Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Electrical stimulation given through the scalp to a brain region called the supplementary motor area may ease certain aspects of upper limb bradykinesia in people with Parkinson’s disease, a small study suggests. The study, “Transcranial direct current stimulation of supplementary motor area improves upper limb kinematics…

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, investment and interest in clinical trials of potential new treatments for Parkinson’s disease remains strong, according to a report. The study suggests that the landscape of developmental Parkinson’s treatments has changed little over the last year, with researchers noting a slight increase…

More than 1 in 3 people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are dissatisfied with their quality of life, but fully half of these patients are optimistic about what the future holds, according to results of an online survey. The survey, conducted by Parkinson’s News Today, also showed that most Parkinson’s…

Low-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS) may help to ease balance problems due to postural instability in people with Parkinson’s disease, a small clinical trial reported. But patients with significant tremor prior to starting DBS may not find the treatment tolerable, because it can lead to the re-emergence of…

Genetic variations in the gene SNCA are tied to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) among Latinos, according to a recent analysis. Also, Latinos with African ancestry are less likely to develop Parkinson’s. The analysis is “the most comprehensive examination of PD genetics in this population [Latinos] to…

Opportunistic pathogens — microorganisms that live in us all,  but under specific circumstances can cause diseases like pneumonia — are more abundant in the mouths of people with Parkinson’s disease than healthy individuals, a study reported. This finding suggests that changes in oral bacteria in patients are related to disease…

Drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco may reduce a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study that found evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship. “It is crucial to be aware that smoking and drinking pose serious health risks to individuals,” the researchers wrote, noting there was “no…

Parkinson’s disease brain cells form abnormal networks that might predispose the cells toward damage, according to new research done using cells in laboratory conditions. “These discoveries open the door to early diagnosis, which would allow us to carry out a premature intervention that would slow down neuronal death, and…

People with Parkinson’s disease who use voice-assisted technologies (VATs) — software programs that respond to voice commands, like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri — may find that they help to improve their speech by prodding them to practice speaking more clearly, a study based on an online patient survey…

Treatment with ISC-hpNSC, an investigational stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease, was safe and well-tolerated over at least two years in an early clinical trial in 12 patients. Results from the small trial, which treated patients at low, medium and high doses, also indicate that the therapy eased Parkinson’s-related symptoms…