News

FDA letter supports use of new alpha-synuclein assay in trials

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is encouraging scientists and drug developers to use an alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay (synSAA) to improve the development and efficiency of clinical trials seeking to delay or prevent the development of Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases that share toxic clumps of that protein…

New biosensor can detect dopamine in unprocessed blood samples

A newly developed biosensor that can rapidly detect and quantify levels of dopamine — a chemical messenger nerve cells use to communicate — may serve as a low-cost and efficient tool to diagnose and monitor people with Parkinson’s disease or other conditions marked by abnormal dopamine levels. Developed by…

Mood, cognition issues tied to deficit recognizing, describing emotions

Having difficulty recognizing and describing emotions may be associated with cognitive issues and with mood disorders such as depression, apathy, and impulse control problems in people with Parkinson’s disease, a review study suggests. As a result, the condition, called alexithymia, or emotional blindness, may reduce patients’ health-related quality of…

Rebrain’s AI software to optimize brain targeting approved by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has again cleared Rebrain’s OptimMRI software, this time including a new machine learning model to assist in targeting specific brain regions for lesioning techniques such as MR-guided focused ultrasound and radiosurgery. Lesioning techniques involve the destruction of small areas of abnormal brain…