Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

Among people with Parkinson’s disease, lower levels of a bacterial compound called butyrate in the gut are associated with more severe depression, a new study indicates. Results also revealed that altered butyrate levels in Parkinson’s patients are associated with epigenetic changes in these individuals’ cells. The study, “…

Among people with Parkinson’s undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS), those who receive stimulation in a certain brain region — the medial and ventral subthalmic nucleus — are more likely to develop a distressing side effect known as mania, a yearlong study in more than 100 DBS patients reported.

Analyses that estimate the length of a person’s vocal tract, which involves controlling muscles used in speech, could help to identify Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study. “The standard clinical method for classifying parkinsonian voice is by perceptual evaluation, which however is subjective,” the researchers wrote. “Computerized voice analysis…

Inbrija, an approved treatment for “off” episodes of Parkinson’s disease, has now been launched in Germany. The medication is being sold in Germany by Esteve Pharmaceuticals under an agreement with its developer Acorda Therapeutics. In exchange for supply of the product, Acorda will receive a significant…

Two European pharma companies have teamed up to create a technology platform that will help people with Parkinson’s disease find the best time to take their medication and make personalized adjustments to their treatment schedules. Gerresheimer AG is partnering with Finnish MedTech start-up Adamant Health Oy on new…

StrivePD, a Rune Labs‘ app that collects motor symptom data for people with Parkinson’s disease via measurements recorded by an Apple Watch, has been cleared for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “When people with Parkinson’s are prescribed new medications, adjusting how much to take and…

A soft, stretchable sensor called NeuroString could be used for measuring the activity of neurotransmitters — chemical messengers that nerve cells use to communicate — in the bodies of living animals. The novel sensor, which may have potential in Parkinson’s disease research, was described in the study, “…

Levels of antibodies against synuclein proteins are lower in people with Parkinson’s disease than in heathy individuals, but these antibody levels cannot be used to distinguish Parkinson’s from other neurological disorders, a new study suggests. “Considering the degree of variation within the levels of all synuclein [antibodies] in controls…

Voice therapy using resonance tubes — glass cylinders partially submerged in water — improved loudness and other vocal parameters in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to results of a small clinical trial from Brazil. “Resonance tube voice therapy has positive effects on the vocal aspects in individuals with” Parkinson’s,…

Men who have distressing dreams more than once a week are at more than two times higher risk of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a new study suggests. “This study provides evidence for the first time that frequent distressing dreams in community-dwelling older adults, may be associated with an…