Alpha-synuclein clumps may form in kidneys before traveling to brain
People with chronic kidney disease, a condition characterized by a progressive loss of kidney function, have alpha-synuclein protein deposits in…
Articles by Margarida Maia, PhD
84% of people with Parkinson’s report sleep problems in study
A large proportion of people with Parkinson’s disease struggle with sleep problems, including issues with falling asleep or maintaining…
$4M US DOD grant to study sleep disturbances and Parkinson’s
The U.S. Department of Defense has granted $4 million in funding to support an investigation by U.S. researchers into the…
Parkinson’s often correctly diagnosed, but challenges remain
Despite an accuracy rate of 91% in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, misdiagnoses still occur in the clinic, particularly with Lewy…
DaT scan may spot aspiration, pneumonia risk with Parkinson’s
A dopamine transporter scan — an exam that visualizes dopaminergic neurons, the nerve cells that are affected in…
A-dopamine pump extends on time for Parkinson’s patients
Parkinson’s disease patients saw an average increase of more than four hours in the duration of their symptom control,…
Vitamin biotin eases symptoms of parkinsonism in fruit flies: Study
Biotin (vitamin B7) supplementation may offer protection against manganese-induced brain cell damage, according to a recent study. Manganese is a…
Cell-based brain implants for Parkinson’s are in development
Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. are developing brain implants using small clusters of lab-grown cells in…
Ancient viral remnants in DNA may mark Parkinson’s, be protective
Levels of a retrovirus that entered the human genome via infections millions of years ago — an endogenous retrovirus called…
Aging microglia may offer therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s
Aging microglia, the immune cells of the brain that protect it by fighting infections and clearing debris, may mount a…