News

Parkinson’s Foundation Adds 3 Centers of Excellence to Its Network

Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic will officially become a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence on Oct. 2, followed by the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston on Oct. 4, and the Cleveland Clinic Nevada in Las Vegas on Oct. 19. Next month’s three plaque unveiling ceremonies will bring the number of…

IRAK4 Protein Inhibitor Could Lead to Treatment for Parkinson’s, Other Neuroinflammatory Diseases

A newly discovered inhibitor of the immune protein IRAK4, known as the “master switch” in the development of several diseases, could lead to treatments for autoimmune diseases and neuroinflammatory disorders such as Parkinson’s, according to developer Noxopharm and its majority-owned subsidiary Nyrada. Pre-clinical studies are ongoing to find the…

Non-Motor Symptoms During Wearing-off Periods Associated with Worse Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Patients

Parkinson’s patients with non-motor symptoms during “wearing-off” periods — when symptoms return as their medication wears off — have a significantly worse quality of life compared to patients who only experience the return of motor symptoms, a new study shows. The study, “Motor and non-motor wearing-off and its impact…

Depression May Aggravate Motor, Cognitive Symptoms in Newly Diagnosed Parkinson’s Patients, Study Reports

Depression in newly diagnosed Parkinson’s patients is associated with initial motor deficits and worse cognitive function, unrelated to dopamine loss, a study suggests. These patients also require higher doses of medications at follow-up. The study, “The presence of depression in de novo Parkinson’s disease reflects poor motor…

Genomic ‘Dark Matter’ Bridges Gap Between Parkinson’s, Other Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Study Finds

Researchers from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School found more than 70,000 genetic sequences that do not encode proteins — called transcribed noncoding elements (TNEs) — active in dopamine neurons that are gradually lost over the course of Parkinsons’ disease. Their findings indicate there may be…

Chronic Pain Common in Parkinson’s Patients and Weighs Heavily on Quality of Life, Study Reports

Chronic pain is prevalent in Parkinson’s disease patients and its severity considerably impacts their daily life, work, and social relationships, a  study aiming to guide physicians in better managing this symptom reports. It also links chronic pain to such psychological ills as depression, low self-esteem, frustration and sleep deprivation. The…