News

The levels of two types of fatty molecules — anandamide and glucocerebroside — are significantly altered in people with Parkinson’s disease, and associate with sensory nerve damage and chronic pain, a study reported. These findings suggest that patients with sensory problems and pain may benefit from available…

Regular use of aspirin or ibuprofen could lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease associated with mutations in the LRRK2 gene, a new study suggests. The study, “Nonsteroidal Anti‐Inflammatory Use and LRRK2 Parkinson’s Disease Penetrance,” was published in Movement Disorders. Mutations in LRRK2 are one…

The idea that a simple over-the-counter supplement called mannitol might alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease has been gaining traction since at least 2013.  Now, a documentary released July 29 called “My Disease Our Revolution” is bringing more attention to the supplement’s potential in Parkinson’s.

A documentary premiering July 29 on Israel’s satellite TV service provider, yes, highlights what one Parkinson’s disease patient was able to achieve when he set out to advocate for himself and other patients.  In collaboration with Nisan Katz and Nir Kafri…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new app developed by Abbott, called the Patient Controller app, which will allow patients with chronic neurological conditions to manage personalized therapy regimens using compatible smartphones. The Patient Controller app, which is compatible with Apple’s operating system iOS, synchronizes…

Loss of the sense of smell is associated with longer disease duration in Parkinson’s, suggesting this sense increasingly fails as the disease progresses. Its decline may be a clinically useful biomarker of Parkinson’s progression and severity, the study’s researchers said. These findings were in “Association between olfactory…

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has limited outdoor and other physical activity for people with Parkinson’s disease, many have successfully used technology, social media, and other means to find ways to stay active. Most patients in a survey of 74  people at the Neurology Unit of Tor Vergata University…

Weight gain after stopping to smoke tobacco does not significantly minimize for men the protection that smoking is thought to bring against a likelihood developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a Korean nationwide study. “These findings indicate that smoking may be a much more powerful factor than weight gain” in terms of…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation has awarded a $750,000 grant to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) scientists working to make that state’s Parkinson’s disease registry more efficient and of greater value to doctors, researchers and patients alike. Specifically, the 18-month grant will be used to redesign the…

Dopamine appears to shape our perception of the world by conditionally relating innate preferences for things like taste and smell, to physiological states, such as hunger and movement, according to a study of fruit flies. The study, “Valence and State-Dependent Population Coding in Dopaminergic Neurons in the Fly…