News

Pseudobulbar Affect May Be More Common in Patients Than Thought

More people with Parkinson’s disease than previously estimated experience pseudobulbar affect, and its emotional outbursts can be especially common in patients with depression, a study in patients at a single U.S. institution reported. “Our data suggest that the prevalence of PBA [pseudobulbar affect] is possibly higher in the PD…

No Association Between Gout and Parkinson’s in Korean Study

Gout does not increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to an analysis based on insurance data in Korea. The analysis indicates, however, that people who have had a stroke and those with high blood pressure might have a higher Parkinson’s risk. Results were published in the study “…

Parkinson’s UK Funds Work Into Inflammation That May Drive Disease

Parkinson’s UK is investing up to £3 million (about $3.96 million) over the next two-and-a-half years to support research into inflammation that could help in developing therapies to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease. The funding will come through the organization’s Virtual Biotech program — the therapy development…

Apomorphine Infusion Device Again Before FDA for Approval

Supernus Pharmaceuticals has again applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting that its apomorphine infusion device (SPN-830), allowing continuous treatment of Parkinson’s disease motor symptoms, be approved. “SPN-830 is an important product candidate which, if approved by the FDA, represents a novel approach for PD…

Trial to Test Brain Stimulation Device for Balance Problems

A new clinical trial is testing a novel noninvasive brain stimulation technology developed by Highland Instruments in people with Parkinson’s disease who have postural instability — difficulty with balance and the reflexes that help a person to stand upright. The trial (NCT03981055), which is funded by the National…

Study: Parkinson’s Patients Speak 60% Less Than Healthy Peers

People with Parkinson’s disease verbally communicate less than those without the neurodegenerative disorder, according to a recent study that discovered that patients speak about 60% less than their healthy peers. Apart from the tremors and movement issues associated with Parkinson’s, the disease also can disrupt aspects of a…

Low Oxygen Levels, Poor Exercise Endurance Are Common

Low oxygen levels during sleep and while exercising — resulting in poor endurance — are very common among Parkinson’s disease patients, despite dopaminergic treatment, an Italian study suggests. The findings indicate a need for combining motor and respiratory rehabilitation, particularly for patients with severe Parkinson’s, who show the lowest…

Molecule Safely Eases Dyskinesia Tied to Levodopa in Primate Model

A newly discovered oral molecule, called PD13R, significantly lessened levodopa-induced dyskinesia, its involuntary and jerky movements, while maintaining the therapy’s benefits in a non-human primate model of Parkinson’s disease. Notably, in contrast to Gocovri (amantadine) — an approved therapy to treat levodopa-induced dyskinesia — PD13R did not affect the…