News

Irisin Hormone Shows Potential as Parkinson’s Treatment

The hormone irisin prevents the buildup of toxic alpha-synuclein protein, leading to the preservation of nerve cells and easing motor symptoms in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. Experiments showed the hormone had an ability to facilitate the breakdown of toxic alpha-synuclein through lysosomes, the…

Tau Protein Buildup in Nerve Cells Prompts Neurodegeneration

A protein “traffic jam” inside nerve cells promotes the buildup of shorter and toxic tau — a protein that forms toxic aggregates in Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative disorders — according to a new study using fruit flies and mammalian cell lines. The accumulation of toxic tau resulted in fewer connections…

Way of Visualizing Alpha-Synuclein Clumps in Living Brain Reported

Using a newly created probe and non-invasive PET scans, researchers were able to visualize sites of alpha-synuclein protein clumps — associated with nerve damage in Parkinson’s disease — in the brains of living patients, scientists reported. This method may help in diagnosing conditions related to alpha-synuclein clumping, referred to…

Phase 2 Trial Tests DopaFuse for Continuous Oral Levodopa Delivery

SynAgile announced the completion of a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating DopaFuse, its noninvasive system for the continuous oral delivery of levodopa/carbidopa to people with Parkinson’s disease. Sixteen adults being treated with levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD) in a tablet form were enrolled in the open-label study into the safety and tolerability…

Alpha-synuclein Clumping Seen to Affect Mitochondria Early

Alpha-synuclein aggregation — the toxic clumping of proteins in nerve cells that is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease — starts on the membranes of mitochondria, the so-called powerhouse of a cell, according to work in cell models. “Our study provides insights into what is happening in the earliest stages…

Machine Learning IDs Approved Meds With Potential for Parkinson’s

Screening a large database with machine learning tools helped scientists identify approved medicines for other diseases that reduced the risk of developing Parkinson’s, a study reported. According to researchers, these potential Parkinson’s disease therapies “deserve to be confirmed” in larger studies. “Drug repurposing or repositioning is the application of…