News

Nearly all participants in the SPARK clinical trial had evidence of abnormal dopamine activity on a brain scan known as DaT-SPECT, for dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography, according to a new study. Thus, these results suggest that DaT-SPECT — sometimes used as a biomarker in recruiting participants for clinical…

UCB is partnering with Novartis to co-develop and potentially market UCB0599, a small molecule to inhibit misfolding of the alpha-synuclein protein now in a Phase 2 clinical trial enrolling people with Parkinson’s disease. The agreement also includes an option to co-develop UCB7853 — an antibody against alpha-synuclein —…

Duodopa (levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel) reduces motor and non-motor symptoms and improves well-being and quality of life in adults with advanced Parkinson’s disease, according to six-month data from an observational study in Spain. These real-world findings add to previous clinical trial data showing an easing of symptoms and a better quality…

A computer software that tracks how facial muscles move during a video selfie may be able to help predict whether a person is likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, a study reported. The study involved the use of the PARK test, a web-based application designed to detect and objectively measure…

The Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) is expanding to enroll up to 100,000 people with and without Parkinson’s disease through an online portal. This expanded PPMI study (NCT04477785) is particularly seeking to enroll people who were diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the past two years and are not…

To expand access to quality care, the Parkinson’s Foundation is expanding to 60 the Centers of Excellence within its Global Care Network for Parkinson’s disease, and adding a new level of recognized excellence, called Comprehensive Care Centers. A total of 15 medical centers found to be providing “outstanding” and specialized clinical care and resources…

People with the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, may be at increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a study from the U.K. This result is in line with an earlier study from Taiwan. Based on these findings, “measures aiming at the prevention of Parkinson’s disease should be…

Longer hospital stays and poorer overall health were evident among Parkinson’s patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in Brazil, but their likelihood of dying in an ICU was comparable to those of other patients, an 18-year analysis of hospital records found. Sepsis and trauma were among the leading causes of…

People with advanced Parkinson’s disease and freezing of gait (FOG) have higher levels of beta-amyloid — a protein that forms toxic clumps in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s disease — in their cerebrospinal fluid relative to patients without FOG, a small study reported. The presence of FOG was also associated with…

Because people with Parkinson’s disease tend to take shorter steps and move more slowly, they get less of a “pendulum-like” effect helping their movements, which makes their gait less efficient and ultimately uses more energy, a small study suggests. Its findings also indicate that Nordic walking — walking with…