News

Parkinson’s disease patients in Japan reported a general worsening of their symptoms and less time spent out of the house during the COVID-19 pandemic in a recent survey study. As a result, caregivers reported an increased burden that was accompanied by more frustration and fatigue. “For future emergency control…

Many elderly people who do not have Parkinson’s disease nonetheless experience some Parkinson’s-like symptoms, especially slowness of movement, a new study from Sweden highlights. These symptoms, while reported to impact quality of life, typically are not enough to warrant a formal Parkinson’s diagnosis. Instead, they’re often referred to…

People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were found to be at a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease or related neurodegenerative conditions, a small meta-analysis suggests. “The small number of studies to date provide preliminary evidence of an association between mid- to late-life onset PTSD and subsequent development of [Parkinson’s]…

A novel machine learning tool, called CRANK-MS, was able to identify, with high accuracy, people who would go on to develop Parkinson’s disease, based on an analysis of blood molecules. The algorithm identified several molecules that may serve as early biomarkers of Parkinson’s. These findings show the potential of…

Supernus Pharmaceuticals plans to resubmit its application seeking approval of SPN-830, its apomorphine infusion pump for people with Parkinson’s disease, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by the end of this year. The decision comes after a meeting with the FDA last month at which…

The natural brain-produced steroid pregnenolone showed benefits in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease, where it was found to slow the development of levodopa-induced dyskinesia, or uncontrollable involuntary movements. Importantly, the treatment did not affect levodopa-induced motor improvements in the model. “Our data suggest that restoring…

Acorda Therapeutics has entered into an agreement with Chance Pharmaceuticals for Inbrija (levodopa inhalation powder), a medication used to treat symptoms during off episodes in Parkinson’s disease, to become available in China. Parkinson’s is a growing problem in China due to the country’s aging population; by…

A high-intensity boxing program can be a safe way for people with Parkinson’s disease to exercise both mind and body, according to a new feasibility study. Nine of the 10 patients in the study reported less severe symptoms after taking part in the program for about four months.

Crowdsourcing — collecting data from large groups of individuals via the internet — could be used in clinical studies to assess the real-world effect of voice and speech therapy on voice quality in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study. Researchers used crowdsourcing to evaluate speech samples…

Eurofarma and Dentsu Creative have teamed up to launch a new app that allows people with Parkinson’s disease to engage with social media by changing their facial expressions. The app’s goal is to give patients a fun and easy way to exercise their facial muscles. The idea…