Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

An inflammatory protein called ASC was found in laboratory models to help accelerate the toxic spread of alpha-synuclein through the brain in Parkinson’s disease, implying that this protein may be a useful disease target, a new study suggests. “Importantly, … the ASC protein presents as a promising target,” the…

Results from a Phase 1 clinical trial testing the experimental vaccine UB-312 in people with Parkinson’s disease are expected this summer, according to the therapy’s developer Vaxxinity. “Vaxxinity remains on track to meet critical milestones in 2023,” Mei Mei Hu, the company’s CEO, said in a press…

Many elderly people who do not have Parkinson’s disease nonetheless experience some Parkinson’s-like symptoms, especially slowness of movement, a new study from Sweden highlights. These symptoms, while reported to impact quality of life, typically are not enough to warrant a formal Parkinson’s diagnosis. Instead, they’re often referred to…

A novel machine learning tool, called CRANK-MS, was able to identify, with high accuracy, people who would go on to develop Parkinson’s disease, based on an analysis of blood molecules. The algorithm identified several molecules that may serve as early biomarkers of Parkinson’s. These findings show the potential of…

A high-intensity boxing program can be a safe way for people with Parkinson’s disease to exercise both mind and body, according to a new feasibility study. Nine of the 10 patients in the study reported less severe symptoms after taking part in the program for about four months.

Crowdsourcing — collecting data from large groups of individuals via the internet — could be used in clinical studies to assess the real-world effect of voice and speech therapy on voice quality in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study. Researchers used crowdsourcing to evaluate speech samples…

Eurofarma and Dentsu Creative have teamed up to launch a new app that allows people with Parkinson’s disease to engage with social media by changing their facial expressions. The app’s goal is to give patients a fun and easy way to exercise their facial muscles. The idea…

PharmaTher Holdings has applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking that ketamine be given fast-track designation as a potential treatment for dyskinesia, or uncontrolled movements, that occur as a side effect of levodopa being used by people with Parkinson’s disease. The fast-track designation is designed…

Abbvie is funding a clinical trial called PROSPECT to assess how clinical outcomes and disease burden change over time for people with Parkinson’s disease whose symptoms are not adequately controlled with available treatments. Interim data from the trial, presented at this year’s American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual…

An assay using skin biopsies, called the Syn-One Test, was able to detect the alpha-synuclein protein that characterizes Parkinson’s disease and like conditions in more than 90% of the patients enrolled in a clinical trial. “These results validate cutaneous [skin-based] alpha-synuclein as a reliable biomarker for Parkinson’s disease and…