News

With the goal of establishing a consensus on medical marijuana use by Parkinson’s patients — which a recent survey co-sponsored by the Parkinson’s Foundation put at 80 percent — the group will host its first conference focused on this compound and the disease. Set for March 6-7 in Denver, the invitation-only meeting…

Dimercaprol, an antidote to a World War II chemical weapon, was shown to be effective in removing a neurotoxin associated with Parkinson’s, revealing it as a possible treatment for the neurodegenerative disease. Purdue University researchers report that the antidote can safely and effectively remove acrolein, a…

Inhibiting an enzyme that regulates the production of fatty acids may protect against brain toxicity induced by alpha-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease and may become a therapeutic target for these patients, a study reports. The study, “Lipidomic Analysis of α-Synuclein Neurotoxicity Identifies Stearoyl CoA Desaturase as a Target…

Impaired sense of smell or taste can raise a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease 2.5 times, a study suggests. The study, “Incidence of Parkinson’s disease in a large patient cohort with idiopathic smell and taste loss,” was published in the Journal of Neurology. Currently, Parkinson’s…

Treating tremor in Parkinson’s patients using non-invasive and focused-ultrasound lesion surgery is associated with better quality of life when compared to deep brain stimulation, although both approaches are equally effective in easing this disease symptom, a review study reports. The study, “Outcomes in Lesion Surgery versus Deep Brain…

Essential oil extract from the leaves of a Brazilian plant can protect nerve cells from damage and prevent progressive physical impairment in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, a study shows. The study, “Eplingiella fruticosa leaf essential oil complexed with…

  AZD0328 and nicotine, two nicotinic receptor agonists, lose their effectiveness in treating involuntary muscle movements as a consequence of long-term levodopa treatment throughout the course of Parkinson’s disease, a mouse study finds. The study, “Dyskinesia and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels after long-term levodopa and nicotinic receptor agonist treatments in female mice…

An experimental gene therapy called AAV2-GAD, previously shown to improve motor function in Parkinson’s patients, works by creating new circuits in the brain involving motor regions, researchers have discovered. Their findings were published in the study, “Gene therapy reduces Parkinson’s disease symptoms by reorganizing functional brain connectivity,”…

Xadago (safinamide) has been approved in Australia as an add-on therapy to a treatment regimen that includes levodopa for adults with idiopathic (no genetic or other known cause) Parkinson’s disease. This decision by the Therapeutic Goods Administration of the Australian Government Department of Health adds Australia to the list of…

A 24-hour treatment with a levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) lessened the duration and functional effect of dyskinesia — involuntary, jerky movements — in Parkinson’s patients, according to a small study. The research, “24-hour levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel may reduce troublesome dyskinesia in advanced Parkinson’s disease,” was published…