News

Researchers from the Gladstone Institutes published two research papers detailing what appears to be the mechanisms behind imbalances in specific brain regions that cause the movement and walking difficulties experienced by Parkinson’s patients. The papers appeared in the journals Cell and Neuron. Faulty dopamine production is one of the hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and has…

A study published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution shows that the global gene regulator GABPa is controlling uniquely human genes – and may contribute to diseases like Parkinson’s. The team, led by Robert Querfurth, explored the gene regulator – known as a transcription factor in scientific language –…

Researchers report that a single hand-exercise session, lasting just 15 minutes, improved both manual dexterity and movement in patients with Parkinson’s disease, helping them carry out basic tasks like writing a note or a buttoning shirt. The study, “Effects of a Single Hand–Exercise Session on Manual Dexterity and Strength in Persons…

Researchers at the Whitehead Institute have created a promising mouse model to study embryonic development, and one that has the potential to serve as a model for neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and cancers such as melanoma. The study describes the engineering and development of the mouse-human chimera, or mice…

Interest in the potential of stem cell therapy to treat a variety of neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), has been growing for several years, but the question remains: how close are these treatments to clinical use? A new article in the journal Acta Neurologica Scandinavica explored whether stem cell…

In a new editorial published in JAMA Neurology, Dr J. Eric Ahlskog argues that ongoing aerobic exercise should be included in the physical and occupational therapy component of Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment, since substantial evidence has suggested vigorous exercise is of considerable benefit to patients. Dr.

Men who have higher levels of circulating uric acid (urate) may be less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, possibly due to the protective role of urate in brain cells, researchers reported. The study, “Prospective study of plasma urate and risk of Parkinson disease in men and women,” was published in Neurolog…

GyroGear, a medical device invention and development company currently based at Imperial College London, is developing an assistive device for Parkinson’s disease patients called the GyroGlove that is intended to stabilize and improve hand movement. GyroGlove development is the current central focus of the GyroGear group,whose  development team of engineers, designers and medics…

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy do not improve the quality of life for patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a new study published in JAMA Neurology. The findings were based on a large-scale clinical trial, PD REHAB, conducted by researchers at the…

Simvastatin, a cholesterol lowering drug, will be investigated as a potential treatment option for Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Researchers hope this drug might one day effectively treat the disease. The double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial, in development at the Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, plans to enroll up to 198 PD patients at 21 U.K. centers. Researchers are considering…