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Mutations in four specific genes may help to identify those Parkinson’s patients at risk of developing the addictive behaviors known as impulse control disorders, researchers report. Their study, “Dopaminergic and Opioid Pathways Associated with Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson’s Disease,” was published in Frontiers in Neurology. People with Parkinson’s…

Even low-level exposure to certain pesticides disrupts cells in a way that mimics the effects of mutations linked Parkinson’s disease — raising a likelihood of the disease developing in people predisposed to it, a new study reports. These findings may also explain why people living near agricultural areas are seen to…

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, a new study suggests. The research, “Inflammatory bowel disease increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease: a Danish nationwide cohort study 1977–2014,” was published in the journal Gut. Inflammation plays a key role…

Pharmacologic compounds that can act on two target molecules show promise as potential therapies for Parkinson’s disease, according to a study that details a new way of finding such compounds. The study, “Docking screens for dual inhibitors of disparate drug targets for Parkinson’s disease,” was published in…

A mutation common to familial Parkinson’s was seen in a study focused on tuberculosis to prevent immune cells of the brain from working properly, allowing protein to accumulate in nerve cells — and, potentially, to this specific disease’s development. The study, “LRRK2 is a negative regulator of Mycobacterium tuberculosis…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) recently awarded Alkahest a grant to support the development of ALK4290 as a new therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The immune system plays an important role in the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease. New therapies targeting the recruitment…

Increased body mass and sedentary behavior do not increase the risk of having Parkinson’s disease, a study shows. To date it is still not fully understood what causes Parkinson’s disease, but several environmental and lifestyle factors have been suggested as contributors to this disease. In the study, “Body mass…

Non-motor symptoms (NMS) in Parkinson’s disease are significantly more frequent and differ between men and women, a new study shows. The study, “Frequency of non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease presenting to tertiary care centre in Pakistan: an observational, cross-sectional study,” was published in the journal BMJ Open.

Brain training reduces the severity and duration of freezing of gait and improves cognition and daytime sleepiness in Parkinson’s patients, a study shows. The study, “Cognitive training for freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease: a randomized controlled trial,” appeared in the journal npj Parkinson’s Disease.

The findings of a Harvard University study are furthering understanding of the mechanisms involved in movement disorders and may open new therapeutic opportunities to treat Parkinson’s disease. The mouse study, “The Striatum Organizes 3D Behavior via Moment-to-Moment Action Selection,” was published in the journal Cell. The brain relies…