An investigational vaccine being developed by United Neuroscience (UNS) presented several advantages over traditional vaccines to treat progressive disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, according to preclinical data. The vaccine, called UB-312, was more selective to prevent toxic aggregates of alpha-synuclein in mouse models of the disease. These latest findings were…

Research into the best ways of managing visual hallucinations in patients with Parkinson’s disease over the long term is severely limited and affecting treatment, a review study has found. In particular, the lack of a universal rating scale renders data interpretation and comparison between studies difficult. To overcome this limitation,…

Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a specific cell death pathway named Parthanatos — after Thanatos, the ancient Greek personification of death — that leads to the physical and intellectual degeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease. They also found that a protein called PARP-1 is a key mediator of cell death via Parthanatos, supporting the…

The healthy human appendix contains Parkinson’s disease-related alpha-synuclein aggregates, and removing the organ early in a person’s life reduces the risk of developing the disease, a study has found. The study, “The vermiform appendix impacts the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease,” was published in Science…

Reduced alpha-synuclein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord — are associated with more severe non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s patients, according to a study. The study, “CSF α-synuclein inversely correlates with non-motor symptoms in a cohort of PD…

A new transgenic Parkinson’s disease mouse model is able to recapitulate the motor symptoms and biological causes of disease, including alpha-synuclein protein aggregation, a study reports. Similar to Parkinson’s patients, this model also responds to levodopa, one of the main compounds used to treat symptoms of the disease. The study, “Abrogating Native…

A better understanding of how Parkinson’s disease affects the laryngopharyngeal muscles of the esophagus could help identify those patients at risk for obstructive sleep apnea, according to a new study. The research, “Laryngopharyngeal motor dysfunction and obstructive sleep apnea in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the journal Sleep and…

Parkinson’s researchers need to focus on human cells and tissues, implement modern computer modeling approaches, and shift away from animal models, according to a recent study. Earlier transition from preclinical studies to clinical trials also could be beneficial, the study authors suggest. The study, “Parkinson’s disease…

Eradicating Helicobacter pylori infections could improve motor function, ease gut symptoms and increase levodopa’s effectiveness in Parkinson’s patients, according to a review study. The research, “Stomaching the Possibility of a Pathogenic Role for Helicobacter pylori in Parkinson’s Disease,” was published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.

A gene editing approach targeting a specific part of the SNCA gene was able to lower alpha-synuclein levels and protect from Parkinson’s characteristic cellular changes, according to preclinical results. The study, “Downregulation of SNCA expression by targeted editing of DNA-methylation: A potential strategy for precision therapy in…