Researchers at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology are developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven approach to track and measure freezing of gait (FOG), a common motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease. The technology will be used in a clinical trial that’s testing the safety and preliminary efficacy…
A group of U.S. veterans with Parkinson’s disease has added a novel tool to their therapeutic regimen: building with Legos. For about a year, the group, based out of the Central Virginia Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System, has been building Lego creations to exercise their motor skills and…
The Healthwell Foundation — a U.S. nonprofit seeking to improve healthcare access for underinsured patients — has launched a fund to help Medicare beneficiaries with Parkinson’s disease cover the costs of treatment. Eligible individuals undergoing treatment for Parkinson’s in the U.S. can apply online for a…
My husband, John, and I recently embarked on a memorable trip to the Dominican Republic. We’ve been there before, but this year was special: We’d be babysitting our 6-month-old granddaughter for part of the time and enjoying the company of her parents and the sunny and gorgeous Dominican weather. My…
A new open-source software called VisionMD may help doctors assess motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders with artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled video analysis, a study reports. Analyzing videos of patients tapping their fingers and doing other clinical tests can help clinicians understand disease progress and…
Different types of exercise can have different effects on Parkinson’s disease, a study suggests. For instance, tai chi or at-home bodyweight strength training can improve motor function, while tai chi or strength training with elastic bands and dumbbells can help ease freezing of gait. At the same time, home-based…
A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool may help predict the structure of amyloid fibrils, that is, misfolded protein fibers that accumulate in the brain of people with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. Called Ribbonfold, the tool is designed to address the complex and variable structures of misfolded proteins by…
Researchers and students at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) are developing evidence-based occupational therapy practices to help people with Parkinson’s disease manage their condition and regain the ability to participate in the activities they enjoy. The research aims to help occupational therapy professionals deliver the best possible…
Photopharmics will use $6 million in newly secured funding to complete a Phase 3 clinical trial testing Celeste, its light therapy device for Parkinson’s disease, and to support precommercialization efforts before submitting regulatory applications. The ongoing Phase 3 trial (NCT04453033), dubbed Light for PD, has enrolled more…
While walking through the soggy streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland, I saw an excerpt of a poem by American humorist Don Herold. It read: “If I had my life to live over, I’d dare to make more mistakes next time. I’d relax; I’d limber up. I would be sillier…
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