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The first time the batteries for his deep brain stimulation (DBS) device were activated, Jim McNasby had the feeling a load burdening his body had been removed. “It felt like a very gentle posture improvement; I just sat up straighter,” McNasby said in a phone interview, as he described…

Ballet practice may not improve balance and gait in people with Parkinson’s disease — at least not over the long term, a small study in patients engaged in dance for at least a year suggests, possibly contradicting earlier research reporting evidence of such benefits. But the work did find probable…

Treatment with intranasal insulin — which is atomized into a spray and inhaled through the nose — may ease Parkinson’s disease-related cognitive impairment and motor symptoms without dangerously lowering blood sugar levels, according to a proof-of-concept trial. The study, “Safety and preliminary efficacy of intranasal insulin for…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) and 23andMe announced the launch of a data and analytics resource for researchers, based on patient experiences, that aims to improve clinical trial design and, subsequently, therapies for Parkinson’s. Called the Fox Insight Data Exploration Network (Fox DEN),…

Lack of tissue oxygenation associated with episodes of upper airway obstruction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may increase the levels of alpha-synuclein in the blood and may contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease, a study says. The study, “Plasma α‐synuclein levels are increased…

Patient enrollment and dosing is now complete for International Stem Cell Corporation’s (ISCO) Phase 1 trial testing its ISC-hpNSC neural stem cells — a cellular therapy that offers a new approach for treating Parkinson’s disease. “We are excited to announce the completion of enrollment of the world’s first approved human…

An active form of vitamin B12 can reduce the effects of dopamine loss in Parkinson’s disease caused by genetic mutations in the LRRK2 gene, a study suggests. These finding means that this form of vitamin B12 could be used as the basis for developing new therapies for…

Evaluation of two specific proteins circulating in the blood, called alpha- and beta-globin, may help monitor treatment efficacy and risk of side effects among patients with Parkinson’s disease, a study suggests. The study, “2D-DIGE as a strategy to identify serum protein biomarkers to monitor pharmacological efficacy in dopamine-dictated…

In support of local health, wellness and educational programs, the Parkinson’s Foundation is granting $1.5 million to Parkinson’s community programs in 38 states. Grants range from $5,000 to $25,000, and focus on programs that either help underserved Parkinson’s disease communities, target newly diagnosed patients, or advocate for clinical trial…

Understanding and identifying epigenetic changes may become a potential strategy for early Parkinson’s diagnosis, when patients still lack the characteristic symptoms of the disease, according to a recent study. The study, “DNA methylation changes associated with Parkinson’s disease progression: outcomes from the first longitudinal genome-wide methylation analysis in blood,” was…