Gut microbes may play an important role in driving the low-grade inflammation that naturally occurs with aging and is exacerbated in conditions like Parkinson’s disease, according to research in mice. Older mice were found to have a distinct immune signature reflective of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract that was…
Preventing the growth of gut bacteria that cause levodopa (L-dopa) to be broken down before it reaches the brain could help boost its therapeutic effects in Parkinson’s disease, according to recent preclinical research. A family of molecules called mitochondrial-targeted drugs (MTDs) were found to inhibit the levodopa-metabolizing bacteria Enterococcus…
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has awarded a $595,000 grant to Alchemab Therapeutics to advance research on the therapeutic effects of an antibody targeting the prostaglandin pathway in people with Parkinson’s disease. The grant comes from the foundation’s Parkinson’s Disease Therapeutics Pipeline Program,…
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) was able to safely improve postural problems for people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a very small trial in China. Among the six patients who had the procedure, some gains in aspects of motor function were observed, although the findings were variable, but the researchers…
The use of medical cannabis in the U.S. has grown as more states legalize it, and programs listing Parkinson’s disease-related conditions, including muscle cramps, anxiety, and pain, have expanded from 28 states to 36 in just five years. Yet a survey found many doctors are not aware of the…
A group of light-responsive receptors in nerve cells called kalium channelrhodopsins can effectively turn off nerve cells in the brain, offering a potential way for scientists to dissect the mechanisms underlying brain function and what goes awry in diseases like Parkinson’s, a study found. The study, “…
Lactulose — a synthetic (lab-made) sugar used to soften stools — may ease symptoms of constipation in people with Parkinson’s disease, lowering a need for rescue laxatives, a pilot study found. While these findings come from a small number of patients, they offer grounds for further research into lactulose’s…
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has awarded $9.75 million to researchers working on validating new biomarkers for tracking Parkinson’s disease progression. The funds are split across five different research teams, each of which is looking for quantitative biomarkers that will be ready for use…
Researchers have developed an implantable device, dubbed ImPULS, that can stimulate brain cells using high-frequency sound waves, or ultrasound, in mice. The researchers said they hope the device may be useful for deep brain stimulation in people with disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and as a research tool to…
Researchers have developed an algorithm that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize the emotional states of people with Parkinson’s disease based on physiological data collected from a smartwatch. The approach could ultimately be used to help clinicians accurately track emotions in their patients and guide treatment decisions, the researchers…
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