Study says metabolic abnormalities may be risk factor for Parkinson’s

People with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolism-related abnormalities — like a larger waist circumference, high blood sugar, and abnormal blood levels of fatty molecules — may have a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to the findings of a new study by an international team of researchers. Having…

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…

Noninvasively stimulating a nerve in the leg using Stimvia‘s URIS device is feasible, safe, and may help reduce motor symptoms and improve quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to new data from a pilot study. Indeed, among the small number of patients with tremor in…

I thought I was prepared for an emergency — until I found myself in an emergency situation and realized how unprepared I actually was. When I started writing this column, I was sitting next to my husband, Arman, in his hospital room. We arrived at the hospital at about…

One of the most unhelpful things you can say to a Parkinson’s disease patient is, “Just relax and get comfortable.” For me, and many of my fellow Parkinson’s warriors, the idea of relaxing and being comfortable is a ship that sailed long ago. I’m almost always experiencing some level…

The Parkinson’s Foundation has launched a pilot program it hopes will make it easier for Parkinson’s disease patients who carry specific disease-related genetic variants to enroll in clinical trials testing targeted experimental treatments. The new program, dubbed PD Trial Navigator, is designed to help meet a central goal of…

Stanford University researchers developed a simple, portable device that allows Parkinson’s disease patients to monitor their motor symptoms remotely, in real time, providing their doctors with updated information that can be used to guide treatment decisions. Patients tap alternating fingers for 30 seconds on the two-lever device, called KeyDuo, which…

An oral anti-inflammatory therapy for Parkinson’s disease developed using artificial intelligence (AI) may be nearing clinical trials. Insilico Medicine said it plans to seek clearance later this year from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to advance the therapy, ISM8969, into human trials. The company said its…

Over the past few years, I’ve seen a lot of my friends go through the heartbreak of losing a parent. In most cases, the loss was sudden, like a lightning flash in the darkness. There was little buildup. There was no warning sign. One day their parent was alive, and…

Herantis Pharma announced that its Phase 1b clinical trial evaluating the safety and preliminary efficacy of HER-096, a potential disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson’s disease, has hit a key milestone: All dosing regimens and follow-up clinic visits have been completed. Top-line results from the trial (NCT06659562, EUCT2024-512532-30-00) —…