News

A new biosensor system may make it easier to monitor stem cells changing into mature cells like neurons, which could allow for a better understanding of diseases like Parkinson’s and support the development of new treatments. The system was described in the paper, “Dual-Enhanced Raman Scattering-Based Characterization of…

Contrary to what is commonly thought, dopamine-producing nerve cells (neurons) that stop functioning in Parkinson’s disease may not die, but instead enter a state of senescence in which they cease to divide and cause damage to healthy neighboring cells, a study found. In fact, one researcher noted these senescence cells…

Studies on gut bacteria in Parkinson’s disease differ in their findings and important methodological details, according to a new review that highlights these differences and proposes strategies to mitigate them in the future. The study, titled “Increasing Comparability and Utility of Gut Microbiome Studies in Parkinson’s Disease:…

Earlier onset of disease, early impairment of memory and thinking, and higher daily use of antiparkinson medication, are associated with increased risk of death related to Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a study that followed newly diagnosed patients for more than 10 years. Conversely, being male, the severity of…

A specific form of magnesium taken orally and able to readily enter the brain was seen to ease Parkinson’s-related motor problems and nerve cell loss in a mouse model of the disorder. The study, “Treatment Of Magnesium-L-Threonate Elevates The Magnesium Level In The Cerebrospinal Fluid And Attenuates Motor Deficits…

Parkinson’s disease may be classified by into two distinct subtypes based on where in the nervous system the disease starts, a study proposes. Its findings could have major implications for the development of new treatments. The paper, “Brain-First versus Gut-First Parkinson’s Disease: A Hypothesis,” was published in…

Exposure to pesticides, severe head injury with fainting, and consumption of soda, nuts and red meat appear to be risk factors for Parkinson’s disease among people in Cyprus, a Mediterranean island with an interesting genetic mix, a study suggests. Study results further suggest that smoking and…

The early detection of diseases characterized by protein misfolding and aggregation, such as Parkinson’s disease, moved one step closer by the validation in animal models of a sensitive technique to capture and analyze misfolded and aggregated proteins in the blood quickly and efficiently.

People with severe non-motor symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease (PD) have a smaller thalamus compared to those with similar but mild to moderate symptoms, a brain imaging study suggests. Sleeping and gastrointestinal problems are also tied to atrophy (shrinking)…

A wrist-worn medical device — called the Personal KinetiGraph or PKG — that reminds people with Parkinson’s disease to take their medication, and records their movements to provide physicians with objective measurements of motor symptoms, showed great promise as a tool to improve clinical decision-making, a study found.