A new technique shows that alpha-synuclein, the protein at the heart of Parkinson’s disease, affects cell membranes differently, based on their composition. This discovery sheds light on how alpha-synuclein clumps known as amyloids might disrupt cellular membranes, potentially helping to design therapies that might slow or stop…
A direct causal link was found between two major underlying features of Parkinson’s disease — mitochondrial defects and lysosomal malfunction — in dopamine producing neurons that lacked the PARK2 gene, which is mutated in some cases of early-onset disease, a study discovered. …
Distinct connections between nerve cells in the brain may explain why some Parkinson’s disease patients develop impulsivity and behavioral problems after deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy, according to a recent study. These findings may help make DBS safer and more effective by adequately targeting the regions in the…
The first participant has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the safety of PTC857, PTC Therapeutics‘ investigational therapy for Parkinson’s disease. In addition to safety, the trial, which is being conducted in healthy volunteers, will evaluate how the therapy affects and is processed by the…
With a single treatment, scientists were able to transform brain cells into functioning neurons that restored dopamine — the signaling molecule deficient in people with Parkinson’s disease — to normal levels, eliminating motor symptoms in a Parkinson’s mouse model. The results,…
Long-term deep brain stimulation (DBS) is cognitively safe and does not increase the risk for dementia in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to the results of a 10-year follow up study. However, being male, older, having hallucinations, scoring low on cognitive tests, and perioperative cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the…
A planned Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating ANVS401, Annovis Bio‘s lead investigational therapy for people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, has received approval from a central institutional review board (IRB). An IRB is an administrative body responsible for protecting the rights and welfare of human research…
Preliminary results from the PD GENEration study demonstrate that comprehensive genetic testing and counseling, and the identification of rare genetic mutations linked to Parkinson’s disease, is feasible for the Parkinson’s community at large. Launched in 2019 through the Parkinson’s Foundation and supported partly by Biogen, the study…
Many Parkinson’s disease patients in the U.K. feel challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it has placed on social interaction, reporting problems ranging from canceled appointments and limited exercise to worsening symptoms, according to a survey conducted by Parkinson’s UK and Lancaster University. “Unfortunately this report shows…
When given to people at earlier stages of Parkinson’s disease, deep brain stimulation (DBS) reduces the complexity of their treatment, while safely providing long-term motor benefits and possibly slowing disease progression, data from a five-year pilot trial suggests. A planned Phase 3 study has already received the…
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