explaining the connection between the two seemingly unrelated disease states. The research team at the University of Malaya, in Malaysia,…

While Parkinson’s disease is mainly associated with motor deficits, recent research shows that patients suffering this devastating disease are also plagued by difficulties in to communicate clearly. In an extensive review, Thomas Holtgraves and Chelsea Cadle from Ball State University in Indiana tease out which areas of communication might…

Maintenance laxatives can relieve patients with Parkinson’s disease from a progression of rigidity, according to a newly released study audit. The results further point strongly to a contribution of gut factors to the disease mechanisms. In the recently published retrospective study, researchers from King’s College London,…