Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

A Phase 4 clinical trial called OCEAN is testing whether Ongentys (opicapone), an add-on therapy for “off” periods, can ease pain in people with Parkinson’s disease. The placebo-controlled trial (NCT04986982), which opened in February 2021, is evaluating Ongentys’ effectiveness in up to 140 adults with idiopathic (non-familial)…

Nurses emphasize the importance of developing relationships with Parkinson’s patients in their care and getting to know these people as individuals for effective communication in healthcare settings, a study from Australia reports. The study, “Communication strategies used by Parkinson’s nurse specialists during healthcare interactions: A qualitative descriptive study,” was published…

People who consume more coffee and fish are less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study from Italy. Results also indicate that exposure to agricultural chemicals may increase the risk of Parkinson’s. The study, “Relationships of Nutritional Factors and Agrochemical Exposure with Parkinson’s…

People with Parkinson’s disease who have arthritis in their knees report minimal improvements in life quality after undergoing knee replacement surgery, a new study reports. “Data from this study suggest that [total knee replacement] has no clinical benefit in improving [quality of life] beyond a slight improvement in pain-related…

A modified version of the Interlocking Finger Test — a bedside screening done by assessing hand movements — could be useful for detecting dementia in people with Parkinson’s disease, a new study indicates. “We recommend the use of the modified test version,” the researchers wrote, noting that “scores…

Multiple cognitive difficulties, especially problems with memory, are quite common among people in the later stages of Parkinson’s disease, a study in these patients reported. Its researchers found evidence of difficulties that ranged verbal learning to comprehension, with memory most severely affected in 64% of the patients evaluated, and…

Short-term treatment with levodopa does not significantly ease speech difficulties in people with early Parkinson’s disease, a new study indicates. Results suggest that monitoring changes in speech could be useful for tracking the progression of Parkinson’s in patients on treatment. The study, “Short-term effect of dopaminergic…

An extract from the plant Tabebuia impetiginosa, which has been used for centuries in traditional medicines of South America, eased Parkinson’s disease symptoms in rat models, a study reported. Treatment aided the animals’ locomotion, eased evident stiffness, and raised dopamine levels in brain tissue, its researchers wrote. The study, “…

Activating a particular subpopulation of nerve cells in a specific region of the brain — caudal glutamatergic neurons in the pedunculopontine nucleus — can normalize movements in mouse models of Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. Its results suggest that finding ways to specifically stimulate these neurons could ease motor…

A particular region of the brain responsible for sensing and processing speech and speech-like sounds is overly active in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study. These findings may help provide a biological explanation for why Parkinson’s patients tend to speak more quietly than a given situation…