News

Alterations in the levels of melatonin — the hormone that controls sleep-wake cycles — circulating in the blood are associated with certain non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, namely sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal issues, and heart problems. The study with that finding, “Elevated Plasma Melatonin Levels…

Lower than usual activity in a complex that recycles proteins in cells — called the proteosome — leads to an age-related buildup of protein aggregates in the brains of fish, similar to that seen in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, a study reported. Low proteasome activity…

The Parkinson’s Foundation announced the three winners of this year’s Nurse Faculty Award, giving about $10,000 to each of these nurses to support projects that might better the lives of Parkinson’s patients in their communities. Each winner is a graduate of the organization’s 50-hour accredited Edmond J. Safra Visiting Nurse Faculty…

Seelos Therapeutics has begun a preclinical study in rodents to test a gene therapy approach to deliver its investigational candidate SLS-007, a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Results are expected by late this year or early 2021. One hallmark of Parkinson’s disease progression is the formation of…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) is offering a guide to help people newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s navigate the early days of their disease, and better prepare for the future. Called “If I Knew Then What I Know Now: The Michael J. Fox Foundation Patient Council’s Guide for People…

Equfina (safinamide) has been approved in South Korea as an add-on therapy to levodopa for Parkinson’s disease patients who experience “off” episodes, Eisai, which is marketing this medication in parts of Asia, announced. The approval makes South Korea the first country in Asia outside of Japan to sell…

Discontinuing trimetazidine treatment in people with Parkinson’s disease may lessen their motor and non-motor symptoms and improve their quality of life, a study has found. The study, “The Impact…

People with Parkinson’s have postural adjustments even at early stages of the disease when clinical symptoms of postural instability are not evident and despite the use of antiparkinsonian medications, a recent study shows. Researchers believe these findings suggest that postural behavior may be used as an early indicator to…

Subtle changes in the levels of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in patients at the earlier stages of Parkinson’s disease may provide clues about the evolution of their motor and cognitive functions, a study says. The study, “Evolution of Alzheimer’s Disease Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Early…

Scientists have discovered, for the first time, that patients with Parkinson’s disease have a much greater number of opportunistic disease-causing microbes living in their gastrointestinal tract, compared to people without the disease. Further studies are needed to determine if these opportunistic microorganisms may be involved directly in the onset…