News

Telemedicine has the potential to become a critical component of healthcare in people with Parkinson’s disease, but larger studies are required to determine its role, a review study contends. The study, “Current perspectives on the role of telemedicine in the management of Parkinson’s disease,” was published in…

Using a new screening strategy, researchers have identified compounds that block the clumping of alpha-synuclein protein, a key event in Parkinson’s. The study, “Potent α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibitors, Identified by High-Throughput Screening, Mainly Target the Monomeric State,” appeared in the journal Cell Chemical Biology. Aggregated alpha-synuclein is…

Use of sensor-based methods to evaluate gait can improve individual assessments of Parkinson’s disease patients who are undergoing dopaminergic treatment, researchers suggest. The study with that finding, “Sensor-based gait analysis of individualized improvement during apomorphine titration in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the Journal of Neurology.

Patients with Parkinson’s disease have a higher incidence, longer duration, and greater severity of low back pain than individuals without the disease, according to a study. These findings also show that Parkinson’s patients with low back pain have a greater disability correlated with the severity of motor impairments.

Hoping to lure new researchers to the Parkinson’s disease field and to support others’ new and innovative ideas, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) has awarded more than $1.7 million in fellowships, research grants, and funding for APDA Centers for Advanced Research.  The awards include a highly…

The University of Bristol in England is leading a five-year, €10 million study aimed at finding ways to better integrate care for Parkinson’s disease patients while lowering costs, the institution recently announced.  Over the course of the trial, the new care model is expected to be delivered…

A plant-derived compound called perillyl alcohol restored cell survival and lowered oxidative stress and DNA damage in a cell model of Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers. The new study, “Evaluation of phytomedicinal potential of perillyl alcohol in an in vitro Parkinson’s Disease model,“ was published in the…

The anti-inflammatory molecule interleukin (IL)-4 contributes to the neurodegeneration observed in Parkinson’s disease, a study in rats reports. The research, “Interleukin-4 Contributes to Degeneration of Dopamine Neurons in the Lipopolysaccharide-treated Substantia Nigra in vivo,” was published in the journal Experimental Neurobiology. Parkinson’s is characterized by the progressive…

A well-known monkey model for Parkinson’s disease — used mainly for its ability to mimic human motor symptoms — can also reflect the disease’s non-motor symptoms, including sleep disturbances, changes in the body’s natural clock, and cognitive impairment, a study shows. These results highlight the usefulness of…

Specific microRNAs that are contained in tiny, cell-derived vesicles called exosomes may be biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease, according to a study. The study, “Circulating exosomal miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the journal European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences. MicroRNAs (miRNAs)…