News

Canadian researchers have gained new insight into the activation of a protein that plays an important role in the genetic form of Parkinson’s disease. Findings were published in the study, “Mechanism of parkin activation by phosphorylation,” published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative…

New research projects focused on better ways to monitor and treat Parkinson’s disease were awarded funding recently by the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF). From more than 200 funding proposals submitted to its 2018 spring funding program, 39 projects were funded. Selected projects primarily come from the United States…

An investigative compound similar to those used to treat diabetes was able to slow Parkinson’s progression and ease behavioral symptoms associated with the disease in mouse models. The compound, called NLY01 and developed by scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine, works to protect against the loss of dopaminergic nerve cells —…

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was seen to slow the progression of “rest tremors”  in patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease, a pilot study reports. The study, “Effects of deep brain stimulation on rest tremor progression in early stage Parkinson disease,” was published in Neurology. “The finding around…

Earlier disease onset and involuntary foot muscle contractions may be a consequence of mutations in the GCH1 gene in both Parkinson’s patients and those with dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD), a study reports. These mutations may also explain the lack of problems found with the autonomic nervous system — which controls organs not under…

Visual hallucinations can be common in Parkinson’s patients and others with dementia, but the degree of distress they cause is greatly influenced by the person’s ability to understand and consider them — and have the cognitive resources to do so, a study reports. Likewise, the tailored support given patients needs to…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a once-a-day capsule formulation and a lower tablet strength for Nuplazid (pimavanserin), a treatment for the hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s psychosis. The new formulation — a 34 mg capsule— enables patients to take the recommended oral dose once…

Use of a hypertension treatment called Dynacirc (isradipine) — a calcium channel blocker — eased the type of nerve cell damage seen in Parkinson’s disease, a mouse study reports. These preclinical findings support an ongoing Phase 3 trial (NCT02168842), known as STEADY-PD III, that is evaluating Dynacirc’s potential to…

A new method that allows imaging of all brain areas can help researchers monitor the success of gene therapy in the treatment of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s. The study, “A Novel Positron Emission Tomography Reporter Gene/Reporter Probe for the Central Nervous System,” was presented recently during the SNMMI 2018…

Treatment with Gocovri (amantadine) reduced Parkinson’s dyskinesia — involuntary, jerky movements — and so-called “off” episodes, leading to longer periods of controlling motor symptoms, Phase 3 clinical trial results show. Parkinson’s motor fluctuations (off episodes) occur when the benefits of treatments such as levodopa wear off and symptoms…