Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

An investigational gene therapy was able to preserve nerve axons — long projections that connect nerve cells and transport information — in a mouse model of severe axonal degeneration. Because axon degeneration precedes the death of neurons in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the findings…

Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment who undergo deep brain stimulation are at a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia, a long term “real-life”study suggests. The study, “Longterm outcome of cognition, affective state, and quality of life following subthalamic deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease,” was…

Researchers have found that mutations in a gene linked to hereditary forms of Parkinson’s disease — SLC30A10 — cause accumulation of toxic levels of manganese inside cells, which disturbs protein transport and alters nerve cell function, leading to parkinsonian symptoms. The study “SLC30A10 Mutation Involved in Parkinsonism Results in Manganese Accumulation within…

Gout appears to be associated with a higher risk of incident Parkinson’s disease in older adults, according to a study that looked at Medicare data in the U.S. The study, “Gout and the risk of Parkinson’s disease in older adults: a study of U.S. Medicare data” was published…

IRL790, Integrative Research Laboratories‘ investigational treatment for Parkinson’s disease patients, was safe and reduced levodopa-induced dyskinesia, a Phase 1b trial shows. The results were published in the journal npj Parkinson’s Disease in the study, “Safety and tolerability of IRL790 in Parkinson’s disease with levodopa-induced…

Arbutin, a natural compound found in plants such as bearberry leaves and pear trees, was able to protect dopaminergic neurons and reduce behavioral deficits and oxidative stress in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. The study, “Arbutin attenuates behavioral impairment and oxidative stress in an…

Parkinson Canada and Brain Canada have recently launched the Canadian Open Parkinson Network (C-OPN), the first platform to include data from people with Parkinson’s disease across the country and facilitate access to researchers studying the disease. Supported by a $2 million grant, the C-OPN will include a…

The significance — physiological and clinical — in the interaction of two proteins known to be associated with early onset Parkinson’s disease, PARKIN and PINK1, is detailed, possibly for a first time, by researchers. Their study, “Phosphorylation of Parkin at serine 65 is essential for its activation in vivo,”…

Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a specific cell death pathway named Parthanatos — after Thanatos, the ancient Greek personification of death — that leads to the physical and intellectual degeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease. They also found that a protein called PARP-1 is a key mediator of cell death via Parthanatos, supporting the…

Engaging in regular exercise can help preserve the motor and non-motor function of Parkinson’s disease patients, most likely as a result of an increased release of dopamine in the brain, a small study suggests. The study, “Habitual Exercisers Versus Sedentary Subjects With Parkinson’s Disease: Multimodal PET…