Patricia Inácio, PhD,  science writer—

An international post-mortem brain study of Parkinson’s disease shows altered levels of the LRRK2 protein are associated with different stages of the disease. The study, “LRRK2 levels and phosphorylation in Parkinson’s disease brain and cases with restricted Lewy bodies,” was published in the journal Movement Disorders. Previous studies…

Disruption of the brain’s structural network has been identified as the potential underlying mechanism for the onset of mild cognitive decline in Parkinson’s disease patients. The study “Structural Brain Connectome and Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease” was published in the journal Radiology. Progressive decline in both motor function and…

Scientists using fat-coated microbubbles have possibly developed away of carrying therapies for Parkinson’s disease directly to areas of the brain where they are needed, without affecting other organs. The study, “Lipid microbubbles as a vehicle for targeted drug delivery using focused ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening,” was published in the…

Researchers at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Florida have found a genetic mutation that may increase the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease earlier than usual. The study, “Heterozygous PINK1 p.G411S increases risk of Parkinson’s disease via a dominant-negative mechanism,” was published in the journal Brain. The result of a…

In a new study entitled “Elevated mitochondrial bioenergetics and axonal arborization size are key contributors to the vulnerability of dopamine neurons” scientists discovered why dopamine producing neurons are particularly vulnerable in Parkinson’s disease. These new findings point towards a key role for mitochondria and these neurons’ high energy requirements…

In a new study entitled “VPS35 in Dopamine Neurons Is Required for Endosome-to-Golgi Retrieval of Lamp2a, a Receptor of Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy That Is Critical for α-Synuclein Degradation and Prevention of Pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease” scientists discovered that loss of the VPS35 protein expression in Parkinson’s disease interferes…

In a new study entitled “Identification of neurodegenerative factors using translatome–regulatory network analysis” scientists at Rockefeller University identified two new proteins with key roles in Parkinson’s disease. The study was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease of…

In a new study entitled “Nuclear receptor Nurr1 agonists enhance its dual functions and improve behavioral deficits in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease” an international team of scientists discovered that anti-malaria drugs chloroquine and amodiaquine are potential therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease. The study was published in…

In a new study entitled “Dopaminergic Modulation of Decision Making and Subjective Well-Being”, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers show that decisions on risk-taking may be influenced by a boost in the levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. These findings are in line with previous reports that…