News

A new study links a pesticide used prior to the early 1980s and milk consumed by adults during those years to substancia nigra neuronal death that is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. The research paper, titled “Midlife milk consumption and substantia nigra neuron density at death,” was published in Neurology, the journal…

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, are using a $375,000 grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to support work aiming to identify blood biomarkers that might finally lead to an early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. “One of the really unmet needs with Parkinson’s disease is the creation…

In a recent Medical Minute, a weekly health news feature from Penn State’s Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Dr. James McInerney discusses developments in Parkinson’s disease research and the different approaches to symptom management, with special focus on deep brain stimulation (DBS). Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive and…

Researchers at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo have uncovered a key protein, p53, as the key factor underlying the conversion from one cell type to another, such as skin cells to dopamine neurons. The research, which might have profound implications in the treatment…

In a recent study in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers from the Thomas Jefferson University demonstrate a way of helping the brain produce more of its own GM1 ganglioside, a molecule that has shown promise in relieving Parkinson’s symptoms and slowing disease progression. Numerous preclinical studies have shown that…

York University researchers have reported a new method of visual profiling that could help in the early detection of Parkinson’s disease. The study, titled “Classification of Parkinson’s Disease Genotypes in Drosophila Using Spatiotemporal Profiling of Vision,” was published in Scientific Reports. Parkinson’s is a disorder that affects motor…

Researchers at the Boyce Thompson Institute and Johns Hopkins University have discovered that salicylic acid, the primary product from aspirin breakdown, binds to and blocks an enzyme thought to play a major role in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. The research paper, titled “Human GAPDH Is a Target of Aspirin’s Primary…

The National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) announced that a proud milestone has been reached: it recently aided the 50,000th caller through its toll-free NPF Helpline. “NPF’s Helpline links our groundbreaking research to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s today directly with the community we serve,” John Kozyak, the NPF’s Chairman of the…

Researchers have identified a specific protein involved in the functional upkeep of synaptic activity and detailed the process behind optimal neurotransmission — an activity whose breakdown is a defining feature of Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The research paper, entitled “Hsc70-4 Deforms Membranes to Promote Synaptic Protein Turnover by Endosomal Microautophagy” was published…

Exercise can be a powerful prescription for improving movement in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Researchers, trying to pinpoint those exercises that might best quell PD symptoms, recently reported that both power training and yoga were helpful to older people with PD. Their study, titled “Comparative Impact of Power Training…