News

Speech changes before, after diagnosis evident in celebrities

Analyzing vocal recordings could help in detecting Parkinson’s disease at early stages, according to a study that tested the idea using decades’ worth of recordings from celebrities who went on to develop the neurodegenerative condition. “This study shows that early patterns of [speech changes] are detectable up to 10…

Motor imagery impaired in Parkinson’s patients, study finds

Besides motor challenges, people with Parkinson’s disease have difficulty with motor imagery, or generating a mental representation of a movement, a study showed. That’s particularly true for the more affected side of the body. “Even when people with Parkinson’s think about movement, it’s different for their more affected side,”…

Metabolic syndrome linked to dementia risk in Parkinson’s study

Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to recent research. “These findings advocate for comprehensive management of MetS [metabolic syndrome] as a pivotal strategy…

$50M raised to advance potentially better brain stimulation device

Inbrain Neuroelectronics has raised $50 million in funding to continue developing its brain-computer interface (BCI) technology using ultra-thin graphene electrodes, designed for more personalized treatment of people with Parkinson’s disease and other conditions. BCIs are implanted devices that can be used to decode and modulate brain activity.

Companies partner on customized Parkinson’s biomarker testing

A new partnership will work to develop customized assays to detect and quantify blood biomarkers to support the advancement of new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. Adx Neurosciences, which makes biomarker assays for neurodegenerative diseases, and Alamar Biosciences, a proteomics company with technology to detect…

Brain pathways add layer to movement regulation: Mouse study

Two newly identified brain pathways originating from the striosome — a cluster of nerve cells (neurons) in the striatum, a brain region that controls movement and motivation — may provide an additional layer of regulation, a mouse study found. The findings challenge scientists’ understanding of how the brain controls those…

Frequency of headaches similar with, without Parkinson’s: Study

The frequency of headaches, including tension-type headaches and migraines, is similar among people with and without Parkinson’s disease, according to the findings of a questionnaire-based study from researchers in Italy. Still, headaches, particularly migraines, disappeared more often in patients within three years of symptom onset than in healthy individuals…