News

Several microRNAs in the blood of people with Parkinson’s disease differ from healthy controls, correlate with disease progression, and are associated with hallmarks of the disorder, a large-scale study reported. These findings support the possible use of microRNAs as biomarkers in…

More than 350 disease advocates, representing all 50 U.S. states, took part in The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) virtual Parkinson’s Policy Forum, urging lawmakers to increase federal investment in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research after years of stagnant support. Annual funding for the Department of Defense’s Parkinson’s Research…

A protein fragment known as GPR37 is evident in the cerebrospinal fluid of people with Parkinson’s disease, and may be promising candidate as a biomarker for earlier diagnosis, scientists in Spain announced. This fragment at high levels was found to be specific to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF; the liquid surrounding…

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $5 million grant to researchers investigating whether an artificial intelligence tool might improve the accuracy of diagnosing Parkinson’s disease at its early stages. Early diagnosis is challenging due to the overlap of Parkinson’s motor and non-motor symptoms and those of two…

A University of Alberta pharmacology professor and researcher will use a CA $1.04 million grant to investigate the potential role of fatty molecules — called gangliosides — in treating neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. The grant, from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and worth about $826,000, was…

Regular dental visits and routine tooth brushing with alternating hands are among recommendations for better oral health in people with Parkinson’s disease, researchers report. Tooth decay and receding gums are known problems for these patients, and often overlooked due to the nature of this neurodegenerative disorder, the team noted. The paper,…

Forest Hills Lab announced plans to soon apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for permission to open a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the tolerability and efficacy of FHL-301 in people with Parkinson’s disease. FHL-301, or FHL CB-301, is reported to be a repurposed therapy…

Subtle changes in an oil naturally produced to protect the skin may announce whether or not you have Parkinson’s disease, according to a study in patients and other adults. Scientists at the University of Manchester, building on previous work, discovered differences in the composition of sebum — the oily…

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…