Among people with Parkinson’s disease, those with low blood levels of uric acid — a natural antioxidant — tend to have more severe non-motor symptoms like anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunction, a study indicates. It also showed a link between uric acid levels and gray matter volume in the…
Lower levels of dopamine transporter protein in the striatum — a brain region affected significantly in Parkinson’s — may predict the development of the neurodegenerative disease up to eight years earlier in older adults carrying the most common genetic risk factor, a small study suggests. However, the observed variability…
A non-invasive test that measures signals from the olfactory bulb — the part of the brain responsible for scent-perception — may aid in the early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study. The test, called an electrobulbogram, also also can inform about disease duration, severity, and the…
Electrical stimulation given through the scalp to a brain region called the supplementary motor area may ease certain aspects of upper limb bradykinesia in people with Parkinson’s disease, a small study suggests. The study, “Transcranial direct current stimulation of supplementary motor area improves upper limb kinematics…
A medicine approved to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), called atomoxetine, could help to improve thinking and impulse control in certain people with Parkinson’s disease, a small study suggests. Patients with the greatest loss of integrity in a part of the brainstem called locus coeruleus, evident on a brain scan,…
Telehealth, together with wearable sensors that accurately monitor symptoms like tremor, may help to improve quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease, a small, single-center study suggests. Patients in the study also expressed comfort with online health checkups and the sensory device used, but many still preferred in-person care.
Higher-than-normal levels of alpha-synuclein — the protein that accumulates in toxic clumps in Parkinson’s disease — affect the shape, dynamics, and health of mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of the body’s cells, according to a study in a fruit fly model. “When fruit fly larvae expressed alpha-synuclein at elevated…
Periodontitis, or gum disease, may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to a large population-based study conducted in South Korea. The highest risk was found for individuals with both periodontitis and metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2…
Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, investment and interest in clinical trials of potential new treatments for Parkinson’s disease remains strong, according to a report. The study suggests that the landscape of developmental Parkinson’s treatments has changed little over the last year, with researchers noting a slight increase…
A new technique allowed researchers to label with specificity proteins inside neurons of the striatum — a brain region involved in voluntary movement control — within a living mouse. These findings may help scientists better understand the millions of distinct proteins in the brain and their interactions within neurons (nerve…
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