Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania developed a strategy using fluorescence that allows them to track alpha-synuclein protein and follow its path inside neurons. This is important because while scientists know that alpha-synuclein protein is involved in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, they aren’t exactly certain how the process functions. These new…
The United States is just four days away from sending a SpaceX rocket to the International Space Station whose cargo will include a Parkinson’s disease experiment. National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials said the experiment will involve growing leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 protein crystals in the near-zero-gravity conditions of space. Scientists…
Parkinson’s patients who injected themselves with the diabetes therapy Byetta (exenatide) every week for a year were able to move better, according to a Phase 2 clinical trial. Their improvement contrasted with the continued decline in the movement of the study’s control group, who received a placebo. While the Phase 2 EXENATIDE-PD…
Researchers have learned more about the true role of alpha-synuclein, a faulty protein involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease. The findings of a recent study add insight into what goes…
A Harvard University-designed soft robotic exosuit that helped stroke patients walk better could do the same for Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis patients, those involved in creating and evaluating the prototype say. The invention, which ReWalk Robotics is moving toward commercializing, promises to change the lives of patients with mobility impairments, the…
The Parkinson’s Foundation has started a podcast series on new research findings, advice for those with the disease and their families, and other topics. The podcasts, hosted by Dr. Dan Keller, are being streamed live, and can be downloaded afterward. The series is titled “Substantial Matters: Life and Science of Parkinson’s.” A…
Peter Istvan and David Newall founded “Pedaling for Parkinson’s” in 2011 as an annual cycling fundraising event to support Parkinson’s Canada and the Parkinson’s disease (PD) community. This year, “Pedaling for Parkinson’s” reached a new cumulative milestone, raising more than $1 million, which was made possible with the help of…
Quantifying changes in fluid in a specific brain area, using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based method, could provide a way to track brain damage in patients with Parkinson’s disease, a new study suggests. The study, “Progression marker of Parkinson’s disease: a 4-year multi-site imaging study,” appeared in the journal Brain.
The cognitive science company Cogstate received approval to market a new digital cognitive assessment tool to assist healthcare professionals in measuring cognition in patients ages 6 to 99, either in-clinic or at home. This tool, called the Cognigram, could help measure the progression of Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses. The Cognigram can…
According to a recent study, a newly discovered biomarker, free water, can track changes in the brain that are associated with Parkinson’s disease, which ultimately may aid in developing new drugs that could slow disease progression. “This finding is a potential game changer as it could shift the way Parkinson’s disease clinical…
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