News

A new way to measure levels of a critical protein in Parkinson’s disease could lead to improved diagnosis and treatments. Using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging camera, Swedish researchers were able to measure  levels of a protein called dopamine transporter (DAT) as a way to investigate the dopamine system in…

Cardiolipin, a molecule inside nerve cells, may be a key player behind nerve cell death in Parkinson’s disease, a study suggests. Researchers found that cardiolipin, a lipid inside mitochondria — the cell’s energy source — ensures the correct 3-D arrangement (folding) of the alpha-synuclein protein. Misfolding of this protein…

Tears may be used to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, according to preliminary findings of a study that will be presented at the 2018 American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California, April 21-27. “We believe our research is the first to show that tears may be a reliable, inexpensive…

Genervon Biopharmaceuticals announced its future goals for investigational therapy GM6 in a recent presentation on its multi-target drug development strategy to tackle neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. Genervon presented its hypothesis that a multi-target drug approach is the key to curing complex neurological disorders at the 2018 BIO CEO…

Excessive levels of calcium in the brain may trigger the formation of toxic protein clumps that typify Parkinson’s disease. This finding could be a new treatment target for researchers working to understand how and why people develop the neurodegenerative disease. The research, “C-terminal calcium binding of α-synuclein modulates synaptic vesicle…

Parkinson’s patients have lower blood levels of caffeine and its byproducts after consuming the stimulant, suggesting that caffeine could be used as a biomarker for diagnosing the disease. The findings appeared in the study “Serum caffeine and metabolites are reliable biomarkers of early Parkinson disease,” published in the…

Mutations in mitochondria, which result in a shortage of energy, may be an underlying cause of movement difficulties associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), a study suggests. The study, “PINK1 Phosphorylates MIC60/Mitofilin to Control Structural Plasticity of Mitochondrial Crista Junctions,” was published in the journal Molecular Cell. Parkinson’s…

A new personalized medical strategy that can replicate human biological systems in a small chip may help predict patients’ response to certain treatments based on their genetic makeup. Called Patient-on-a-Chip, the joint initiative by Cedars-Sinai and Emulate combines Cedars scientists’ expertise in stem cell technology with Emulate’s Human Emulation System,…

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is accepting funding applications from researchers who want to do basic science projects on neurodegeneration. The goal is to increase scientists’ understanding of diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and attract new talent and ideas. Grant recipients will become part of the CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network, an…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted Acorda Therapeutics’ New Drug Application for Inbrija (CVT-301) as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Accepting the application means the agency is ready to start its regulatory review of the therapy. It expects to decide whether to approve Inbrija by Oct.