News

Nearly all Parkinson’s disease patients experience non-movement symptoms, such as sleep disturbances or depression, which affect their quality of life as much as movement-related symptoms, according to an online survey of 700 participants, nearly 600 of whom completed it in full. Patients’ caregivers are those most likely to detect non-movement…

A molecule created by the brain burning fat for fuel can accumulate in some people and turn toxic, playing a key role in their possibly developing Parkinson’s disease,  researchers at Purdue University report. These findings, in the study “Acrolein-mediated neuronal cell death and alpha-synuclein aggregation: implications for Parkinson’s…

Theranexus announced it is starting a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating  THN102  as a potential therapy for Parkinson’s patients who struggle with inappropriate and excessive sleepiness during daytime hours. The trial (2017-004475-31), which is planned to enroll 60 patients at 20 sites across Europe and in the U.S., was approved…

People with Parkinson’s disease show better motor control, longer “on” periods, and an improved quality of life when treated with a recently approved deep brain stimulation system, one-year results from a clinical trial show. The research, “INTREPID: A Prospective, Double Blinded, Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation with…

To make the most of the limited time Parkinson’s disease patients and physicians have during an office visit, the nonprofit Parkinson’s & Movement Disorder Alliance (PMDAlliance) has created emPowered!, a new tool for tracking symptoms and reporting them to healthcare providers. The booklet, in which patients will log…

Gocovri (amantadine) extended release oral capsules provided long-term improvements of motor complications in Parkinson’s disease patients, according to results from a Phase 3 clinical trial. Gocovri, developed by Adamas Pharmaceuticals, is the only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of dyskinesia — involuntary, jerky movements…

A new brain scanner, which is 10 times less expensive and much smaller than current models, has the potential to significantly improve the diagnosis of dementia linked to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The scanner, which uses Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, is…

Sonde Health’s vocal biomarker technology being developed to potentially diagnose and monitor mental and physical disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, has recently been issued patents in the U.S. and Australia. Patent No. 9,936,914, issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, provides coverage until 2032, and patent No.

The mechanisms that lead to progressive degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s in adulthood begin much earlier than previously thought, a mouse study suggests. In fact, they may start soon after birth, researchers said. The study, “Mutant ataxin1 disrupts cerebellar development in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1,” was published in the Journal…

Anavex Life Sciences is planning to open a Phase 2 clinical trial testing Anavex 2-73, a potential oral treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD), this year. Anavex 2-73 aims to treat PDD by binding to the sigma-1 receptor, located in a cellular structure called the endoplasmic reticulum…