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A new screening method may shed light on the interactions between genetic variants that increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, providing potential avenues for improving risk prediction and personalized care, a study found. The tool, Variant-variant Interaction through Variable Thresholds (VARI3), is designed to detect and interpret how genetic…

People who develop Parkinson’s disease begin turning more slowly while walking — often using wider turning arcs —  nearly a decade before diagnosis, according to a long-term study involving wearable movement sensors. “This research opens a vital window for early intervention,” Brook Galna, an associate professor from Murdoch University…

The motor cortex, a brain region responsible for movement control, becomes disconnected in levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), the uncontrolled movements that occur as a side effect of the drug levodopa in Parkinson’s disease, a study found. Ketamine, an anesthetic used to alleviate LID, was found to restore the motor cortex’s…

Propranolol, a blood pressure medication, significantly eased tremor in people with Parkinson’s disease, either at rest or during induced stress, according to findings in a small, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The treatment also significantly attenuated tremor-related brain activity, as indicated on MRI scans. “In about forty percent of patients, […

Researchers in Italy and Mexico have designed a smart glove that, using sensors, may help to track symptoms and evaluate motor function in people with Parkinson’s disease. The device’s development is described in the study, “A Smart Glove to Evaluate Parkinson’s Disease by Flexible Piezoelectric and…

People with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease or dementia are more vulnerable to heat-related complications than those without these conditions, according to a commentary by two neurologists. Medical providers should be trained to understand how heat waves can affect these people, the viewpoint advised. It was co-written by Indu…

Men and women with Parkinson’s disease approach the decision to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) distinctively, according to a new U.S. study whose findings are now being used to develop support tools for patients in choosing or not choosing to have the surgery. For example, the study found that…

Aerobic exercise may help relieve non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in people who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS), a small study suggested. The researchers said there’s a need for more studies on exercise and Parkinson’s patients who have had DBS, a surgical treatment that involves implanting an electrode…

In people with early-stage Parkinson’s disease who had yet to be treated, high levels of the proteins tau and P-tau181 in the cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF — the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord — predicted faster motor and cognitive decline, per a new study with eight years…

Weekly dance classes may help attenuate symptoms of depression in people with Parkinson’s disease, which results in changes in the brain toward better emotional control, a study from York University in Toronto suggests. “We’re not trying to cure Parkinson’s with dance,” Joseph DeSouza, PhD, who led the study, said…