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Microglial cells in the brain play an essential protective role against prion diseases, a new study shows. The findings could have implications for diseases characterized by protein aggregation, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The study, “Microglia are critical in host defense against prion disease,” was published…

Early sleep-related and autonomic symptoms — related to automatic or involuntary body functions — are associated with an increased risk of future psychotic symptoms in Parkinson’s disease patients, according to a recent study. These symptoms are also associated with a reduction of specific nerve cells in a region of the brain…

Parkinson’s disease is linked to impaired response of eyes to blue light, a finding that may provide new insights into the mechanisms involved in non-motor symptoms of the disease. The study, “Melanopsin-mediated pupil function is impaired in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the journal Scientific Reports. Parkinson’s…

The inability to remember proper sequences of information, such as numbers or events, occurs before cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s patients who have mild motor symptoms, a Chinese study shows. The research “Impaired serial ordering in nondemented patients with mild Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Microorganisms living in the gut can influence the progression of neurodegenerative diseases through two types of brain cells, and understanding more about how they suppress inflammation could lead to new therapies for diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s, a study found. The research, “Microglial control…

A gene called Ankrd16 can prevent the harmful protein aggregates that build up in neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers. Their study, “ANKRD16 prevents neuron loss caused by an editing-defective tRNA synthetase,” published in the journal Nature, adds a new layer of knowledge about the underlying…

Affiris’ experimental Parkinson’s vaccine, Affitope PD01A, is safe and effectively triggers an immune response against the alpha-synuclein (aSyn) protein, data from a series of four consecutive clinical trials show. Results from the so-called AFF008 study program were recently presented at the Advances in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Therapies Focus Meeting (AAT-AD/PD) in…

Using a new tool, researchers were able to see how two different sets of neurons interact in mice to control movement. They believe the method, called spectrally resolved fiber photometry, may help in unraveling what goes wrong in the brains of Parkinson’s patients and those with other disorders. The research,…

Different brain cells determine which form of alpha-synuclein will be responsible for different Parkinson’s-related disorders, a new study suggests. The research, “Cellular milieu imparts distinct pathological α-synuclein strains in α-synucleinopathies,” was published in the journal Nature. Aggregates of the protein alpha-synuclein are characteristic of Parkinson’s, Lewy body…

Scientists are closer to understanding how toxic alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates affect the nerve cells involved in memory, which may point to new therapeutic strategies to prevent the development of cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementias. The study, “α-Synuclein fibril-induced paradoxical structural and functional defects in…