Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

People with Parkinson’s disease who live in areas with measurable air pollution are at a heightened risk of hospitalization, according to a new analysis in the U.S. This work “provides critical information on whether air pollution could be used as a lever to reduce the risk of hospitalizations” with…

Analyzing vocal recordings could help in detecting Parkinson’s disease at early stages, according to a study that tested the idea using decades’ worth of recordings from celebrities who went on to develop the neurodegenerative condition. “This study shows that early patterns of [speech changes] are detectable up to 10…

Changes in gut bacteria may be a useful marker to help diagnose Parkinson’s disease, according to a new analysis. The study, “Microbial biomarker discovery in Parkinson’s disease through a network-based approach,” was published in npj Parkinson’s Disease. The human digestive tract is home to billions of…

Genetic variations that influence the size of specific brain regions are associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. “Our findings suggest that genetic influences that underpin individual differences in brain structure may be fundamental to understanding the underlying causes of brain-related disorders,” Miguel Rentería,…

Integrating wearable sensors and machine learning has enabled researchers to develop a simplified method to diagnose Parkinson’s disease. The technology was described in the study, “Simplification of Mobility Tests and Data Processing to Increase Applicability of Wearable Sensors as Diagnostic Tools for Parkinson’s Disease,” published in…

Providing emotional support is a key part of a genetic counselor’s role — but many people with Parkinson’s disease are not aware of this and don’t expect emotional support from genetic counselors, even if this kind of assistance would be welcome. That’s according to a new study from the…

A specific population of nerve cells in the brain that helps to regulate REM sleep may be a key target for treating Parkinson’s disease, a study demonstrates. REM (rapid eye movement) is the stage of sleep where the most dreaming occurs, with its other three stages classified as either…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved foslevodopa and foscarbidopa, a levodopa therapy given as a 24-hour under-the-skin infusion, to treat motor fluctuations in adults with advanced Parkinson’s disease. The newly approved therapy, which had been known as ABBV-951 while in development, will be sold by…

Treatment with the experimental gene therapy AAV-GAD led to significant easing of motor symptoms and improved life quality for most people with Parkinson’s disease in an early clinical trial, according to new data announced by the therapy’s developer MeiraGTx. “We are excited about these impressive clinical data…

Conducting a machine-learning analysis of video recordings may aid in identifying motor symptoms in the early stage of Parkinson’s disease, potentially helping diagnose patients faster than can be done with the human eye, a new study reports. Such computer-based analyses may be able to detect problems with walking and…