An international post-mortem brain study of Parkinson’s disease shows altered levels of the LRRK2 protein are associated with different stages of the disease. The study, “LRRK2 levels and phosphorylation in Parkinson’s disease brain and cases with restricted Lewy bodies,” was published in the journal Movement Disorders. Previous studies…

New research helps to explain how alpha-synuclein — the defective protein causing Parkinson’s disease — achieves its structure in neurons. These findings may help understand how aggregates of alpha-synuclein form in the brain of a Parkinson’s patient. The study, “Structural Basis For The Dissociation Of Α-Synuclein Fibrils Triggered By…

Though alpha-synuclein, the dysfunctional protein in Parkinson’s disease that can be found in skin nerve fibers, has been shown to be a reliable biomarker of the condition that could lead to early treatment, more research is needed to standardize diagnostic techniques using biopsies, according to recent study perspective published in …

While the exact cause of Parkinson’s disease is currently unknown, scientists have come up with four possible theories of causes for the condition according to the Mayo Clinic.   There are certain genes which, when they become mutated, cause Parkinson’s disease. However, these mutated genes are very…

The rare lysosomal storage disorder Krabbe’s disease is caused by an enzyme deficiency and has been found to have surprising similarities with neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease. Establishing this connection can be a valuable tool for developing novel therapeutic targets and new biomarkers for identifying patients at risk for developing Parkinson’s.

Changes in the retina of the eye may reveal the presence of Parkinson’s disease before brain changes and early symptoms appear, researchers at University College London’s Institute of Ophthalmology report. Their discovery may lead to a non-invasive and low-cost eye test to detect Parkinson’s well in advance of the tremors and muscle stiffness that characterize…

A small Phase 1 clinical trial from the Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) suggests that the approved cancer drug Tasigna (nilotinib)can treat both motor and cognitive problems in patients with Parkinson’s disease or Lewy body dementia. The study, “Nilotinib Effects in Parkinson’s disease and Dementia with Lewy…

Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York discovered that traumatic brain injury can often precede the development of Parkinson’s disease. The study “Association of Traumatic Brain Injury With Late-Life Neurodegenerative Conditions and Neuropathologic Findings,” published in …

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have discovered that an enzyme known to be highly active in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients places a molecular tag on the protein α-synuclein, causing it to aggregate and worsen its symptoms. The study, “Activation of tyrosine…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) announced it has set aside a $2 million prize for the development of a PET tracer capable of visualizing the protein alpha-synuclein, the main therapeutic target and biomarker candidate in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. Announced at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging…