Levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a protein important in promoting the survival of dopaminergic neurons — are abnormally low in patients with Parkinson’s disease, regardless of whether these patients also have depression, a common non-motor symptom associated with the disease, a systematic review study reveals. The…
One in two women and one in three men older than 45 will develop Parkinson’s disease, dementia or stroke during their lifetime, a new study suggests. Preventive strategies to delay disease onset can reduce this risk by up to half. The study with those findings, “Lifetime risk of common neurological…
PhotoPharmics’s Spectramax light therapy reduces disease severity, lessens non-motor symptoms, and improves the quality of life of Parkinson’s patients, according to recent results of a controlled clinical study. The study,“Double-blind controlled trial of Spectramax™ light therapy for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease patients on stable dopaminergic…
CENTOGENE and Denali Therapeutics are teaming up to identify and recruit Parkinson’s disease patients who carry mutations in the LRRK2 gene for future clinical trials, the companies announced. CENTOGENE will carry out a targeted global recruitment campaign to identify and characterize Parkinson’s patients with LRRK2…
Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH), a sudden drop in blood pressure when changing positions, can significantly affect Parkinson’s disease patients’ function and quality of life. A recent survey highlights the need for improved awareness and education on the effects and burden of this condition, which affects one in every five Parkinson’s…
Biogen has presented data of its research programs evaluating potential treatments for Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, an atypical parkinsonian disorder (APD). The data were presented at the International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders (MDS), held Oct. 5-9, in Hong Kong, China. Parkinson’s disease…
A form of vitamin B3 can promote degeneration of nerve cells linked to Parkinson’s disease and exacerbate disease manifestations in mice, a study reveals. Despite the benefits of the compound demonstrated in previous studies, these new contrasting findings suggest that its mechanism of action is complex and not specific for…
Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center and Retrotope have paired up to explore the therapeutic potential of the investigational agent RT001 in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a type of treatment-resistant Parkinson’s disease. Under Retrotope’s expanded access program for RT001, the institute’s physicians started dosing two…
The Linked Clinical Trials (LCT) Initiative, a repurposing program that aims to identify existing medicines which can slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, has resulted in a growing number of clinical trials. The partnership’s history, purpose and activities are the focus of an article, “The Linked Clinical…
The time between diagnosis and implementation of symptomatic treatment is critical in the effort to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. However, many early Parkinson’s patients wait too long before seeking medical attention, leaving researchers with a small group of candidates for clinical trials, says Robert A. Hauser,…
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