News

The use of antipsychotics by people with early Parkinson’s disease (PD) has fallen substantially since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warnings about treating dementia with these medications, according to a database study of patients in Wales. Black-box warnings, which indicate a risk of death or serious…

A chemical sense related to smell, called the trigeminal system, may help researchers understand which people who lose their sense of smell will later develop Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson Canada is supporting this research through a $45,000, yearlong grant, given to Johannes Frasnelli, PhD, of l’Université de Québec á…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Medtronic‘s SenSight Directional Lead System, which offers both sensing and directional capabilities allowing for more precise use of deep brain stimulation (DBS), a widely approved surgical treatment for Parkinson’s disease. The first SenSight directional lead systems were implanted in a…

Treatment with Nuplazid (pimavanserin) can ease symptoms of Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP) for up to 10 weeks, and is generally safe and well-tolerated, according to new clinical trial data. The findings were published in Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, in the study, “Efficacy results of pimavanserin…

A highly sensitive and specific blood test has been developed that can distinguish Parkinson’s disease from multiple system atrophy (MSA), a team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health reported. The test examines the levels of a protein called alpha-synuclein in exosomes — tiny vesicles released…

An algorithm that detects and removes electrical interference produced by deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices could make it possible to design adaptable devices that better treat the tremors related to Parkinson’s disease, researchers report. Their algorithm is described in the study “Uncovering biomarkers during therapeutic neuromodulation…

When choosing on-demand treatments for “off” episodes, individuals with Parkinson’s disease prefer those with lower out-of-pocket cost and an under-the-tongue (sublingual) mode of administration, according to a survey of 300 patients living in the U.S. Next in preferred features was faster onset, followed by longer duration of “on” periods. These…

Funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) will support four projects investigating possible connections between toxic environmental factors and Parkinson’s disease, including those encountered in military service and daily life exposure to pesticides and air pollution. Although Parkinson’s is a complex disorder and unlikely to have a single…

Workplace exposure to the herbicide paraquat during its manufacture does not lead to a greater risk of dying of Parkinson’s disease or of developing the disorder, an analysis of death certificates in the U.K. found. Certificates, examined through December 2017, covered more than 950 people who had worked at four sites…

Structural changes — caused by a rare genetic mutation — to a protein called a dopamine transporter, which conveys dopamine into cells, may contribute to Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms, a study in fruit flies has found. Increasing the number of functional, or properly working, dopamine transporters in fruit flies…