News

A team of researchers at Purdue University won a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to advance the development of a synthetic neuron platform to support future studies into brain health and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. Diseases like Parkinson’s progressively damage and kill nerve cells,…

Biogen is adding Pfizer’s PF-05251749 — a regulator of the body’s inner clock — to its group of potential disease-modifying therapies for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Biogen plans to test PF-05251749 in an upcoming Phase 1 clinical trial as a treatment to correct irregular sleep wake…

Affiris is preparing for a Phase 2 clinical trial to test Affitope (PD01A), an experimental medicine that, if successful, could lead to a vaccine against  Parkinson’s disease. Affitope triggers the production of antibodies — molecules that recognize specific targets — against alpha-synuclein, a protein found in the…

Two Parkinson’s patients treated with AXO-Lenti-PD, an investigative gene therapy, in an ongoing clinical trial continue to show improvement 12 months later, Axovant, the therapy’s developer, said in a release. These findings at one year after treatment are important because this timepoint allows for a better assessment…

Together with dying nerve cells, dormant neurons also may be at the root cause of Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study in animal models. Reawakening these neurons by targeting a type of brain cells called astrocytes can restore dopamine production in the brain and reverse Parkinson’s…

The first participant has been recruited for a clinical trial in the United Kingdom that will test whether a class of medicines used mainly for dementia can help prevent falls in Parkinson’s disease patients. Led by the University of Bristol and the Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath NHS Foundation Trust,…

Medications used to manage impulse control disorders may not help Parkinson’s disease patients taking Mirapex (pramipexole) and Requip (ropinirole), and may even worsen their episodes, according to new research. The study, titled “What drugs modify the risk of iatrogenic impulse-control disorders…

A group of young onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD) patients from around the world are launching a yearlong Facebook fundraiser to help others with the disorder attend the 6th World Parkinson Congress (WPC) in 2022. Representing 11 countries, the 26 participants, including an advocate who doesn’t have…

While excess iron in the brain often accompanies Parkinson’s disease, it remains unknown whether the iron overload actually causes the neurodegenerative disorder or is merely a product of it. New research now sheds greater light on the role that iron plays in the development of a Parkinson’s…

A saliva test may help diagnose Parkinson’s and assess disease severity, according to a recent study. Biomarkers that reflect problems in the production of energy, with nerve cell messengers, and in gut microflora — each easily detected in saliva — may all contribute to the metabolic changes…