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Preclinical Study Sheds Light on How Melatonin May Protect Neurons

Treatment with melatonin — a hormone best known for its role in sleep regulation — lessened neurodegeneration and motor symptoms in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, a study shows. These benefits were associated with the suppression of a death-inducing inflammatory pathway called NLRP3 inflammasome in microglia, the immune…

Study Explores Therapeutic Potential of Hc-TeTx

A potential mechanism by which Hc-TeTx — a fragment of the tetanus toxin previously shown to have neuroprotective effects — enters the central nervous system (CNS) has been unraveled by researchers in Spain. Hc-TeTx appears to mimic a neurotrophin called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Neurotrophins are proteins that promote the…

Dancing May Improve Motor and Non-motor Symptoms

Training to dance to music on a weekly basis may slow the progression of both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a three-year study has found. Results from this pilot study suggest that dance training could be used as a strategy to slow the progression of Parkinson’s in…

Study: Alcohol, Tobacco Use May Reduce Parkinson’s Risk

Drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco may reduce a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study that found evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship. “It is crucial to be aware that smoking and drinking pose serious health risks to individuals,” the researchers wrote, noting there was “no…

SLS-004 Lowered Alpha-synuclein Levels in Mice

SLS-004, Seelos Therapeutics’ experimental epigenetic editing therapy for Parkinson’s disease, effectively reduced the production of alpha-synuclein — the protein that accumulates in toxic clumps in Parkinson’s — in the brains of healthy mice. Epigenetic modifications refer to the addition of chemical marks to DNA by a group of specialized…

Probiotics May Reduce Some Signs of Gut Inflammation

Probiotic supplements could prove a useful add-on therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease, a recent study suggests. The study, “Influence of probiotic bacteria on gut microbiota composition and gut wall function in an in-vitro model in patients with Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the International Journal…

Rodent Study Reveals Anti-inflammatory Effects of Mirapex

Mirapex (pramipexole), an approved medication to treat motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, reduced levels of immune proteins in the brain that are associated with inflammation, a rat model study reveals. The study, “Effect of Pramipexole on Inflammatory Response in Central Nervous System of Parkinson’s Disease…

Parkinson’s Neurons Form Atypical Networks

Parkinson’s disease brain cells form abnormal networks that might predispose the cells toward damage, according to new research done using cells in laboratory conditions. “These discoveries open the door to early diagnosis, which would allow us to carry out a premature intervention that would slow down neuronal death, and…