Mutations in the PRKNÂ 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,”…
The easing of dyskinesia — the involuntary movements associated with advanced Parkinson’s disease — seen with use of the approved medication Duopa (levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel) was tied to reduced pain and improved health-related quality of life among patients following treatment. That’s according to a new analysis of clinical…
In a new approach to drug discovery, seven molecules, or “hits,” that may treat familial Parkinson’s disease were identified in the first open science competition run by the Canadian nonprofit Conscience. Launched with support from the global public-private partnership Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) and a grant from…
Shingles, an infectious disease marked by a painful skin rash with blisters, wasn’t associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to a study of more than 1 million U.S. veterans. “We showed no evidence of an increased risk of incident [Parkinson’s disease] after [shingles] in a large,…
Reduced activity of the RIT2 gene in a subtype of nerve cells — regardless of  whether they produce dopamine — may be implicated in the development of Parkinson’s disease, according to a study that measured gene activity in more than 300,000 individual brain cells. The protein encoded by RIT2…
The RAZ Memory Cell Phone will allow people with impaired speech, including those with Parkinson’s disease, to speak using their own voice during video phone calls and be fully understood. The speech recognition technology was developed by Voiceitt, a voice AI and machine learning company, in partnership…
Phosphorylated alpha-synuclein, a modified form of the protein that forms toxic clumps in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, appears to play an important role in the normal function of nerve cells, a study shows. When it’s modified, alpha-synuclein binds…
Exposure to nanoplastics, micro-sized fragments of plastic waste found in the environment, mimicked the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in tiny worms and in human nerve cells in the lab, a study reported. Low concentrations of nanoplastics were found to penetrate the walls of the worms’ intestines and…
One year of continuous subcutaneous (under-the-skin) apomorphine infusion (CSAI) reduced the severity of advanced Parkinson’s disease among patients across India, a study showed. Disease motor symptoms, as well as various Parkinson’s nonmotor symptoms like fatigue, pain, anxiety and depression, — along with quality of life — improved…
People with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers need more timely information on what palliative care services are available and how to access them, along with more of such services, according to a review of published studies. Palliative care refers to specialized medical care for people living with a serious…
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