Naturally occurring UDCA improves motor abilities over 1 year
A year of daily treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a naturally occurring bile acid, led to small but significant improvements…
Articles by Steve Bryson, PhD
Rit2 protein clears toxic alpha-synuclein clumps from nerve cells
The Rit2 protein clears toxic forms of the alpha-synuclein protein from nerve cells, where it manifests as a hallmark symptom…
Blood test may help diagnose Parkinson’s, similar conditions
A highly sensitive blood test accurately identified people with synucleinopathies, disorders caused by the abnormal aggregation of the protein alpha-synuclein,…
Autonomic impairment linked to sleep problems in Parkinson’s
In people with Parkinson’s disease, sleep disturbances and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) were associated with the impairment of the…
Low-intensity ultrasound boosts therapeutic delivery to the brain
Noninvasive low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) temporarily opened the blood-brain barrier to allow molecules to enter the brains of Parkinson’s…
MJFF grants $150K to develop a PET tracer for brain inflammation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) has awarded a $150,000 grant to a biopharmaceutical company seeking to develop a…
Parkinson’s disease progression may be influenced by immune B-cells
Greater proportions of immune regulatory B-cells were associated with better motor performance in people with early Parkinson’s disease, a…
Patients with severe GBA mutations seem to decline faster: Chinese study
Parkinson’s disease patients carrying severe variants in the GBA gene, a known genetic risk factor, experience faster motor and…
Red/yellow brain pigment linked to Parkinson’s disease: Study
People with Parkinson’s disease have higher than normal levels of a nerve cell-damaging red/yellow pigment called pheomelanin in their…
Symptom-responding deep brain stimulation system in development
Researchers at Michigan Technological University are developing a “smart” deep brain stimulation (DBS) system to treat Parkinson’s disease…