The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) is expanding its Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) to provide free Parkinson’s disease risk screening to people 40 years and older. The move will allow PPMI to screen more people using blood testing and tests of smell loss, a possible early…
Inflammation visible in brain scans of people in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease may serve as an early indicator of dementia risk and offer a promising target for interventions aimed at preventing cognitive decline, a study suggests. “[O]ur findings suggest that significant … neuroinflammation in early [Parkinson’s] might…
Defects in VPS13C, a protein whose dysfunction has been linked to Parkinson’s disease, can prevent cells from repairing damage to their waste disposal systems, a study shows. VPS13C and other proteins associated with genetic forms of Parkinson’s help repair damaged lysosomes, which are cell components that recycle waste. Without…
A newly developed test was able to distinguish — with an accuracy of 95% — between individuals with and without Parkinson’s disease, using samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, according to a new study from Germany. The researchers noted that Parkinson’s often…
Researchers at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology are developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven approach to track and measure freezing of gait (FOG), a common motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease. The technology will be used in a clinical trial that’s testing the safety and preliminary efficacy…
A group of U.S. veterans with Parkinson’s disease has added a novel tool to their therapeutic regimen: building with Legos. For about a year, the group, based out of the Central Virginia Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System, has been building Lego creations to exercise their motor skills and…
The Healthwell Foundation — a U.S. nonprofit seeking to improve healthcare access for underinsured patients — has launched a fund to help Medicare beneficiaries with Parkinson’s disease cover the costs of treatment. Eligible individuals undergoing treatment for Parkinson’s in the U.S. can apply online for a…
A new open-source software called VisionMD may help doctors assess motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders with artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled video analysis, a study reports. Analyzing videos of patients tapping their fingers and doing other clinical tests can help clinicians understand disease progress and…
Different types of exercise can have different effects on Parkinson’s disease, a study suggests. For instance, tai chi or at-home bodyweight strength training can improve motor function, while tai chi or strength training with elastic bands and dumbbells can help ease freezing of gait. At the same time, home-based…
A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool may help predict the structure of amyloid fibrils, that is, misfolded protein fibers that accumulate in the brain of people with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. Called Ribbonfold, the tool is designed to address the complex and variable structures of misfolded proteins by…
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