Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

Steve holds a PhD in biochemistry from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada. As a medical scientist for 18 years, he worked in both academia and industry, where his research focused on the discovery of new vaccines and medicines to treat inflammatory disorders and infectious diseases. Steve is a published author in multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals and a patented inventor.

Articles by Steve Bryson

Patients’ Depression Often Carries Over to Care Partners

More disability and higher levels of depression in Parkinson’s disease patients predicted an increase in burden and depression of their care partners, such as family and friends, over two years, a study concluded. The findings underscore the need to monitor the burden of care partners over time. Treatment targeting disease severity,…

Brain Training App Useful in Early Parkinson’s Cases: Pilot Study

The cognitive exercise smartphone app NeuroNation, which combines personalized tasks and gamification, is useful and feasible for adults with mild Parkinson’s disease, a pilot study concluded. The researchers noted the app was a success in terms of the patients’ perception of its usability and in achieving cognitive improvements,…

Brain Ultrasound Signals Linked to Motor Disability, Gait

Enhanced ultrasound signals in the substantia nigra, the area of the brain impacted by Parkinson’s disease, are associated with increased motor disability and gait disturbances, a study concluded. The researchers noted that these ultrasound signals, called hyperechogenicity, may be useful a biomarker that reflects disease severity. “Our results may…

Citric Acid CQDs Shown to Protect Dopaminergic Neurons in Models

Nanomaterials with potent antioxidant properties called carbon quantum dots prevented Parkinson’s disease-related neurodegeneration in nerve cells and a worm model, a study reported. These antioxidants, especially those derived from citric acid — a common and nontoxic biochemical — may represent a new treatment approach for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases,…

More Extensive GI Biopsy May Help in Diagnosing Parkinson’s

A more extensive biopsy involving larger tissue samples taken from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of people with Parkinson’s disease improves the ability to identify alpha-synuclein protein clumping, researchers in a small study reported. These findings support more extensive GI biopsies as a diagnostic tool for Parkinson’s and other…

Monocytes May Reflect Parkinson’s Response to Immune Therapy

Changes in gene activity and protein production were seen in immune cells known as monocytes from Parkinson’s disease patients before and after treatment with sargramostim, an immune-modulating therapy, a small study found. Because these changes were associated with gains in motor function, the researchers suggested that profiling how an immune therapy…

Supercomputer Simulations Shed Light on Dopamine Release

Proteins involved in nerve cell communication — via the release of signaling molecules such as dopamine, which is abnormally low in people with Parkinson’s disease — are “spring-loaded” in advance of a triggering signal by calcium, supercomputer simulations showed. These findings, which were consistent with current experimental data, may help…