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Nicotinamide riboside supplement may help ease motor symptoms

One month of a high-dose nicotinamide riboside (NR) supplement — thought to boost energy production in the body’s cells — was well-tolerated and eased motor symptoms among people with Parkinson’s disease in a small clinical trial. But the researchers caution that these results are preliminary, and note that data…

Device measures alpha-synuclein at very low concentrations

Scientists have developed a handheld device that can be used to measure levels of biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders. “This portable diagnostic system would allow testing at-home and at point of care, like clinics and nursing homes, for neurodegenerative diseases globally,” Ratnesh Lal, PhD, said in…

Gut bacteria Bifidobacteria breaks down levodopa: Study

Bifidobacteria, a type of bacteria found at higher levels in the gut of Parkinson’s disease patients, is capable of breaking down levodopa, the gold-standard therapy for the neurodegenerative disease, according to recent laboratory studies. Levels of the bacteria in the guts of Parkinson’s patients correlated with the dose of…

UK scientist is winner of 2023 MJFF Robert A. Pritzker Prize

U.K. scientist Dario Alessi, PhD, has been named the winner of the 2023 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research — awarded annually by the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to a researcher who makes exceptional contributions in the field of Parkinson’s disease and seeks…