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Cognitive function in adults with Parkinson’s disease either remains stable or progressively declines over time, according to a four-year follow-up study that also found that early problems with several tasks related to visual processing and spatial reasoning were among predictors of eventual cognitive impairments. Among Parkinson’s patients with cognitive…

Most people with Parkinson’s disease don’t experience dementia in the first decade after diagnosis, a study reported. The findings challenge long-held beliefs that dementia is a fairly common issue that tends to crop up early on in Parkinson’s patients. The study, “Long-Term Dementia Risk in…

Photopharmics said the first 100 patients have been enrolled in a Phase 3 trial testing its light-based therapy device, Celeste, to treat Parkinson’s disease. The Light for PD trial, which is expected to enroll 300 patients, is evaluating the device’s safety and efficacy at easing both motor and…

A new cell model of Parkinson’s disease is better able than others at capturing the complexity of the toxic protein clumps that characterize the disorder and to do so with useful speed, a study reports. “This technology will pave the way for rapidly developing ‘personalized stem cell models’ from…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Medtronic’s Asleep Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery for people with Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor. “This is a significant advancement in our surgical offering, providing another safe and effective option for patients considering DBS,” Amaza Reitmeier, a vice…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed on the design of the upcoming Phase 2 SUNRISE-PD clinical trial to test BioVie’s oral candidate bezisterim as a first-line, stand-alone treatment for newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease patients. Upon a protocol review, the agency recommended including assessments of motor…

The Parkinson’s Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in 92 community-based grants across 40 states in the U.S. to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s disease. This year’s funding, which ranges between $10,000 to $25,000 per organization, was awarded to programs that address local Parkinson’s…

A protein called STAT3 protected nerve cells from degeneration and improved behavioral and motor outcomes in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease, a study reveals. STAT3 potentially offers “a new avenue for treatment against Parkinson’s,” researchers wrote in the study “STAT3 protects dopaminergic neurons against…

A study reports that the proteins NAP1 and SINTBAD play a role in regulating mitophagy, a process wherein damaged mitochondria are removed from cells, which is essential for helping them stay healthy. Mitophagy is impaired in Parkinson’s disease. “Targeting these proteins in [nerve cells] could be a potential avenue…

Note: This article was updated Aug. 9, 2024, to correct that the improvement seen in good on time in additional analyses was 1.5 hours per dose. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved IPX203, a novel extended-release formulation of levodopa and carbidopa, for Parkinson’s disease.