Margarida Maia, PhD,  science writer—

People with Parkinson’s disease who maintain the recommended level of weekly physical activity tend to be those with critical health literacy, or the ability to understand health information and apply it in decisions regarding their well-being, a survey study reports. Offering targeted education about exercise and physical activity…

Some molecular changes that drive damage to brain cells in Parkinson’s disease take place in skin cells too, a study has found, adding to evidence that examining the skin may support an early diagnosis. Because skin cells are much easier to collect than brain cells, they also could be…

A Phase 1/2 clinical trial testing AAV-GAD, an investigational gene therapy being developed by MeiraGTx for Parkinson’s disease, is expected to be fully enrolled before the end of the year, the company announced in a press release. The placebo-controlled trial (NCT05603312), which began dosing last…

Positron emission tomography (PET) scans of the heart can help to identify people, known to be at risk for Parkinson’s disease or Lewy body dementia, up to seven years before they go on to develop these disorders, a small study suggests. In the National Institutes of Health (NIH)…

Mission Therapeutics’ experimental oral therapy MTX325, for Parkinson’s disease, spurred brain cells in mice to clear damaged mitochondria — the powerhouses of the cells — ultimately protecting them from death caused by toxic alpha-synuclein protein clumping. That’s according to the findings of a new study using a Parkinson’s…

Toxic clumping of the alpha-synuclein protein, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease, may lead to a calcium imbalance in which the mineral builds up to harmful levels in neurons early in the course of the neurodegenerative condition, according to a study in mouse and human cells. Single molecules of alpha-synuclein…

For people with Parkinson’s disease associated with mutations in the GBA gene, deep brain stimulation (DBS) may offer lasting motor benefits and help manage impulsive-compulsive behaviors, a study suggests. Despite experiencing faster cognitive decline following DBS when compared to patients with these mutations, most patients had not developed dementia…

Being diagnosed with depression or having symptoms of the condition significantly increases the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a study of nearly 100,000 elderly people in South Korea. The association was the greatest for people with a diagnosis of depression and subjective depressive symptoms. Their risk nearly…

Regularly practicing the Chinese martial art tai chi may slow the progression of motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and delay needing to increase the dosage of medication over time, a study suggests. The benefits of one-year of tai chi extended to an overall reduction in complications linked…

Parkinson’s UK is funding two new basic research projects at the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland, that have as their goal uncovering clues to the causes of Parkinson’s disease, with a focus on genetic involvement. According to the charity organization, such basic research provides the groundwork for understanding…