News

A new chemical probe that binds to a protein called DJ-1 — a sensor of oxidative stress and a potential biomarker of Parkinson’s disease — may help researchers understand how the protein participates in disease progression, a study suggests. The study, “A chemical probe to monitor the parkinsonism-…

Cleveland Clinic researchers have developed a new model that accurately predicts whether quality of life would improve in Parkinson’s disease patients after deep brain stimulation, a new study shows. The tool may help select those who will benefit the most from the procedure, guiding patients and physicians in the…

Parkinson’s is less prevalent in individuals with artistic occupations than in those with more conventional jobs, suggesting that brain degeneration may influence job choices even before a Parkinson’s diagnosis, a study shows. Conducted by scientists in the Netherlands, the study, “Professional occupation and the risk of…

A new long-lasting formulation of exendin-4, called PT302, reduced neurodegeneration in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease, according to new data from a preclinical study by Peptron. The study, “Post-treatment with PT302, a long-acting Exendin-4 sustained release formulation, reduces dopaminergic neurodegeneration in a 6-Hydroxydopamine rat…

Cardiovascular damage in Parkinson’s patients, due to nerve cell loss in the heart, can be captured by imaging stress and inflammation molecules — a process that may help to determine the mechanisms behind such damage and ways of treating neurodegeneration in the heart, researchers report. The study by researchers at…

A voice therapy program called SPEAK OUT!, developed by the Parkinson Voice Project, can help Parkinson’s disease patients regain their ability to communicate, according to a new study. Parkinson’s patients, especially those who received the training in early stages of the disease, saw improvements in speech intensity, pitch…

Motor fluctuations, treatment with antidepressants, disease severity, and deep brain stimulation (DBS) are among the risk factors that contribute to frequent falls in patients with Parkinson’s, a large-scale study reports. According to researchers, identifying predictors that put Parkinson’s patients at the greatest risk for falls can aid…

The one-item Fatigue Visual Analog Scale (VAFS) is a highly consistent and reliable tool to assess fatigue in patients with Parkinson’s disease, and is associated with their quality of life, according to researchers. Their study, “The dimensionality of fatigue in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the…

Tiny crystals known as quantum dots can block the formation of Parkinson’s hallmark protein clumps, lowering nerve cell death and motor deficits, a mouse study has found. The research, “Graphene quantum dots prevent α-synucleinopathy in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in Nature Nanotechnology. Quantum dots are very…

A panel of United Kingdom-based experts has defined a set of practical considerations to manage motor fluctuations and wearing-off in Parkinson’s disease patients. Based on practical clinical experience, the guidelines were outlined in “Noninvasive options for ‘wearing-off’ in Parkinson’s disease: a clinical consensus from a panel of…