News

Levodopa, a standard treatment for Parkinson’s disease, reached the brain faster when given as a gel into the nasal cavity than as an intravenous (into-the-vein) injection, a new mouse study shows. The findings support the potential of intranasal administration as a way to reach the brain and bypass…

Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) to trigger muscle contractions, improved upper and lower body strength, endurance, and hand-eye coordination in a small group of people with early Parkinson’s disease who did not engage in regular exercise programs. The study with that finding, “…

Computer algorithms used to analyze large medical databases found an early diagnosis of walking difficulties or tremors best predicted a future diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, a study found.  The study, “Accelerating diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease through…

Creative Medical Technology Holdings has extended the applications of its investigational “regenerative immunotherapy” ImmCelz to include Parkinson’s disease, after seeing positive preclinical data from a mouse model of the disease, according to a company press release. ImmCelz inhibited the onset of Parkinson’s symptoms in a mouse model of the…

People with Parkinson’s disease who are hospitalized with COVID-19 may have a greater risk for more severe infections and higher mortality, according to a recent study of German hospital records. The study, “Clinical Profiles and Mortality of COVID-19 Inpatients with Parkinson’s Disease in Germany,” was published…

Swallowing difficulties seem to be associated with progression of Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. Researchers found that high doses of levodopa can increase xerostomia — or dry mouth — and negatively affect the oral environment. Moreover, people with Parkinson’s seem to be unaware of their swallowing difficulties, which could lead to…

The Parkinson’s Foundation has received a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support a photo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Safi Alia Shabaik documenting her father’s journey with Parkinson’s disease. “I am humbled and elated by the NEA’s thoughtful recognition of this project…

Treatment with a low dose of the immune-modulating medication sargramostim was well-tolerated and eased motor symptoms in a small clinical trial of people with Parkinson’s disease. The results “provide the basis for larger scale assessments to determine clinical efficacy of a reduced sargramostim regimen within the [Parkinson’s] population,” according…

The production of tau — a protein that forms toxic aggregates in Parkinson’s disease — in the brain is tightly regulated by a small, regulatory RNA molecule called MAPT-AS1, a study reports. Notably, increasing MAPT-AS1 production in the brains of mice significantly reduced tau levels, suggesting that similar approaches…

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is associated significantly with a higher risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study from Korea. The finding reinforces previous research showing a potential link between air pollution and Parkinson’s. The results also prompted researchers to suggest that better air pollution regulations might lower…