News

Current or past tobacco smokers are at lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease than lifelong non-smokers, a long-term study of doctors in the U.K. reports. How smoking might protect a person against Parkinson’s, however, remains poorly understood. The many known health risks of tobacco smoking also far exceed “any protective effect,”…

Although there isn’t currently sufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions, it is possible that people who survive COVID-19 may be at increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, researchers from Brazil argued in a recent paper. More research is needed to examine this idea, which points to a need for…

Scientists developed a new light-controlled tool that allows them to study the impact of mitochondrial damage in the live neurons of small transparent fish larvae, a study reports. By allowing researchers to understand the mechanisms by which mitochondrial damage affects neurons, the new tool may potentially be used to…

Inhaled McIntyre powder, which was used in the mining industry during the mid-20th century, is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. Findings from the study, titled “Investigation of McIntyre Powder Exposure And Neurological Outcomes In The Mining Master File Cohort:…

A survey of people with Parkinson’s disease in Iran found significantly higher levels of anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic among them compared with the general population, a study reported.  Patients’ anxiety was primarily driven by fears of contracting the virus as well as not having…

MeiraGTx is preparing to launch a new clinical trial of AAV-GAD, its investigational gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The company stated it is planning to file an investigational new drug (IND) application to obtain authorization to initiate the new trial testing the therapy in patients with…

A fall prevention program that combines yoga and occupational therapy was well-received by people living with Parkinson’s disease, a new study reports. Although the study didn’t find significant effects of the program on quality of life, participants perceived improvements in several domains, including social aspects and mobility, pointing…

People with early-stage Parkinson’s disease and non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, urinary tract issues, and hallucinations or delusions are more likely to experience sleep disorders, a recent study has found. Better cognitive function appears to predict better sleep quality in these patients, according to the…

Depression and anxiety can be prevalent among elderly people hospitalized with Parkinson’s disease, and is associated with malnourishment or poor nutrition, a study from Germany suggests. Findings also indicate that malnutrition is more prominent among men with Parkinson’s whose disease is more advanced or of a longer duration. The study,…

A clinical trial that’s multi-arm and multi-stage (MAMS) could quicken development of promising therapies for Parkinson’s disease (PD) by allowing multiple treatments to be tested simultaneously. MAMS trials, most commonly used across cancers, may be a way of advancing work toward a first therapy that can delay or stop Parkinson’s…