News

AbbVie launches Produodopa for advanced Parkinson’s in EU

Produodopa (foslevodopa/foscarbidopa), AbbVie‘s continuous under-the-skin (subcutaneous) infusion formulation of levodopa/carbidopa, now is available in the European Union (EU) for advanced Parkinson’s disease patients whose severe motor fluctuations and involuntary movements are not controlled well with standard therapies. AbbVie initially was granted marketing authorization for Produodopa — also known…

FDA approves new DBS device from Medtronic

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Medtronic‘s Percept RC deep brain stimulation (DBS) system, clearing it for use to treat Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. DBS is a surgical procedure in which an electrode is implanted in the brain to provide electrical stimulation…

Implantable device gives electrical stimulation without battery

Scientists have created an implantable device that can provide electrical stimulation in the body without need for a battery. The new technology, which is powered by ultrasound, may serve as a useful platform to develop next-generation implantable devices to treat conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. The team described its…

Wearable device prevents freezing of gait in Parkinson’s patient

Researchers at Harvard and Boston universities have adapted a soft, robotic wearable device to help mitigate the effects of gait freezing, a potentially disabling Parkinson’s disease symptom marked by patients feeling like their feet are stuck to the floor, and they’re unable to take another step. The device or…

Home-based digital monitoring discerns motor fluctuation profiles

Monitoring symptoms at home using smartwatch-smartphone technology collected individual profiles of tremor and activity fluctuations among people with advanced Parkinson’s disease being treated with levodopa. The technology can provide useful information to improve treatments and patient outcomes and, by combining it with telemedicine and other digital health tools, could…

Afzelin, a plant compound, shows neuroprotective potential in study

A plant compound called afzelin lessened motor abnormalities in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. Afzelin, found in certain plants like some water lilies and trees, has been shown to have a variety of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, that might benefit people with…