News

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…

A Stanford University research initiative will focus on the causes of neurodegeneration in diseases such as Parkinson’s and on the mechanisms behind some people’s brain resilience to aging and neurodegeneration. This information will be used to find ways to prevent, delay, or even reverse neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. “This…

People with Parkinson’s disease who have higher levels of vitamin D in their blood are less likely to experience cognitive impairment or dementia, a new study suggests. The results provide support for future research to test whether vitamin D supplements could reduce the risk of cognitive problems for Parkinson’s…

Alpha Motor Corporation, an electric vehicle company based in Irvine, California, will donate 100% of net proceeds of sales from its NFT fundraiser to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) in support of its research programs advancing work into Parkinson’s disease. The online event features…

UB-312, an experimental vaccine targeting aggregated and toxic forms of alpha-synuclein to treat Parkinson’s disease, was generally well tolerated at multiple doses in a clinical trial in healthy adults. Study data also suggest that UB-312 prompted an immune response, as designed, against the alpha-synuclein protein. With two doses now selected…