News

Dopamine-producing neurons in the brain grow throughout life, but this growth is hindered by a genetic mutation that is associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease, a new study demonstrates. The researchers hope these findings will lead scientists to “focus on enhancing the generation of new dopamine-producing neurons, rather…

The Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), a study sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, is recruiting people with known disease risk factors but no official Parkinson’s diagnosis, the foundation announced. Newly diagnosed patients, and healthy adults — those without any known Parkinson’s risk factors, who would…

The now-classic 1985 film “Back to the Future” featured actor Michael J. Fox — who would go on to found The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) — and a time machine made from a DeLorean sports car. To support the organization and honor the movie, Discovery+ is bringing…

Lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected speech and language therapy in patients with Parkinson’s disease, a survey in the United Kingdom shows. The survey was conducted by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and asked patients to share their experiences from the past year. “There…

Parkinson’s UK has opened a survey aimed at understanding the experiences of caregivers of people who have Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease dementia. The survey seeks to shed light on the support caregivers receive, and caregivers’ and patients’ experiences with the health and social care system in…

Dancing the tango may help people with Parkinson’s disease maintain balance and avoid falling, according to new research from Florida State University (FSU). “Argentine tango involves specific dance techniques that decrease fall risk and are generally not taught in other dances or activities,” Shani Peter, a third-year medical student…

A prototype utensil called the Seal Spoon offers people with tremors due to Parkinson’s disease a less frustrating way to eat, according to a press release from Purdue University Polytechnic Institute. The 3D-printed plastic spoon features a sliding cover that prevents both food and liquid from falling out even…

Differences in the facial appearance and emotional expressions of people with Parkinson’s disease and  healthy adults were evident to a facial recognition software program, researchers in Japan reported. The program’s algorithm consistently overestimated the age of the nearly 100 patients in this study by a few years, particularly for males, and perceived…

Cambridge Sleep Sciences and Parkinson’s Concierge have entered an agreement to tackle sleep problems in Parkinson’s disease. Sleep problems such as difficulty falling asleep, daytime sleepiness, and troubled dreams are among the most common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Sleep also can be indirectly affected by other…

In Parkinson’s disease, iron accumulates in certain parts of the brain that have characteristic genetic profiles, according to a new study. This finding may help to explain the biological processes that cause Parkinson’s, which could be important for developing treatments. The study, “Regional brain iron…