News

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) announced a new $7 million funding program to support Parkinson’s disease research and accelerate development of new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Through the program, researchers can request project funding in four major research areas. The organization is now accepting pre-proposals through May 2018,…

A common Parkinson’s gene mutation plays a role in the formation of fatty plaque in the brain that can destroy nerve cells controlling movement, a study suggests. The research, “GBA1 deficiency negatively affects physiological α-synuclein tetramers and related multimers,” was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy…

Lundbeck will acquire the biopharmaceutical Prexton Therapeutics, obtaining the development and commercialization rights to foliglurax (PTX002331), an investigational therapy currently in Phase 2 trials for Parkinson’s disease. Foliglurax is a small molecule modulator that activates nerve cells with a set of specific glutamate receptors called mGluR4, and compensates…

A comprehensive data set of the human brain was developed by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta as a valuable resource likely to advance knowledge on the mechanisms behind both Parkinson’s (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).  The data was published in a report titled, …

Low levels of two dopamine-related molecules in cerebrospinal fluid can help identify patients in the early stages of preclinical Parkinson’s disease, a study suggests. The study, “Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of central dopamine deficiency predict Parkinson’s disease,” was published in Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. Parkinson’s disease is mainly…

GeneFo has created a free state-by-state guide for Parkinson’s patients with detailed and relevant information on medical cannabis, including the application process. Updated to March 2018, the guide may help patients get additional therapy and improve their lives. It includes legal information, patient’s rights, an application checklist, links and forms to…

So much Parkinson’s-related biomarker information has been collected under various research projects that sorting through it for additional clues to the disease poses a challenge to scientists. The scope of the information makes a collaborative research effort paramount — and a U.S. government-sponsored initiative is meeting that need, according to…

Researchers have discovered the 3D structure of a protein involved in inflammation, with implications in developing future treatments for Parkinson’s disease. The study from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, “The structure of iPLA2β reveals dimeric active sites and suggests mechanisms of regulation and localization” was published in the…

India Globalization Capital (IGC) has joined with the nonprofit Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center (PICC) with the goal of moving cannabinoid-based treatments for Parkinson’s disease into clinical testing. IGC, a company reported to be at the forefront of such Parkinson’s research, recently signed a Joint Development and Services Agreement with PICC  to identify…

There still are no reliable biomarkers for early detection, or to characterize and predict risk of dementia, in Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent analysis. Several studies on the cognitive deficits, progression to dementia, potential biomarkers and the mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI)…