News

A multidisciplinary research team at Purdue University in Indiana and the University of Bordeaux in France was awarded a $107,000 grant by the The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to study the neuroprotective ability of a newly discovered gene associated with Parkinson’s disease. The gene was discovered by Jean-Christophe Rochet, PhD, a…

The People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council of the Parkinson’s Foundation has five new members. The council is made of people living with Parkinson’s disease and their caregiver partners who contribute with their personal perspectives and experience to ensure that all the foundation’s programs and services are based on real-world needs…

Viruses that infect bacteria, known as bacteriophages, may contribute to the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease by unsettling the variety and number of the gut’s microbiota, a study reports. These findings, in the study “Bacteriophages: are They An Overlooked Driver of Parkinson’S Disease?”, were recently presented at …

Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by nearly a third, according to a large retrospective U.K. study. The presence of complications and younger age at becoming a diabetic further strengthens this association. The study, “Association between diabetes and subsequent Parkinson disease –…

A new compound that becomes therapeutically active when stimulated by light was able to reverse motor symptoms in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. The distinctive features of this investigational compound, called MRS7145, include more control when delivering the therapy and fewer side effects. The study about MRS7145, “…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review its request to approve apomorphine sublingual film (APL-130277) as a quick-acting, oral treatment of the motor fluctuations, or off episodes, associated with Parkinson’s disease. Sunovion, which is developing the potential therapy, submitted a new drug application, or…

Accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein in the retina could be a biomarker of Parkinson’s disease severity, a new study suggests. The study, “Phosphorylated α‐synuclein in the retina is a biomarker of Parkinson’s disease pathology severity,” was published in the journal Movement Disorders. Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include…

Mutations in the LRP10 gene are associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases with Lewy bodies formation, such as Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson’s dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies, according to a recent study. The study, “LRP10 genetic variants in familial Parkinson’s disease and dementia with…

Mutations in two specific genes affect how nerve cells work in the brain, disrupting sleep patterns in Parkinson’s patients, a new study suggests, and recommends a way of possibly treating this disease symptom. The research, “ER Lipid Defects in Neuropeptidergic Neurons Impair Sleep Patterns in Parkinson’s Disease,” appeared in…

Laurie Mischley, PhD, a researcher at the private, non-profit Bastyr University, is launching the first-ever summer school program for Parkinson’s disease patients. This August, Mischley will facilitate two medical-educational retreats at Bastyr as part of the new “PD Summer School.” Until June 15 those interested can apply…