News

A compound naturally found in turmeric essential oil, called aromatic turmerone (ar-turmerone), and its derivatives were seen to protect dopaminergic neurons in a tissue culture model of Parkinson’s, researchers report. These findings support the already known role of ar-turmerone in reducing the inflammatory response caused by activated microglia —…

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has awarded a Southern Research neuroscience lab $3.3 million to advance research in Parkinson’s disease. Rita Cowell, PhD, the funding recipient, was also granted $594,000 for the study of frontotemporal dementia, a disorder that is similar to…

A flexible hydrogel-based device, implanted in the brains of mice, allowed scientists to stimulate and detect brain signals — in deep brain regions — in real time, a study reported. The hydrogel device functions for nearly six months, and triggers less of a reaction and lesser scarring than current electrodes,…

California has committed $8.4 million to the California Parkinson’s Disease Registry (CPDR) and efforts to expand it to other neurodegenerative diseases over the next four years. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) commended Gov. Gavin Newsom for signing the state’s fiscal year 2021–2022 budget,…

Stimulating brain regions to treat Parkinson’s disease, depression, and other disorders involving brain damage could become more precise, thanks to a new way of mapping the brain circuitry involved in those conditions. The study describing this research, “Brain stimulation and brain lesions converge on common causal…

PIAS2, a protein that suppresses the immune interferon (IFN)-beta signaling, is found at higher-than-normal levels in neurons of sporadic Parkinson’s patients, particularly in those with Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD), a study shows. Overproduction of this protein was sufficient to cause PDD-like motor and cognitive symptoms in mice, while…

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…

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…

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…

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…