Patients who are on long-term levodopa to treat Parkinson’s disease are more likely to experience self-reported freezing of gait, or FOG, than levodopa-naïve (untreated) patients, a study has found. These findings suggest that FOG should be taken into account when studying Parkinson’s, with “the ultimate aim to develop…
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…
The mutated form of alpha-synuclein protein — a key player in the development of Parkinson’s disease — can travel in the brain to various regions using the brain’s immune system before it builds up into toxic clumps, or aggregates, a new study has found.
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…
Scientists have discovered that long-term changes in a biomarker of nerve damage, called neurofilament light chain (NfL), could be used to predict cognitive decline in people with Parkinson’s disease due to certain mutations. They found that a slower progression of dementia in people with LRRK2-associated Parkinson’s compared with those…
Homogenous cell therapy — treatments using only one cell type — may ease disease severity, lessen motor symptoms, and improve activities of daily living in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a new systematic review. These effects were observed during patients’ off periods, times when the medication wears off…
While it appears that people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease later in life than are individuals without the neurodevelopmental disorder, further proof is needed to establish a link, according to a new systematic review. “Our review provides preliminary results that a…
Motor abilities assessed via multiple sensors on a smartwatch correlated well with motor function as rated by clinicians, and could distinguish between “on” and “off” medication states for Parkinson’s disease patients, according to a study in Japan. “This study has shown that wearable devices can provide reliable and objective…
Asha Therapeutics has been selected as a Blue Knight company, joining a public-private initiative that focuses on speeding new technology and science to help quickly and effectively deal with emerging dangers to public health and safety. The biopharmaceutical company’s selection was prompted by its proprietary therapeutic design platform, known…
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…
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