News

Biogen and Alectos Team Up to Advance AL01811 for Parkinson’s

Biogen and Alectos Therapeutics have signed an exclusive license and collaboration agreement to further develop and commercialize AL01811, a small molecule therapy, as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease. “Through this collaboration with Alectos, we hope to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson’s disease by advancing…

NeuroString Sensor Measures Neurotransmitter Activity

A soft, stretchable sensor called NeuroString could be used for measuring the activity of neurotransmitters — chemical messengers that nerve cells use to communicate — in the bodies of living animals. The novel sensor, which may have potential in Parkinson’s disease research, was described in the study, “…

Synuclein Antibodies Not Useful Parkinson’s Biomarkers: Study

Levels of antibodies against synuclein proteins are lower in people with Parkinson’s disease than in heathy individuals, but these antibody levels cannot be used to distinguish Parkinson’s from other neurological disorders, a new study suggests. “Considering the degree of variation within the levels of all synuclein [antibodies] in controls…

Study: Resonance Tube Therapy Improves Speaking Ability

Voice therapy using resonance tubes — glass cylinders partially submerged in water — improved loudness and other vocal parameters in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to results of a small clinical trial from Brazil. “Resonance tube voice therapy has positive effects on the vocal aspects in individuals with” Parkinson’s,…

Blockade of PAAN Enzyme Improves Motor Function in Mice

Inhibition of a DNA-destroying enzyme called PAAN protected against nerve cell death and lessened motor symptoms in mouse models of Parkinson’s disease, a study found. The findings overall demonstrate an important role for PAAN in Parkinson’s disease mechanisms and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting this enzyme as a…

Female Hormone hCG Seen to Protect Key Neurons in Mouse Study

The female hormone known as chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) protects nerve cells in the brain that are lost in people with Parkinson’s disease, a mouse model study showed, reportedly for the first time. These findings suggest that hCG may be an effective therapeutic agent to slow Parkinson’s progression, its researchers…