News

The Parkinson’s Foundation has added three Centers of Excellence to its international network of expert care providers for Parkinson’s disease  patients. The new centers are the University of Colorado Movement Disorders Center, Jefferson Health’s Comprehensive Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorder Center, and Indiana University…

Scientist Wenquan Zou, MD, PhD, has received a two-year grant to develop a non-invasive skin test for diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders. Diagnosing these disorders currently requires invasive analysis, either by imaging brain tissue or analyzing the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — the…

An online survey by the nonprofit group PMD Alliance found that care partners are more likely to report Parkinson’s disease-related non-motor symptoms than are patients themselves, and to feel more affected by them. These responses underscore the need for better recognition and education about Parkinson’s non-motor symptoms, many of…

A virtual reality game being created by engineering students, called “Overcome,” aims to offer Parkinson’s patients safe and fun ways of taking part in rehabilitation sessions that might preserve walking and mobility skills. Though players of all ages may find the game entertaining, “Overcome” is intended for adults…

A highly sensitive “sniff-cam” is able to detect tiny levels of ethanol in the breath even without alcohol consumption, according to new research. The findings suggest potential applications in studies of Parkinson’s, diabetes, and cancer. The study, “Ultrasensitive Sniff-Cam for Biofluorometric-Imaging of Breath Ethanol Caused by…

The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s Tissue Bank at Imperial College London, is the largest repository of brain and spinal cord tissue samples in Europe. Now, the MS Society and Parkinson’s UK has announced a £3 million grant (about $3.6 million) to support its transition into a…

Grants totaling nearly $29,000 will enable the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)  to establish a free exercise program for patients with Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s-like symptoms. Some $13,924 from the Parkinson’s Foundation will go toward program staffing, training and other support. A $15,000 grant from the Philip…

Women with advanced Parkinson’s disease who are homebound are more likely to live alone and may face greater barriers to accessing support. That finding comes from the study, “Sex-related differences in homebound advanced Parkinson’s disease patients,” which was published in Clinical Interventions in Aging. Parkinson’s motor…

A distinct population of people are diagnosed with both Parkinson’s disease and fibromyalgia, a study in Israel found, noting they tend to be women with mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, who rely on painkillers more than other Parkinson’s patients. The study, “Fibromyalgia-Like Syndrome Associated with…

Research conducted aboard the International Space Station will look at how nerve cells interact with key immune cells of the brain in low-gravity conditions. The goal is to better understand nervous system damage in Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) — and help improve their treatments. “This…