News

Aripiprazole at Low Dose Eases Parkinson’s Psychosis, If Tolerable

A low daily dose of aripiprazole, an antipsychotic therapy, significantly eased hallucinations and delusions in people with Parkinson’s disease and psychosis treated in a small, open-label study. Because one-third of the trial’s participants discontinued treatment due to a worsening of disease symptoms, patients using aripiprazole should be monitored closely for tolerability,…

NIH $2.8M Grant Funds Work Into Differing Alpha-synuclein Strains

A $2.8 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant will fund research into the molecular mechanisms underlying multiple system atrophy (MSA), a progressive disorder driven by protein misfolding and clumping similar to Parkinson’s disease. Differences in the shape of the misfolded protein are being seen to distinguish the two neurodegenerative diseases,…

Study: SMARTfit May Outperform Traditional Physiotherapy

SMARTfit gym equipment, which combines movement with cognitive tasks in a playful way, may lead to better motor and cognitive functions than  conventional physiotherapy, according to a small study in people with Parkinson’s disease. The equipment can be used easily and safely by anyone, researchers say, and the training…

Parkinson’s Foundation Recognizes Nurses, Physical Therapists

The Parkinson’s Foundation announced six winners of this year’s Nurse Faculty Award and Physical Therapy Faculty Award. Each winner receives up to $10,000 to support projects that might better the lives of those with Parkinson’s disease. The four physical therapists are graduates of the foundation’s Physical Therapy Faculty Program and the two…

RunnerBox Encourages Parkinson’s Foundation’s Endurance Champions

The gift subscription service RunnerBox joined with the Parkinson’s Foundation to provide boxes filled with customized items for those running as Parkinson’s Champions, the foundation’s endurance, do-it-yourself fundraising program. Parkinson’s Champions gives people nationwide an opportunity to raise funds to support those living with Parkinson’s disease while heightening…

GCase Mutations Prevent Clearing of Toxic Clumps, Treatment Possible

Mutations in the enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase) prevent it from entering the lysosome — a cell’s recycling center — where it clears away unwanted materials such as alpha-synuclein toxic clumps that cause Parkinson’s disease and ultimately kill nerve cells, a recent study found. These encouraging findings may help to validate efforts to…