Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

Alpha-synuclein aggregation — the toxic clumping of proteins in nerve cells that is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease — starts on the membranes of mitochondria, the so-called powerhouse of a cell, according to work in cell models. “Our study provides insights into what is happening in the earliest stages…

The first participant has been dosed in a Phase 2 clinical trial testing IkT-148009, an experimental oral therapy for Parkinson’s disease being developed by Inhibikase Therapeutics. This step “represents a major milestone in the development of IkT-148009 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders,” Milton Werner,…

A feature on MRI images called the “swallow tail sign” has long been thought to correspond to a dopaminergic brain region clearly affected by Parkinson’s disease — but a new study suggests this is not the case. High-resolution MRI imaging shows only a partial overlap of these two regions, and…

Levels of a protein called glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) are elevated in the blood of people with Parkinson’s disease, indicating the protein may be a biomarker for the neurological disorder, according to a new study. GPNMB also helps to promote the toxic aggregation of alpha-synuclein protein in…

The activity of a molecular signaling pathway called Delta/Notch in cells of the blood-brain barrier is important for regulating the electrical function of nerve cells, according to a new study using fruit flies. The research, scientists say, could have implications for understanding neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, which are often…

Treatment with prasinezumab, a monoclonal antibody designed to break up toxic alpha-synuclein aggregates, failed to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease in a Phase 2 clinical trial. “In this placebo-controlled trial, treatment with prasinezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting aggregated [alpha]-synuclein, had no meaningful effect on global clinical or…

A miniature antibody-like molecule called a nanobody effectively broke up toxic alpha-synuclein aggregates that are characteristic of Parkinson’s disease, and prevented the spread of these aggregates in the brains of mice in a disease model. The novel construct was described in the journal Nature Communications, in the study, “…

Treatment with Kynmobi (apomorphine hydrochloride), an approved under-the-tongue therapy for “off” episodes in Parkinson’s disease, does not substantially alter heartbeat dynamics at approved doses, according to new clinical trial data. The study, “A Randomized Thorough QT Study of Apomorphine Sublingual Film in Patients With Parkinson’s…

A new project by scientists at the University of Michigan (UM) aims to design a prototype autonomous vehicle that’s specifically designed to help meet the needs of people living with Parkinson’s disease. The project, called “Inclusive Design in Shared Autonomous Vehicles for People with Parkinson’s Disease,” is being funded…

A Parkinson’s-associated variant in the LRRK2 gene affects the gene’s activity in a single group of brain cells: microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain. “Our study demonstrates that cell type should be considered when evaluating the role of noncoding variation in disease pathogenesis [development],” the researchers wrote. The…