News

A Parkinson’s disease genetic risk variant, called rs1109303, might have a direct impact on the expression of nearby genes INPP5K and CRK, influencing disease risk and progression, a study suggests. The study, “Parkinson’s Disease Risk Variant rs1109303 Regulates the Expression of INPP5K and CRK in Human Brain,”…

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…

Researchers may have discovered why certain tremors and asthma medications increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Their findings suggest they were caused by the underlying clinical indications that led physicians to prescribe these medications in the first place — tremors and smoking-related lung conditions — rather than the medications…

Olfactory deficits — a diminished sense of smell — affected 95% of Parkinson’s disease patients in a small study, but such problems did not appear to be linked to cognitive impairment or disease-related dementia. The study, “Association between olfactory loss and cognitive deficits in Parkinson’s disease,” was…

Using dance as a therapeutic strategy may benefit patients with Parkinson’s disease by improving their motor function, results of a pilot study suggest. The study, “ ‘Dance Therapy’ as a psychotherapeutic movement intervention in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine. Parkinson’s disease…

A new exploratory study intends to assess the benefit of art therapy in improving visuospatial function and gait in Parkinson’s disease patients. The ExplorArtPD study (NCT03178786) is currently recruiting participants in New York City. More information on enrollment can be found here. The study’s experimental protocol, “…

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) — recurrent discomfort and the urge to move the legs at rest — may be associated with an increased frequency of constipation and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD), two premotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a study suggests. The study, “The…

The Parkinson’s Foundation’s next education program course for healthcare professionals who treat Parkinson’s patients will be held in Atlanta, the nonprofit announced in a press release. Called Allied Team Training for Parkinson’s (ATTP), the three-day program will take place Oct. 17-20, with Emory University and the…

Drinking hydrogen-enriched water does not provide therapeutic benefits to patients with Parkinson’s disease, results from a Japanese clinical trial revealed. The study,“Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Trial of Hydrogen Water for Parkinson’s Disease,” was published in the journal Movement Disorders. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by reduced levels of…

A gene editing approach targeting a specific part of the SNCA gene was able to lower alpha-synuclein levels and protect from Parkinson’s characteristic cellular changes, according to preclinical results. The study, “Downregulation of SNCA expression by targeted editing of DNA-methylation: A potential strategy for precision therapy in…