Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

A mutation in the GBA1 gene is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease among people of African ancestry, a new study shows. While other mutations in GBA1 have previously been linked with Parkinson’s, this mutation, which is particularly common in people of African ancestry, has not been associated before with…

ND0612, a formulation of levodopa/carbidopa delivered continuously under the skin by a pump, was more effective than standard oral levodopa/carbidopa at controlling motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease without causing problematic side effects. Those top-line findings from the Phase 3 BouNDless clinical trial were announced earlier this year,…

Treatment with the cell therapy bemdaneprocel (BRT-DA01) led to reductions in motor symptom severity for people with Parkinson’s disease in a small clinical trial, according to data announced by BlueRock Therapeutics, its developer. “We are excited to be sharing the results of this Phase I [trial] and look…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had some negative physical and social impacts on the overall well-being of people with Parkinson’s disease, a new study highlights. Therefore, it’s important for clinicians to help patients get social support, not just address physical symptoms of the disease as pandemic-related restrictions ease, researchers wrote…

Rates of Parkinson’s disease progression and treatment response may differ among patients depending on whether the disease primarily affects the dominant or nondominant side of the body, a small study of typing skills in patients new to dopaminergic therapy suggests. “These findings suggest that the relationship between side of…

Regular physical exercise helps to improve balance and mobility in people with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease, an analysis of published studies reports. Best results, in terms of this easing in disease motor symptoms, were seen with “consistent and sustained” participation in exercise sessions. “The findings of our…

Men who have played American football are at increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. That’s according to the study, “American Football Play and Parkinson Disease Among Men,” published in JAMA Network Open. “I would say that I was surprised by the strength of the effect…

Using machine learning to analyze a patient-derived cell model may help to identify different molecular subtypes of Parkinson’s disease, a new study shows. “Using a model of the patient’s own neurons, and combining this with large numbers of images, we generated an algorithm to classify certain subtypes – a…

People with Parkinson’s disease are nearly twice as likely to experience delirium — acute confusion and difficulty with attention — after surgery. They also tend to have longer hospital stays and higher medical costs following surgery, according to a study, “Association of Postoperative Delirium and Parkinson…

People with Parkinson’s disease who are hospitalized for fractures due to falls or other traumatic injuries are not likely to stop being prescribed medications that can increase a fall risk, a study reports. Findings were similar in patients hospitalized for other Parkinson’s-related reasons, like pneumonia or urinary tract infections.