News

Defects in mitochondria, the cell’s microscopic powerhouses, might actually protect Parkinson’s disease patients, a Norwegian study suggests. The findings show that, contrary to all current theories, deficiencies in complex I — a key component of mitochondria — exist randomly throughout the brains of Parkinson’s patients, not only in affected regions. In…

Levodopa improves Parkinson’s patients’ symptoms by binding with two types of receptors for dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate movement and emotional response. Although it is considered the gold standard in Parkinson’s treatment, a study from Binghamton University students contends that levodopa’s interaction with the dopamine receptor D2 may cause involuntary…

Mutations in the LRRK2 gene, a major genetic factor contributing to Parkinson’s disease, may likely affect the risk for Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease, researchers at Mount Sinai in New York discovered. The results suggest a potential genetic link between Crohn’s disease and Parkinson’s and common disease…

An Axovant Sciences therapy for Parkinson’s disease showed signs of effectiveness, but an Alzheimer’s treatment did not, according to separate Phase 2 clinical trials. Nelotanserin, the therapy candidate for Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) associated with hallucinations and for Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), appeared safe as well as displaying signs of effectiveness,…

It’s widely accepted that Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients experience neuronal death in the brainstem. Now, for the first time, researchers report that the number of copies of mitochondrial DNA is increased in the surviving nerve cells within this area of the brain. Interestingly, specific brainstem neurons had more alterations in…

Adamas Pharmaceuticals is making a concerted effort to spread the word on its flagship treatment for the involuntary muscle movements that are a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Gocovri (amantadine) in August 17. Adamas began making the extended release capsules available in the United States in…

Low levels of blood caffeine and its metabolites may help identify patients with early Parkinson’s disease, according to new research. The findings are consistent with caffeine’s neuroprotective effects, previously observed in neurodegenerative diseases. The study, “Serum caffeine and metabolites are reliable biomarkers of early Parkinson disease,”…

Even though 60 percent of Parkinson’s Disease patients develop psychotic symptoms, it was only in 2016 that a treatment for the condition was approved. Nuplazid (pimavanserin) employs an entirely different mechanism to control psychotic symptoms compared to the bulk of antipsychotic medications on the market. The review, “…

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) may help extend the survival of patients with Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study by researchers at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois. “Overall, DBS surgery has been viewed quite positively by both patients and providers,” Dr. Frances Weaver, the study’s…

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) may be safe for Parkinson’s disease patients who have dementia, according to a small clinical trial by University College London scientists. The study, “Bilateral Deep Brain Stimulation of the Nucleus Basalis of Meynert for Parkinson Disease Dementia — A Randomized Clinical Trial,” was published…