Blood levels of the fibronectin protein could be used as a predictor of disability in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study. Lower levels of the protein, referred to as plasma fibronectin (pFN), associated with a shorter time to reaching the start of a disability milestone like…

Researchers have discovered a new genetic link between platelets in the bloodstream and Parkinson’s disease, according to a large-scale genetic study that investigated associations between blood measures and neurological and psychiatric diseases. Variation in platelet size, called platelet distribution width (PDW), was found to be broader in Parkinson’s patients…

Winners of the 2022 edition of the $3 million Cure One, Cure Many Award for the early diagnosis of Lewy body dementia (LBD) have been announced by its promoter, the American Brain Foundation. They are the Mayo Clinic’s Owen A. Ross, PhD, Pamela J. McLean, PhD, and…

Lower-than-usual levels of the protein SIRT1 are evident in the blood of people with Parkinson’s disease, and correlate with greater disease severity and cognitive impairment, a study reported. A blood test of SIRT1 levels, for this reason, may serve as a biomarker…

Blood levels of valosin-containing protein (VCP) — an enzyme involved in protein degradation — may be used as a biomarker of preclinical and early clinical stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD), a study suggests. Reduced levels of VCP in the blood were found in both animal models of the…