Changes in how regions of the brain interact with each other, which occur during the surgical procedure for deep brain stimulation (DBS), can temporarily ease motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, even before the electrical stimulation is turned on, a study finds. The microlesion effect, as this temporary improvement…
Scientists at the University of Dundee in Scotland said they have uncovered the mechanisms behind the activation of the PINK1 protein, an enzyme that protects the brain against nerve cell degeneration and the development of Parkinson’s disease. They discovered how PINK1, which detects damage in mitochondria — the cell’s…
Remote assessments using smartphones and smartwatches could be used to detect and monitor changes in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, according to findings from the WATCH-PD study. Over the course of one-year of follow-up, an Apple Watch paired with an iPhone was able to…
Taking levodopa, the mainstay of treatment for Parkinson’s disease, results in two key brain regions for movement strongly connecting and easing resting tremor, a study finds. The study led by Ann-Maree Vallence, PhD, of Murdoch University’s Centre for Healthy Ageing in Australia, offers an avenue to target the…
A new ultra-high-performance brain imaging PET system called NeuroEXPLORER allows for the direct imaging of deep regions of the brain, that is, the brain nuclei, and may help diagnose and advance treatments for brain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. The research was presented at the 2024 Society of Nuclear…
Six genetic variants associated with mortality and motor progression have been discovered in people with Parkinson’s disease. These newly detected genetic factors that influenced disease progression were largely different from those that increased Parkinson’s risk, researchers found. “This work will help us to better understand the biology of [Parkinson’s]…
For the first time, two table tennis players with Parkinson’s disease will represent the nonprofit ITTF Foundation at the ITFF World Masters Championships Rome 2024. The players, Steve Morley and Agnes Jan, will join a record field of more than 6,000 athletes at the July 6-14 event at…
Early preliminary data from a pilot study by Stimvia shows a noninvasive neuromodulation device known as URIS eased symptoms among participants in a pilot clinical trial and may serve as an add-on treatment for Parkinson’s disease. The device’s developer plans to release the complete data in the coming months. “We…
Gut microbes may play an important role in driving the low-grade inflammation that naturally occurs with aging and is exacerbated in conditions like Parkinson’s disease, according to research in mice. Older mice were found to have a distinct immune signature reflective of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract that was…
Preventing the growth of gut bacteria that cause levodopa (L-dopa) to be broken down before it reaches the brain could help boost its therapeutic effects in Parkinson’s disease, according to recent preclinical research. A family of molecules called mitochondrial-targeted drugs (MTDs) were found to inhibit the levodopa-metabolizing bacteria Enterococcus…
Get regular updates to your inbox.
