Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

Defects in the VPS13C protein, which have been linked to early-onset Parkinson’s disease, disrupt the function of lysosomes, the cell’s recycling compartments, in dopamine-producing nerve cells that are lost in the neurodegenerative condition. Without functional VPS13C, the Rab10 protein can’t respond properly to lysosomal stress, causing dysfunction in the…

New study findings strengthen scientists’ belief that neuroinflammation — an inflammatory response in the central nervous system — is linked to mood disturbance in people with early Parkinson’s disease. Specifically, elevated levels of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were found to be significantly correlated with worse…

Encapsulating precursor nerve cells in a collagen hydrogel can enhance the efficacy of stem cell transplantation to the brain, a potential treatment to replace dopamine-producing nerve cells that are lost in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a preclinical study. “Our hydrogel nurtures, supports and protects the cells after…

Mesdopetam (IRL790), an investigational therapy for levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease, was found to reduce signs of psychosis in a rat model, a study reported. Psychosis is a common nonmotor symptom in people with Parkinson’s, characterized by hallucinations and/or delusions — hallucinations being things patients see, hear, or feel that…

A new population study has provided evidence of a potential causal link between exposure to an air pollutant called fine particular matter (PM2.5) and the development of Parkinson’s disease in the U.K. Data also showed that exposure to ground-level ozone, a gas that can damage the lungs, was not…

Note: This story was updated March 21, 2024, to correct that NeuroDerm is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp. ND0612, a liquid formation of levodopa/carbidopa given without interruption via an under-the-skin pump, continues to outperform standard oral levodopa/carbidopa at controlling motor symptoms in people with advanced…

Four months of daily Nuplazid (pimavanserin), an approved oral therapy for psychosis associated with Parkinson’s disease, was also found to significantly improve cognitive abilities, daily living activities, and health-related quality of life for patients in a Phase 4 study. “These findings suggest that treatment with [Nuplazid] can result…

Olatec Therapeutics will launch a Phase 2 clinical trial in the U.K. to investigate the potential of oral dapansutrile to slow or stop Parkinson’s disease progression by reducing inflammation in the brain. The study, made possible by a grant from the U.K.-based Cure Parkinson’s, will begin in…

The selective loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells in one side of the brain of mice, to mimic Parkinson’s disease, impacted the length of movement sequences on the opposite side of the body, but not the same side, a study shows. The study’s researchers discovered two distinct populations of these…

Mutations in the PRKN gene, a common cause of early-onset Parkinson’s disease, were tied directly to low activity of the gene, a study reports. Because gene activity was measured by standard methods using cells in the bloodstream, the findings may support developing an “easily accessible screening test for PRKN mutations,”…