Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

People diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), usually detected at an early age in hyperactive children, may have an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s-like diseases, a new study suggests. “Parkinson’s disease is commonly thought of as a neurodegenerative disease associated with aging,” Glen Hanson, PhD, professor at the…

A well-known monkey model for Parkinson’s disease — used mainly for its ability to mimic human motor symptoms — can also reflect the disease’s non-motor symptoms, including sleep disturbances, changes in the body’s natural clock, and cognitive impairment, a study shows. These results highlight the usefulness of…

A fish that can sense the Earth’s magnetic field while it swims could help scientists understand how the human brain works and eventually unlock strategies to help control movement impairments in patients with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders, a study reports. The study, “Wireless control of cellular function by…

The Parkinson’s Foundation announced that it investing $6.2 million across 53 research grants, part of its commitment to advancing promising work into the disease. The grants will support Parkinson’s clinical trials and research centers. They also include career development and fellowships for scientists working in multiple aspects of related research. “Our goal at…

“Traffic jams” that occur along nerve cells in the brain and disrupt the transport of mitochondria were found to be a significant cause of Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. In particular, researchers found that alpha-synuclein protein aggregates, the hallmark of Parkinson’s, impair the movement of mitochondria, which provide…

A Phase 1 trial will test the potential of ketamine — an analgesic medicine used for depression and pain — at reducing the uncontrollable, jerky movements that arise in Parkinson’s disease patients after long-term treatment with levopoda. Levodopa, probably the most common treatment for Parkinson’s disease, is effective at improving the stiffness…

A new chemical probe that binds to a protein called DJ-1 — a sensor of oxidative stress and a potential biomarker of Parkinson’s disease — may help researchers understand how the protein participates in disease progression, a study suggests. The study, “A chemical probe to monitor the parkinsonism-…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) recently held a summit to discuss the unmet needs and challenges for advancing therapies to slow down or halt Parkinson’s disease. The event, which took place in New York, was attended by representatives from 20 companies, a number of academic centers and research organizations, and…

A new tool called cardiopulmonary coupling could be used to effectively evaluate sleep quality in Parkinson’s disease patients, who often experience sleep disorders, according to a study. The study, “Assessment of sleep quality using cardiopulmonary coupling analysis in patients with Parkinson’s disease,” was published in Brain and Behavior.

The Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center (PICC) and Axial Biotherapeutics have launched a partnership to develop interventions targeting gastrointestinal metabolites that may fuel the development of Parkinson’s disease. Previous work by Axial’s scientific co-founder Sarkis Mazmanian, PhD, has shown that the human gut microbiome — the natural collection of…