News

Use of duloxetine, a treatment for depression and nerve pain, fails to alleviate pain in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to data from a clinical trial. However, results also showed that it may be of benefit in easing motor symptoms and improving patients’ quality of life, although more…

A new microscope technology that allows real-time imaging of brain cell activity could have important applications in understanding the biology of the brain, and of brain diseases such as Parkinson’s. The technology was described in Nature Methods, in a study titled “Kilohertz two-photon fluorescence microscopy imaging…

Differences in gene expression between the left and right hemispheres of the brain may explain why Parkinson’s patients often show symptoms on one side of the body first, and continue to have more pronounced symptoms on that side as their disease progresses, a study suggests. According to…

Zhichan powder, a traditional Chinese medicine, contains several active compounds that may be of therapeutic value in Parkinson’s disease, researchers suggest. Their study, “Network Pharmacology Analysis on Zhichan Powder in the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease,” appeared in the journal Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening. Parkinson’s is…

People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who live in rural areas of the United States face unique challenges, such as limited access to experts, according to a study that also suggests that technology could help overcome these obstacles. The study, “Considering Health Care Needs in a Rural…

The levels of levodopa, one of the gold-standard treatments in Parkinson’s disease, may be assessed using a fast, simple, low-cost, fluorescent-based method, a new study suggests. The study, “Blue and green emission-transformed fluorescent copolymer: Specific detection of levodopa of anti-Parkinson drug in human serum,” was published in…

The way that cells in the nose sense scents is more complicated than previously thought, a study reports. A better understanding of this system could be important to interpreting better how the brain processes scents, and in understanding neurological diseases, like Parkinson’s, where loss of smell is a common early…

Mutations in a gene called ATP10B may increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. When mutated, ATP10B is no longer able to provide instructions to make a functional protein that is necessary to transport a fatty substance — known…

An inflammatory pathway that plays a key role in the proper removal of faulty cells during brain development could open new avenues for studying or treating neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s. The study, “AIM2 inflammasome surveillance of DNA damage shapes neurodevelopment,” was published in Nature. During…

Levels of two mitochondrial-related proteins, clusterin and VPS35, may accurately diagnose Parkinson’s disease using a single blood drop, findings from a new study suggest. The research also suggests that a translational approach — one that moves from cell lab work to patients — which also incorporates relevant protein…