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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…

The clinical symptoms experienced by people with Parkinson’s disease, like dyskinesia or postural instability, may help to distinguish and group patients whose ability to perform daily activities are more or less affected, a new study suggests. These findings were detailed in, “Can We Predict the…

Scientists have discovered a series of rare variants in genes that control the function of lysosomes — cell compartments responsible for digesting and recycling different types of molecules — that are associated with Parkinson’s disease. The findings were published in an article, “Rare Variants in…

The National Research Council (NRC) of Canada will conduct a final phase of preclinical testing of GB Sciences‘ cannabinoid-based formulations for Parkinson’s disease to determine their mechanisms of action. This final step in testing follows promising results in a fish model of the disease, in which these…

A probiotic strain of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis called PXN21 can prevent the buildup of the protein alpha-synuclein — one of the hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease — in the round worm C. elegans, researchers reports. This finding warrants further investigation to assess the therapeutic potential of dietary…