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Stem cells transplanted into the facial tissue of two people with Parkinson’s disease led to sustained reductions in motor and non-motor symptoms, lower medication doses, and a better quality of life, a case study reported.  Its authors recommended further investigation into…

The most common mutation associated with Parkinson’s disease — called LRRK2-G2019S — results in abnormal global protein production that increases the levels of calcium within dopamine-producing neurons, likely making them more vulnerable to degeneration, a study suggests. “Mapping out this progression of events is an important advancement in…

Women who adhere closely to a Mediterranean diet in their 30s and 40s have a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease later in life, particularly once they reach their mid-60s, a large population-based Swedish study found. The study, “Mediterranean Dietary Pattern at Middle Age and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A…

People who are infected with SARS-CoV2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — may be at greater risk of later developing Parkinson’s disease, researchers suggest in a commentary. In their commentary, “Is COVID-19 a perfect storm for Parkinson’s disease?” published in  Trends in Neurosciences,…

A new method, originally developed to diagnose mad cow disease, shows effectiveness in measuring the buildup of alpha-synuclein in the skin of Parkinson’s disease patients, a new study reports. According to study authors, the findings indicate that using easily collectable patient skin samples may be a feasible method…

The Healthy Longevity Global Grand Challenge, founded by the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, has awarded a grant to develop Entopsis’ non-invasive, urine- and skin swab-based OpsisDx test for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. The research to bring OpsisDx as a diagnostic test for Parkinson’s will…

Ondansetron, an anti-nausea medication usually prescribed to those undergoing cancer therapies, will be tested in an upcoming Phase 2 clinical trial as a possible treatment for visual hallucinations associated with Parkinson’s disease. The study (NCT04167813) — officially the Trial of Ondansetron as a Parkinson’s Hallucination Treatment,…

Higher levels of unacylated-ghrelin, the most prevalent form of ghrelin (acyl-ghrelin) — a gut hormone with neuroprotective properties — suppress nerve cell growth in the hippocampus to affect spatial memory, according to a study in mice. Importantly, the study team also found unacylated-ghrelin levels to be higher-than-normal in people…