News

A research grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) will allow Asceneuron to advance work on ASN51, a potential oral therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The unspecified financial award, the foundation’s second to the company, will be used to move ASN51 into a preclinical study of a genetic model…

Nearly six months of a ketogenic diet, one low in carbohydrates and high in fat, eased motor symptoms and anxiety and depression while improving cognition in a woman with mild Parkinson’s disease, a case study found. These findings suggest that a ketogenic diet may offer an additional, non-pharmacological way…

The second version of the MyoCycle, a functional electrical stimulation (FES) bike designed for people with motor disabilities, including Parkinson’s disease, is now available in the U.S. after winning the needed go-ahead from federal regulators. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance to developer…

A new documentary on Parkinson’s disease explores global efforts to research, treat, and prevent the progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Called “The Long Road to Hope,” it was produced by the University of Rochester Center for Health + Technology (CHeT) and focuses on a dozen Parkinson’s patients in the United States, Canada,…

The Parkinson’s Foundation has announced a major expansion of its PD GENEration national study to make genetic testing and counseling more available for people with Parkinson’s disease in the U.S. The study (NCT04057794), which now has 23 sites, aims to enroll 15,000 people in all 50…

People with Parkinson’s disease who experience side effects from their medications are more likely to require a blood transfusion, a new analysis indicates. Digestive problems, particularly bleeding in the gut, also was associated with a higher likelihood of Parkinson’s patients needing a blood transfusion. “The findings of this study…

A previously identified risk factor for the development of Parkinson’s disease  — indigestion — and two protective factors (exercise and caffeine consumption) are associated with the severity of symptoms after disease onset, a study has found. Caffeine use also was tied to a later age of disease onset. “Our…

Three-dimensional (3D) “BrainSpheres” made from human stem cells may be a promising new model for investigating the mechanisms that underlie Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. When treated with certain toxins, the spheres, which are composed of functional nerve and support cells, showed molecular changes similar to those observed…

Nanoparticles that simultaneously deliver levodopa and curcumin, a potentially neuroprotective compound, directly to the brain may be “a promising novel therapy for treating Parkinson’s disease,” researchers in Brazil and France reported. The tiny particles created by these scientists might also help to overcome some of the drawbacks of current …

Two different types of rehabilitation-focused exercise programs — activity-based training and strength exercises — improved measures of dexterity and upper limb function in a small clinical trial of people with Parkinson’s disease. The study, “Effect of Activity-Based Training Versus Strengthening Exercises on Upper Extremity Functions in Parkinson’s Patients; A…