News

Vyalev helped man sleep better at night, move during day: Report

Treatment with Vyalev (foscarbidopa and foslevodopa) eased motor symptoms and sleep disturbances in a 50-year-old man with Parkinson’s disease and a history of dream enactment behavior, according to a case report from Japan. Dream enactment behavior is a sign of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disorder, in which…

New tool could show how genetic variants raise Parkinson’s risk

A new screening method may shed light on the interactions between genetic variants that increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, providing potential avenues for improving risk prediction and personalized care, a study found. The tool, Variant-variant Interaction through Variable Thresholds (VARI3), is designed to detect and interpret how genetic…

Study unveils mechanisms behind levodopa-induced dyskinesia

The motor cortex, a brain region responsible for movement control, becomes disconnected in levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), the uncontrolled movements that occur as a side effect of the drug levodopa in Parkinson’s disease, a study found. Ketamine, an anesthetic used to alleviate LID, was found to restore the motor cortex’s…

Blood pressure treatment eases Parkinson’s tremor in small trial

Propranolol, a blood pressure medication, significantly eased tremor in people with Parkinson’s disease, either at rest or during induced stress, according to findings in a small, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The treatment also significantly attenuated tremor-related brain activity, as indicated on MRI scans. “In about forty percent of patients, […

As temperatures rise, risks climb for people with Parkinson’s

People with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease or dementia are more vulnerable to heat-related complications than those without these conditions, according to a commentary by two neurologists. Medical providers should be trained to understand how heat waves can affect these people, the viewpoint advised. It was co-written by Indu…

Aerobic exercise may help Parkinson’s patients after DBS

Aerobic exercise may help relieve non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in people who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS), a small study suggested. The researchers said there’s a need for more studies on exercise and Parkinson’s patients who have had DBS, a surgical treatment that involves implanting an electrode…

Dancing shown to ease depression in Parkinson’s disease

Weekly dance classes may help attenuate symptoms of depression in people with Parkinson’s disease, which results in changes in the brain toward better emotional control, a study from York University in Toronto suggests. “We’re not trying to cure Parkinson’s with dance,” Joseph DeSouza, PhD, who led the study, said…