News

Scientists caution on some experimental Parkinson’s therapies

Some experimental therapies for Parkinson’s disease designed to improve the function of mitochondria may inadvertently damage them instead. That’s according to the study, “Putative PINK1/Parkin activators lower the threshold for mitophagy by sensitizing cells to mitochondrial stress,” which was published in Science Advances. Researchers said…

Parkinson’s Foundation looks to expand its network of care

The Parkinson’s Foundation invites U.S. medical centers offering outstanding Parkinson’s disease clinical care and resources to join its Global Care Network as Centers of Excellence. Applications from academic medical centers in Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, and Washington will be given priority. Special consideration…

New MJFF, NIH grants to fund key research into early Parkinson’s

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has awarded a $697,000 grant to a research project using preclinical models to study early Parkinson’s disease linked to mutations in the PINK1 gene. Cynthia Kelm-Nelson, PhD, a department of surgery senior scientist, will lead the three-year project…

Experts push for ways to expand Parkinson’s specialist care

A new study suggests that simple, targeted strategies, from using telehealth to standardizing patient referrals, could help more people with Parkinson’s disease get the specialized care they urgently need. With U.S. cases expected to double by 2040, researchers warn that existing healthcare inequities will worsen without immediate action. “Research…

Brain stem cell transplant patients may be able to take milder drugs

Parkinson’s disease patients who receive donor-derived brain stem cell therapy may be able to avoid potent immunosuppressant drugs without showing signs of rejection, a study in Japan suggested. The Phase 1/2 trial (jRCT2090220384) tested transplants of dopamine-producing precursor cells made from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) — stem…