Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

The Phase 2 LUMA clinical trial, which is testing the experimental LRRK2 inhibitor BIIB122 in people with Parkinson’s disease, is expanding to open enrollment of patients who have a mutation in the LRRK2 gene, in addition to patients without mutations. Meanwhile, the Phase 3 LIGHTHOUSE study, which had been…

Many people with Parkinson’s disease who take antipsychotic medications begin them shortly after being hospitalized, a new study shows. The finding implies that poorly managed psychiatric problems likely contribute to hospitalizations. The data emphasize the importance of appropriately supporting and monitoring people with Parkinson’s so psychiatric issues can be…

Patterns of brain damage in Parkinson’s disease differ based on whether or not individuals have REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), a new study suggests. Study findings indicate that patterns of brain damage are similar among Parkinson’s patients who develop RBD before or after Parkinson’s motor symptoms. Based on…

A new digital tool called MAP DBS may help improve the efficiency of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for people with Parkinson’s disease, a new study suggests. “We showed that MAP DBS can improve the time spent at the initial DBS programming visit when compared to [standard-of-care] procedures, which has…

Several people with Parkinson’s disease were able to improve their ability to walk by using a “wearable cyborg” over their torso, a study reports. The study, “Gait improvement with wearable cyborg HAL trunk unit for parkinsonian patients: five case reports,” was published in Scientific Reports. The work…

A 12-week virtual music therapy program was found to reduce apathy and depression among people with Parkinson’s disease — and to help ease feelings of burden for their caregivers, a new study reported. “Group music therapy is an effective treatment for apathy in PD [Parkinson’s disease] and may improve…

At an upcoming free webinar, hosted by Synapticure, experts will discuss how the chemical trichloroethylene or TCE — a widely-used solvent now well known to have toxic side effects — may be a cause of Parkinson’s disease. The webinar, “TCE: An Invisible Cause of Parkinson’s,” is taking place via…

Anxiety is a common problem for people with Parkinson’s disease and can cause substantial difficulties in patients’ day-to-day lives, a new study based on patient interviews highlights. In some cases, anxiety can be more of a problem than motor symptoms: “I would put up with some of the…

The risk of Parkinson’s disease is increased among people who have been exposed to the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE), according to a new analysis of U.S. military personnel. The study, “Risk of Parkinson Disease Among Service Members at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune,” was published in JAMA…

BioVie is exploring a potentially pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial to test its experimental oral therapy NE3107 in people with Parkinson’s disease. “Throughout the past several months, data reported or presented at major medical conferences have established a compelling rationale for further clinical evaluation of NE3107 in Parkinson’s Disease,”…