Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Mutations of genes responsible for breaking down and recycling cell waste products may promote Parkinson’s disease, a study shows. Scientists have known for some time that deficiencies in these lysosomal storage genes cause Gaucher disease and other disorders. The study, “Excessive burden of lysosomal storage disorder gene…

Weight loss in Parkinson’s disease patients increases the risks for dementia and dependency care, and reduces patients’ life expectancy, according to a new study. These findings suggest that monitoring weight and timely dietary interventions to counteract weight loss may significantly improve the outcome of Parkinson’s disease patients. The study, “Early…

Patients with moderate-to-severe Parkinson’s disease who received human neural stem cells in their brain as part of a Phase 1 trial are performing better at six months than they were at the start of the study. Also, all patients are meeting the trial’s primary goal of safety, according to a…

Acorda Therapeutics announced that it will now monitor blood cell counts on a weekly basis in Parkinson’s disease patients enrolled in the company’s Phase 3 program investigating the safety and effectiveness of tozadenant. The update to the clinical trial responds to cases of patients developing agranulocytosis, a severe drop in…

A new Phase 2a clinical trial, funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), is now recruiting Parkinson’s disease patients to test the safety and tolerability of nilotinib, an approved treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) that is now being repurposed for Parkinson’s disease. Nilotinib, marketed as Tasigna for…

Carbidopa, a medicine approved for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, also has shown anti-cancer effects in lab-grown human cells and mice, according to the results of a new study. The findings help explain why cancer incidence usually is lower in Parkinson’s patients — with the exception of skin cancer — and…

Infection with the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii may increase the likelihood for certain brain disorders, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, a systematic analysis suggests. The study, “Toxoplasma Modulates Signature Pathways of Human Epilepsy, Neurodegeneration & Cancer,” was published in the journal Scientific Reports. Over two…

Scientists have linked the clumping of alpha-synuclein protein to Parkinson’s disease, and a study in mice indicates that the clumps accumulate and spread by interacting with the protein responsible for mad cow disease. What scientists call the cellular prion protein, or PrPc, is associated with the development of a number…

Commonly used in household products, the antimicrobial agents known as quaternary ammonium compounds, or “quats,” were found to inhibit mitochondria function and to impair estrogen signaling. The findings raise serious questions regarding the safety of these products, which include toothpastes, shampoos, and lotions, among many others, as exposure to other mitochondrial-inhibiting…

AC Immune has developed antibodies against two proteins that are key players in the neurodegeneration underlying Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases. The Swiss biopharmaceutical company used its proprietary SupraAntigen platform to create the next-generation antibodies, which target abnormal versions of the alpha-synuclein and TDP-43 proteins. AC Immune has already used the platform to produce…