A framework called the neuronal alpha-synuclein disease integrated staging system (NSD-ISS) to stage patients in the early stretch of Parkinson’s disease, or who have yet to manifest symptoms, can help predict how quickly they may progress to clinically meaningful milestones. In a study led by Tanya Simuni, MD,…

The gut microbiome of people with Parkinson’s disease exhibits substantial compositional and functional shifts relative to that of healthy individuals, with some of these changes linked to a faster progression of motor issues over time, according to a new study. “The [Parkinson’s disease] microbiome is functionally…

U.S. Marine Corps and Navy personnel exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) and other industrial chemicals in drinking water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina face greater than twice the risk of experiencing accelerated Parkinson’s disease progression than individuals who were not exposed, a new study found. These findings add to…

Medications that lower blood pressure don’t appear to influence the progression of Parkinson’s disease, a study reports. The study, “Antihypertensive drugs may not delay the symptom progression of Parkinson’s disease: A 2-year follow-up study,” was published in Heliyon. The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are caused…

Parkinson’s disease patients carrying severe variants in the GBA gene, a known genetic risk factor, experience faster motor and cognitive decline than those without such mutations, a Chinese study shows. Faster motor function decline was primarily driven by worsening bradykinesia (slow movements) and axial impairment (walking, posture, and balance…

Treatment with simvastatin, a medication used to lower cholesterol levels, did not slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease  over a two-year period, according to published data from a Phase 2 trial. Overall, the data provide “no evidence to support proceeding to a phase 3 trial,” the researchers wrote, noting…

People with Parkinson’s disease who show early dysfunction in the nerves controlling heartbeat tend to experience faster disease progression, a new study shows. According to researchers, these results support a new approach differentiating “brain-predominant” Parkinson’s from disease with “body-involvement.” “These findings correspond well to the results of…

Continuously monitoring the gait of Parkinson’s disease patients in their homes using a wireless device is feasible and may provide more sensitive measurements of disease progression and treatment response, according to a new study. The device, which monitors fluctuations in motor function by tracking gait speed, may improve disease…

Koneksa has been awarded a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to investigate the potential of digital biomarkers to evaluate and predict disease progression in people with Parkinson’s disease. Digital biomarkers have the potential to aid in diagnosing Parkinson’s and allowing patients…

Fluctuations in weight, either a loss or a gain, occurred significantly more often in people with Parkinson’s disease than in those without the progressive neurodegenerative disorder, a study has found. Weight loss in Parkinson’s patients was associated with a faster progression of motor and cognitive declines over a five-year…