News

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was seen to slow the progression of “rest tremors”  in patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease, a pilot study reports. The study, “Effects of deep brain stimulation on rest tremor progression in early stage Parkinson disease,” was published in Neurology. “The finding around…

Earlier disease onset and involuntary foot muscle contractions may be a consequence of mutations in the GCH1 gene in both Parkinson’s patients and those with dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD), a study reports. These mutations may also explain the lack of problems found with the autonomic nervous system — which controls organs not under…

Visual hallucinations can be common in Parkinson’s patients and others with dementia, but the degree of distress they cause is greatly influenced by the person’s ability to understand and consider them — and have the cognitive resources to do so, a study reports. Likewise, the tailored support given patients needs to…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a once-a-day capsule formulation and a lower tablet strength for Nuplazid (pimavanserin), a treatment for the hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s psychosis. The new formulation — a 34 mg capsule— enables patients to take the recommended oral dose once…

Use of a hypertension treatment called Dynacirc (isradipine) — a calcium channel blocker — eased the type of nerve cell damage seen in Parkinson’s disease, a mouse study reports. These preclinical findings support an ongoing Phase 3 trial (NCT02168842), known as STEADY-PD III, that is evaluating Dynacirc’s potential to…

A new method that allows imaging of all brain areas can help researchers monitor the success of gene therapy in the treatment of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s. The study, “A Novel Positron Emission Tomography Reporter Gene/Reporter Probe for the Central Nervous System,” was presented recently during the SNMMI 2018…

Treatment with Gocovri (amantadine) reduced Parkinson’s dyskinesia — involuntary, jerky movements — and so-called “off” episodes, leading to longer periods of controlling motor symptoms, Phase 3 clinical trial results show. Parkinson’s motor fluctuations (off episodes) occur when the benefits of treatments such as levodopa wear off and symptoms…

A new software can predict with an accuracy of 96 percent the form of Parkinson’s disease and future symptoms that a patient may experience. The software was the result of a collaboration between researchers at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), the Institute of Experimental Medicine,…

A four-man crew from Britain is hoping to increase understanding of Parkinson’s disease by rowing across the Indian Ocean in an attempt to break a world record. Robin Buttery, Barry Hayes, James Plumley, and skipper Billy Taylor are planning to row for 1,920 hours non-stop, for 65 days straight, all…

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals’ apomorphine sublingual under-the-tongue film (APL-130277) — now under review for approval —  significantly improved motor fluctuations, or off episodes, in Parkinson’s patients in Phase 3 clinical trial, results show. The double-blind pivotal study, (NCT02469090), evaluated the efficacy and safety of APL-130277 as a fast-acting oral treatment for…