News

An oral combination that includes Aricept (donepezil) — an Alzheimer’s therapy — and Ginkgo biloba improved cognitive abilities and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) treated for six months, a study from China reports. The study, “The efficacy of a ‘cocktail therapy’ on…

Parkinson’s disease patients with either depression or psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations, confusion, or illusion may have higher levels of the mineral zinc in their hair, researchers report. Their study, “Higher zinc concentrations in hair of Parkinson’s disease are associated with psychotic complications and depression,” was published in…

People with generalized pain related to their Parkinson’s are prone to disturbed nighttime sleep, a reason these two disease symptoms — central parkinsonian pain and poor sleep — are common together and may imply shared mechanisms, a study reports. The study, “Sleep disturbances in Parkinson’s disease are associated with…

Twice daily treatment with ThermoNeuroModulation (TNM), a non-invasive device for at-home use, provided sustained motor and non-motor benefits and was associated with high satisfaction in a small group of Parkinson’s patients on standard medications, a clinical trial reports. The study based on its findings,“Caloric vestibular stimulation for the…

Early atrophy of a speech-related brain area called temporal lobe and progressive degeneration of a cognitive one (frontal lobe) might be warning signs for Parkinson’s mild cognitive impairment later on, researchers report. Their study, “Progressive brain atrophy in Parkinson’s disease patients who convert to mild cognitive impairment,” was…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted Neurocrine Biosciences’ new drug application for opicapone as a potential add-on therapy to levodopa/carbidopa for Parkinson’s disease. The FDA has set a 12-month review process, with a decision expected by April 26, 2020. If approved, the FDA will…

Patients in Canada with diagnosed Parkinson’s disease can now receive Onstryv (safinamide) to help manage their symptoms and their “off” episodes. This follows the approval of Onstryv by Health Canada in January 2019 as an add-on treatment to improve motor function in Parkinson’s patients who experience…

The National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF) announced it will launch the first 3D cellular models of Parkinson’s disease, and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), to the International Space Station (ISS) to study the cells in low-gravity conditions. “This innovative approach to study has the potential to provide…

A protein that has sugar molecules attached to it, called neurexin 1-beta, helps alpha-synuclein enter and accumulate within neurons contributing to the progression of Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. The study, “Identification of N-linked glycans as specific mediators of neuronal uptake of acetylated α-Synuclein,” was published in…

Small amounts of a particular form of alpha-synuclein, known as beta-sheet, may cause a significant loss of dopamine-releasing neurons by recruiting more alpha-synuclein molecules, leading to Parkinson’s-like symptoms and disease progression, according to a recent lab study. The study, “Defining α-synuclein species responsible for Parkinson disease phenotypes…