An increase in a type of cellular damage called oxidative stress in certain brain regions may be the reason dementia develops in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a study in rat models. The study, “Investigating key factors underlying neurodegeneration linked to alpha-synuclein spread,” was published…

Three-dimensional (3D) “BrainSpheres” made from human stem cells may be a promising new model for investigating the mechanisms that underlie Parkinson’s disease, a study has found. When treated with certain toxins, the spheres, which are composed of functional nerve and support cells, showed molecular changes similar to those observed…

Scientists have uncovered a new therapeutic molecule, called BT13, that can get to the brain to boost dopamine levels — the brain chemical that’s in short supply in Parkinson’s disease — and could potentially protect against neurodegeneration. While the research is in the early stages, and the molecule…

A bioactive agent called baicalin prevented neurodegeneration of Parkinson’s disease in rats by protecting against oxidative stress and neuronal death, according to a recent study. The results, “Neuroprotective effect and mechanism of baicalin on Parkinson’s disease model induced by 6-OHDA,” were published recently in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease…

Chrysin, a chemical commonly found in plants, may ease behavioral, cognitive, and neurochemical changes in Parkinson’s disease, according to a mouse study. The study, “Chrysin protects against behavioral, cognitive and neurochemical alterations in a 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson’s disease,” was published in Neuroscience Letters. Studies…

The loss of dopamine causes neurons in the striatum — a brain region involved in voluntary movement control — to change their activity, explaining some of Parkinson’s hallmark symptoms. Instead of firing in sequence, some of these neurons are overactive and fire simultaneously, making the mice have a repetitive rotation…

The metabolism of certain types of fats, namely palmitic acid and stearic acid commonly found in animal and vegetable fats and oils, may be altered in Parkinson’s disease, according to a study in rats. The study, “Palmitate and Stearate are Increased in the Plasma in a 6-OHDA Model of Parkinson’s…

Rate hypothesis, a theory that Parkinson’s results from an imbalance in brain signals telling the body to start and stop moving,  may involve  “start” and “stop” signals that are more complex and intricate than initially thought, Stanford researchers report. And, the researchers suggest, the loss of that complexity and structure might factor in…