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Tiny fatty vesicles that naturally circulate in the blood can effectively carry medications into the central nervous system, including into the brain, an early study in mice suggests. These blood vesicles, called exosomes, were able to successfully deliver dopamine directly to specific areas of the brain affected by Parkinson’s disease. The…

Long-lived macrophages in the mouse gut are crucial for the survival of nerve cells in the gastrointestinal tract and for proper digestion, a finding that sheds new light not only on neurodegenerative conditions of the intestine, but also of the brain, researchers believe. The study, “Self-Maintaining Gut Macrophages Are…

Antibody fragments, known as nanobodies, may be an efficient strategy to reduce abnormal alpha-synuclein protein aggregates and preserve motor function in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, a rat study suggests. The study, “Proteasome-targeted nanobodies alleviate pathology and functional decline in an α-synuclein-based Parkinson’s disease model,”…

Treatment with Xadago (safinamide) or cannabinoids and opioids may the best therapeutic options to effectively manage pain in patients with Parkinson’s disease, researchers suggest. The study, “Comprehensive Examination of Therapies for Pain in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” was published in the journal…

A novel pain-sensing brain network links pain in Parkinson’s disease to a specific region of the brain, called the subthalamic nucleus, an animal study has found. The findings illustrate why this specific brain region is a potential target for pain relief in Parkinson’s, as well as in Huntington’s disease, and other…

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) can effectively reduce tremor in people with Parkinson’s disease, regardless of the brain region stimulated, according to a recent review study. The review, “STN vs. GPi deep brain stimulation for tremor suppression in Parkinson disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” was published in…

The benefits of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on motor function in Parkinson’s patients are mediated by a different brain pathway than the one involved in the procedure’s unwanted cognitive effects, according to a new study. This finding may help improve the effectiveness and safety of DBS use in…

High levels of blood cholesterol may decrease the risk of men developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a large-scale clinical study. The study, “Higher serum cholesterol and decreased Parkinson’s disease risk: A statin‐free cohort study,” was published in the journal Movement Disorders. High blood cholesterol, in particular,…

Alterations in certain types of fat in a brain area called the substantia nigra may result in elevated levels of the GPNMB protein and drive neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease patients, according to Harvard researchers. The study, titled “The glycoprotein GPNMB is selectively elevated in the substantia nigra of Parkinson’s disease patients…

A new process to select and purify stem cells that hold therapeutic potential to replace dopamine-producing neurons may hasten clinical development of this promising avenue to treat Parkinson’s disease. Upon being transplanted, these cells promoted dopamine production and reduced the severity of disease-related motor symptoms in an animal model…