The formation of toxic clumps of the protein alpha-synuclein, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease, was not affected by reducing levels of tau, a protein that also forms aggregates in both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, a mouse study suggested. These results imply that the role of tau in…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a Phase 3 trial to test multiple infusions of fat-derived mesenchymal stem cells — ones obtained from healthy donors — in people with Parkinson’s disease. The Hope Biosciences Stem Cell Research Foundation (HBSCRF), which received the authorization, already has a…
Smoking history may not influence the severity of symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, a small study suggests. Moreover, in some individuals, exposure to cigarette smoke may worsen motor symptoms, which could lead patients to quit smoking and explain why smoking is more common among people without the disease. The study,…
Exposing a molecule called PAI to light altered its shape, triggering an interaction with protein receptors — ones also associated with Parkinson’s disease — that control brain function, a study in mice demonstrated. The findings support the development of light-sensitive methods to understand the underlying impact of Parkinson’s on the…
A program of jaw-related exercises, coupled with individualized advice for oral hygiene, can improve quality of life as it relates to oral health among people with Parkinson’s disease, a small study reported. The study, “Effect of orofacial physiotherapeutic and hygiene interventions on oral health related quality…
Aleva Neurotherapeutic’s innovative directional deep brain stimulation (DBS) system — called directSTIM — for Parkinson’s disease has been implanted in the first patient participating in a German study. That study, which aims to demonstrate improved outcomes when using this DBS technology in individuals with Parkinson’s and essential tremor,…
People with Parkinson’s disease have lower-than-normal levels of certain fatty acids in their blood, which is not explained by dietary differences, a new study shows. The low levels of some of these fatty acids among Parkinson’s patients are associated with more severe motor symptoms, while high levels of…
Assessing vowel percentage, or duration, during a simple reading task is an effective method to detect changes in speech rhythm at early stages of Parkinson’s disease, according to a small study from Italy. Notably, such rhythmic differences between early-stage Parkinson’s patients and healthy individuals were not as pronounced during…
The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) has released a new guide that aims to help people with Parkinson’s disease and their loved ones make informed decisions about deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical treatment for the disorder’s motor symptoms. The 22-page guide, which is freely available online,…
Servier and Oncodesign have selected a LRRK2 inhibitor as their partnership program’s lead candidate for Parkinson’s disease and plan to start regulatory preclinical safety studies soon. A Phase 1 clinical trial is expected to begin in 2022. “We are particularly pleased with, and proud of, these results obtained…
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