News

University of Pennsylvania researchers used a new technology that mimics the way animated movies capture a person’s movement to show the different shapes of alpha-synuclein protein, which, when badly arranged, become toxic to neurons and trigger Parkinson’s disease. The results advance researchers’ knowledge of the mechanisms leading to…

People with Parkinson’s disease are being recruited for a new clinical trial testing nilotinib, an FDA-approved leukemia treatment, in a range of patients. The two-part Phase 2 trial (NCT03205488), called NILO-PD, is a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study taking place at 25 sites across the U.S. Part one will evaluate the…

New technology that uses MRI-guided focused ultrasound to target areas of the brain affected by Parkinson’s disease and improve motor symptoms will be further tested in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial. Led by the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) and the University of Maryland School…

A new way to measure levels of a critical protein in Parkinson’s disease could lead to improved diagnosis and treatments. Using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging camera, Swedish researchers were able to measure  levels of a protein called dopamine transporter (DAT) as a way to investigate the dopamine system in…

Cardiolipin, a molecule inside nerve cells, may be a key player behind nerve cell death in Parkinson’s disease, a study suggests. Researchers found that cardiolipin, a lipid inside mitochondria — the cell’s energy source — ensures the correct 3-D arrangement (folding) of the alpha-synuclein protein. Misfolding of this protein…

Tears may be used to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, according to preliminary findings of a study that will be presented at the 2018 American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California, April 21-27. “We believe our research is the first to show that tears may be a reliable, inexpensive…

Genervon Biopharmaceuticals announced its future goals for investigational therapy GM6 in a recent presentation on its multi-target drug development strategy to tackle neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. Genervon presented its hypothesis that a multi-target drug approach is the key to curing complex neurological disorders at the 2018 BIO CEO…

Excessive levels of calcium in the brain may trigger the formation of toxic protein clumps that typify Parkinson’s disease. This finding could be a new treatment target for researchers working to understand how and why people develop the neurodegenerative disease. The research, “C-terminal calcium binding of α-synuclein modulates synaptic vesicle…

Parkinson’s patients have lower blood levels of caffeine and its byproducts after consuming the stimulant, suggesting that caffeine could be used as a biomarker for diagnosing the disease. The findings appeared in the study “Serum caffeine and metabolites are reliable biomarkers of early Parkinson disease,” published in the…

Mutations in mitochondria, which result in a shortage of energy, may be an underlying cause of movement difficulties associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), a study suggests. The study, “PINK1 Phosphorylates MIC60/Mitofilin to Control Structural Plasticity of Mitochondrial Crista Junctions,” was published in the journal Molecular Cell. Parkinson’s…