Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Cognitive abilities and problems with freezing of gait in people with Parkinson’s disease do not seem to be significantly related, new research indicates. The study, “Cognitive function in people with and without freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in npj Parkinson’s Disease. Freezing is a relatively…

A consensus statement from the Parkinson’s Foundation declares there isn’t enough data yet to draw reliable conclusions about whether medical cannabis products might be beneficial in treating Parkinson’s disease, and calls for more research. For people with Parkinson’s who choose to use such products, the statement urges caution,…

Bright light therapy can help improve sleep in people with Parkinson’s disease, likely due to its effects on the body’s “clock” genes that become dysregulated due to Parkinson’s treatment, a new study suggests. The study, “Bright light improves sleep in patients with…

Predictive models can help diagnose Parkinson’s disease in early stages, and could be used to distinguish Parkinson’s from conditions that present similarly, a new study suggests. The findings indicate that losing the sense of smell is particularly significant for predicting Parkinson’s. The study, “Non-motor Clinical and…

A program that teaches Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers techniques to manage day-to-day activities over the course of this disease can help improve both life quality and effective self-care, a study from Sweden suggests. The study, “Self-Management Education for Persons with Parkinson’s Disease and Their Care Partners: A Quasi-Experimental…

Although there isn’t currently sufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions, it is possible that people who survive COVID-19 may be at increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, researchers from Brazil argued in a recent paper. More research is needed to examine this idea, which points to a need for…

Inhaled McIntyre powder, which was used in the mining industry during the mid-20th century, is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. Findings from the study, titled “Investigation of McIntyre Powder Exposure And Neurological Outcomes In The Mining Master File Cohort:…

A fall prevention program that combines yoga and occupational therapy was well-received by people living with Parkinson’s disease, a new study reports. Although the study didn’t find significant effects of the program on quality of life, participants perceived improvements in several domains, including social aspects and mobility, pointing…

Depression and anxiety can be prevalent among elderly people hospitalized with Parkinson’s disease, and is associated with malnourishment or poor nutrition, a study from Germany suggests. Findings also indicate that malnutrition is more prominent among men with Parkinson’s whose disease is more advanced or of a longer duration. The study,…

A clinical trial that’s multi-arm and multi-stage (MAMS) could quicken development of promising therapies for Parkinson’s disease (PD) by allowing multiple treatments to be tested simultaneously. MAMS trials, most commonly used across cancers, may be a way of advancing work toward a first therapy that can delay or stop Parkinson’s…