Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

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…

AstraZeneca has partnered with Takeda Pharmaceutical to develop and commercialize the alpha-synuclein antibody MEDI1341 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. MEDI1341 is expected to enter a Phase 1 clinical trial later this year. Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will supervise…

The first treatment for levodopa-induced dyskinesia — the involuntary and jerky movements that afflict most Parkinson’s disease patients on this common therapy — was approved Thursday, Aug. 24, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The therapy, Gocovri (amantadine) by Adamas Pharmaceuticals, is an long-acting and extended-release capsule, indicated for those…

Virtual house calls with a neurologist can be as effective as in-person visits for Parkinson’s disease patients, offering convenience and comfort, a clinical trial indicates. The study, “National randomized controlled trial of virtual house calls for Parkinson disease,” was published in the journal Neurology.

The online Parkinson’s disease community GeneFo and Greg Macpherson, MitoQ‘s CEO, will conduct a free webinar on Aug. 24, at 1 p.m. EST, to shed light on the latest results of mitochondria-targeting therapies and what the future might bring to patients suffering from Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. In the webinar, titled…

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania developed a strategy using fluorescence that allows them to track alpha-synuclein protein and follow its path inside neurons. This is important because while scientists know that alpha-synuclein protein is involved in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, they aren’t exactly certain how the process functions. These new…

Parkinson’s patients who injected themselves with the diabetes therapy Byetta (exenatide) every week for a year were able to move better, according to a Phase 2 clinical trial. Their improvement contrasted with the continued decline in the movement of the study’s control group, who received a placebo. While the Phase 2 EXENATIDE-PD…