Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

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…

Using a personalized “virtual brain” could help in determining the optimal configuration of deep brain stimulation for people with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders, a study suggests. “We offer a computational model that holds the potential to be easily translated towards the individual patient level and used as…

A blood test that assesses how the activity of a group of enzymes, called P450s, changes when they are blocked could be useful for diagnosing Parkinson’s disease in early stages, according to a new study. “Effective diagnostic systems and biomarkers for patients without subjective motor symptoms have not yet been…

A protein called STING, which normally helps sense infectious threats like viruses, may help to drive the inflammation that spurs neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease, according to a study in mouse and cell models. The study, “STING mediates neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in nigrostriatal α-synucleinopathy,” was published in …

In people with Parkinson’s disease, patterns of brain atrophy over time are consistent with patterns of alpha-synuclein spreading through the brain, an imaging study in patients suggests. The study, “Regional changes of brain structure during progression of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease – A longitudinal study using deformation…

Deterioration in a small brain region called the locus coeruleus is associated with worse apathy and cognitive problems among people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study. The study, “Locus Coeruleus Integrity from 7 T MRI Relates to Apathy and Cognition in Parkinsonian Disorders,” was published in …

Curcumin, an antioxidant naturally found in turmeric, was well tolerated by participants in a small Parkinson’s disease clinical trial. However, trial results did not show evidence that taking curcumin improved quality of life or eased symptoms for Parkinson’s patients. “Our study failed to show that curcumin can improve the…

More research is needed to develop models of how family caregiving tends to work in Parkinson’s disease and to test interventions aimed at offering support to caregivers. That’s the argument made by a pair of scientists in the study, “Nursing research in caregivers of people with Parkinson’s…

People with Parkinson’s disease who experience side effects from their medications are more likely to require a blood transfusion, a new analysis indicates. Digestive problems, particularly bleeding in the gut, also was associated with a higher likelihood of Parkinson’s patients needing a blood transfusion. “The findings of this study…

Nanoparticles that simultaneously deliver levodopa and curcumin, a potentially neuroprotective compound, directly to the brain may be “a promising novel therapy for treating Parkinson’s disease,” researchers in Brazil and France reported. The tiny particles created by these scientists might also help to overcome some of the drawbacks of current …