News

The annual economic burden of Parkinson’s disease on U.S. patients, families, and the federal government is nearly $52 billion, more than double the previous estimates, according to a comprehensive study by the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF). This is the first study to examine the various ways…

Osaka University scientists have built short fragments of DNA that can stop the production of abnormal alpha-synuclein protein in the brain — which may advance the development of new therapies for the control and prevention of Parkinson’s disease. The study, “Amido-bridged nucleic acid (AmNA)-modified antisense oligonucleotides targeting…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has awarded Nitrome Biosciences a Target Advancement grant to further the company’s development of therapies targeting Parkinson’s disease. Specifically, the grant will be used to further Nitrome’s biological studies of a new Parkinson’s drug target. The therapies are…

Midbrain area measurements can be used to distinguish patients with Parkinson’s disease from those with progressive supranuclear palsy, a study finds. The study, “Midbrain area for differentiating Parkinson’s disease from progressive supranuclear palsy,” was published in Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery. Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), the second…

The formation of alpha-synuclein aggregates in brain nerve cells (neurons) is thought to be one of the hallmarks of Parkinson disease. Researchers now have found that the activity of a single protein, called HYPE, may help halt alpha-synuclein accumulation and reduce its toxic outcomes, including neuronal death. These findings, “…

A molecule called anle138b was able to reduce toxic alpha-synuclein aggregates, or clumps, in the brain — a key event linked to Parkinson’s — and reverse motor symptoms associated with the disease in a novel Parkinson’s mouse model. The study, “Depopulation of dense α-synuclein aggregates is associated…

For 33 years, the Ride the Rockies cycling tour has lured thousands of cyclists and spectators globally to Colorado for 445 miles of strenuous biking that benefits area communities. This year, the June 9–15 tour will further its charitable impact by supporting organizations such as the Davis Phinney…

Using ultrasound coupled with the intravenous injection of microbubbles lessened brain damage in a mouse model of early Parkinson’s and may provide a noninvasive way to successfully deliver therapies into the brains of people with the disease, a study reports. A clinical trial with Alzheimer’s disease patients has been…

Data collected through Global Kinetics Corporation’s wearable device called Personal KinetiGraph (PKG) can help clinicians identify Parkinson’s patients who may benefit from deep-brain stimulation (DBS) or other device-assisted therapies. This finding was reported in the study, “The Use of Data from the Parkinson’s KinetiGraph…

A potential gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease associated with mutations in the GBA1 gene, PR001, will move into clinical testing in patients after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted an application for the therapy, Prevail Therapeutics announced. FDA acceptance of the company’s Investigational New…