Steve Bryson, PhD,  science writer—

Pupil light reflex (PLR), the automatic contraction or dilation of the eye’s pupil in response to light levels, was found to be impaired in people with Parkinson’s disease in a small study. Impaired PLR is believed to contribute to the vision problems experienced by some Parkinson’s patients. New data…

Significant alterations in the structure and function of the eye’s retina — the layer at the very back of the eyeball that’s key in transmitting information to the brain — were revealed in adults with Parkinson’s disease in a new study. Data demonstrated a significant impact of disease duration…

People with Parkinson’s disease whose electrical brain wave activity declines more slowly during deep sleep develop levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), or uncontrolled movements, faster, a study has found. These findings confirm a link between sleep-related brain wave activity and LID, and support the development of sleep-targeted therapies that may protect…

Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research, a Brain Canada program, has awarded two early-career scientists CA$100,000 (about $74,180) each in grants to advance research projects into Parkinson’s disease. Maria Ioannou, PhD, an assistant professor of physiology at the University of Alberta, is exploring alpha-synuclein protein clumping, a hallmark…

A high dose of the investigational oral therapy mesdopetam led to a significant and clinically meaningful reduction in levodopa-induced dyskinesia — the uncontrolled, involuntary movements and muscle stiffness common in Parkinson’s disease patients undergoing treatment — in a Phase 2 study, according to an in-depth examination of trial…

Osteoporosis, a condition marked by fragile bones and very low bone mineral density (BMD), was associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease in postmenopausal women, a new large-scale study in Korea found. In fact, “individuals with osteoporosis had a 1.40-fold higher HR [hazard ratio] … than those with…

Adhering to healthy plant-based dietary patterns was associated with a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, especially among older people, according to a large-scale U.K. study. A higher intake of vegetables, nuts, and tea in the regular diet is linked to the lowest Parkinson’s risk, data show. “These results…

Exposure to alpha-synuclein, a protein that accumulates in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients, led to inflammation and damage to nerve cells in the gut of mice carrying a human gene associated with several autoimmune disorders, a new study showed. Alpha-synuclein-related autoimmunity also induced constipation — a gut-related…

Racial disparities exist in the use of deep brain stimulation among people with Parkinson’s disease, a real-world claims study concluded. Compared to the proportion represented in the Medicare database, more people who identified as white, and fewer Black and Hispanic patients, underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s.

Problems in quality control processes that support the health and function of mitochondria, crucial for cellular energy, are evident in nerve cells of people with Parkinson’s disease, a study showed. Mitochondrial recycling and protein balance were particularly impaired, which may impede energy production and lead to the early nerve…