News

The traditional Chinese compound Zishenpingchan can be used as an add-on treatment to levodopa for improvements in motor symptoms and quality of life in patients with Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers. The study, “Zishenpingchan granules for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial,” was…

A type of immune cell called Th17 may be a key a promoter of neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease by producing the pro-inflammatory molecule interleukin-17 (IL-17), according to a study. Researchers also found that the common anti-inflammatory medication Cosentyx (secukinumab), an antibody against IL-17, seems to prevent this mechanism and the…

How cell surface proteins participate in spreading, from one cell to another, misfolded proteins related to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, possibly aiding in the progression of these disorders, was seen in early research. The study, “Specific glycosaminoglycan chain length and sulfation patterns are required for cell…

A Phase 1 trial will test the potential of ketamine — an analgesic medicine used for depression and pain — at reducing the uncontrollable, jerky movements that arise in Parkinson’s disease patients after long-term treatment with levopoda. Levodopa, probably the most common treatment for Parkinson’s disease, is effective at improving the stiffness…

An anticonvulsant medication called methsuximide may be a new approach for treating a neurodegenerative diseases that include Parkinson’s, because it shows a potential to be neuroprotective at low doses, early research reports. Specifically, this epilepsy treatment’s active molecule — α-methyl-α-phenylsuccinimide — eased movement difficulties, extended lifespans, and showed itself to…

Voyager Therapeutics announced likely plans to request approval of VY-AADC as a Parkinson’s gene therapy, based on feedback it received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and eventual outcomes of a newly opened Phase 2 trial. The company also reported that its Phase 1 trial of VY-AADC showed improvements in patients’ motor…

Neuraly announced it has raised $36 million to advance its lead candidate NLY01 into clinical testing as a potential disease-modifying agent for Parkinson’s disease, and to develop other investigative compounds for this and similar neurodegenerative disorders. The company, a Johns Hopkins University startup, expects to start a clinical trial of NLY01…

A new chemical probe that binds to a protein called DJ-1 — a sensor of oxidative stress and a potential biomarker of Parkinson’s disease — may help researchers understand how the protein participates in disease progression, a study suggests. The study, “A chemical probe to monitor the parkinsonism-…

Cleveland Clinic researchers have developed a new model that accurately predicts whether quality of life would improve in Parkinson’s disease patients after deep brain stimulation, a new study shows. The tool may help select those who will benefit the most from the procedure, guiding patients and physicians in the…

Parkinson’s is less prevalent in individuals with artistic occupations than in those with more conventional jobs, suggesting that brain degeneration may influence job choices even before a Parkinson’s diagnosis, a study shows. Conducted by scientists in the Netherlands, the study, “Professional occupation and the risk of…