News

A researcher at the University of Wollongong in Australia has received funding of nearly 400,000 Australian dollars (about $250,000) to investigate the links between environmental toxins, such as pesticides and nanoplastics, and Parkinson’s disease. The funding, from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the…

Neurons, or nerve cells, that release a signaling molecule called glutamate within the enteric nervous system — a network of nerve cells embedded in the gut wall — play a crucial role in regulating bowel movements, according to a Stanford University study that ultimately could lead to new ways to…

Age-related declines in speech processes do not appear to contribute to the voice disturbances perceived by people with Parkinson’s disease, and are more likely due to disease processes themselves, a study reports. “Reduced self-voice perception in [Parkinson’s] is likely due to [Parkinson’s]-specific sensory feedback deficits, rather than age per…

The first patient has been dosed in Gain Therapeutics‘ clinical trial of GT-02287, an investigational, oral small molecule being developed for treating Parkinson’s disease. With several locations open in Australia, the Phase 1b clinical trial (NCT06732180) is still recruiting up to 20 adults, ages 30-85, who’ve been…

Among people with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, blood biomarkers associated with dementia may help identify those at risk of developing Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), a condition that shares symptoms with Parkinson’s disease. Particularly, blood levels of two proteins — amyloid-beta 42/40 ratio and p-tau…

A rare nerve disorder may offer clues to potential Parkinson’s disease treatment targets, a mouse study showed. In giant axonal neuropathy (GAN), buildup of neurofilament proteins trap several cellular organelles and proteins, preventing nerve cells from clearing and recycling waste, the study found. Because neurofilament proteins have also been…

Right Brain Bio is repurposing the approved therapy RB-190 as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease — and is now preparing to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to test the anticancer medication for this indication in a Phase 2 clinical trial. The company intends to file…

An intervention combining talk therapy with virtual reality may help improve mental health and life quality for people with Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. “The results of this study demonstrated that [virtual reality-augmented cognitive behavioral therapy] significantly enhanced emotional well-being and quality of life in the experimental group compared…

Rare mutations that impair the normal activity of the ITSN1 gene were found to increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease by about 10 times, according to a study. The findings are in line with those of another recent study that linked ITSN1 mutations to an elevated Parkinson’s risk,…

An adapted physical activity program may help ease motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a study showed. Although patients’ motor symptoms eased immediately after the three-month program, there didn’t appear to be a long-term effect on motor symptom severity, emphasizing a need for longer programs and/or further resources to…