Dopaminergic News and Research

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Study investigates if prior SARS-CoV-2 infection increases sensitivity to toxin that induces parkinsonism

A recent study explored whether individuals who have recovered from mild to moderate or severe COVID-19 may have an increased risk for developing Parkinson’s disease in the future.

7 Feb 2022

Novel insights about dopamine can help find better drugs for Parkinson's patients

New findings provide a better understanding of how the synthesis of dopamine is regulated in the brain. It may shed new light on the mechanism behind diseases such as Parkinson's.

12 Jan 2022

Study provides better understanding of the degenerative underpinnings of Parkinson’s disease

Northwestern investigators have discovered the molecular signature of a subset of dopaminergic neurons with an increased vulnerability to degeneration.

12 Dec 2021

NRG Oncology CC004 trial: Bupropion does not improve sexual desire for female cancer survivors

Despite preliminary supporting evidence that the dopaminergic agent bupropion might improve sexual desire for female cancer survivors, the NRG Oncology CC004 clinical trial determined that bupropion did not improve outcomes when compared to a placebo.

10 Dec 2021

Severe COVID-19 may result in premature aging in recovered patients

As COVID-19 has been found to cause frontal cortex impairment similar to aging, the scientists in a recent study attempted to investigate if severe COVID-19 resulted in aging-related molecular signatures in the brain. The findings from this study are published as a preprint on the medRxiv* server.

28 Nov 2021

Research opens the door to new therapeutic options for Parkinson's disease

These advances have been reported in a new scientific article published in the international journal Nature, fruit of the collaboration between Northwestern University (Chicago), Weill Cornell Medical College (New York) and the Institute of Biomedicine of Seville HUVR/CSIC/US/ and Ciberned.

8 Nov 2021

Northwestern scientists receive awards totaling nearly $18 million for Parkinson's disease research

Northwestern University scientists have received two awards totaling nearly $18 million for Parkinson's disease research from The ASAP Collaborative Research Network, a program of the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) initiative being implemented through The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

27 Oct 2021

Brain's motor cortex may play a larger role in Parkinson’s disease, study reveals

The role of neuron and dopamine loss in Parkinson's Disease (PD) has long been recognized by neuroscientists.

19 Oct 2021

Study reveals a detrimental role of the immune system in Lewy body dementias

T-cells respond to buildups of alpha-synuclein, the aggregated protein clumps that are a feature of neurodegenerative diseases including dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease (PD), according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in Science.

14 Oct 2021

Withdrawal from psychostimulants alters functional architecture and patterns in the brain

Addictive psychostimulants, from nicotine in cigarettes to illicit drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine, affect different regions of the brain. The same is believed true during withdrawal; finding a common brain pathway has proved elusive.

27 Sep 2021

Increased signaling by sonic hedgehog protein can inhibit LID in Parkinson's patients

Levodopa, or L-dopa, is considered the most effective treatment for Parkinson's disease today. After a few years of treatment, however, almost all patients develop a debilitating side-effect called L-dopa induced dyskinesia, or LID, which causes involuntary movements in the limbs, face, and torso. Deep brain stimulation can alleviate LID, but the procedure is highly invasive and not all patients are eligible.

23 Sep 2021

Scientists decipher missing pieces of the reward system puzzle to increase motivation

Our motivation to put effort into achieving a goal is controlled by a reward system wired in the brain. However, many neuropathological conditions impair the reward system, diminishing the will to work.

6 Aug 2021

Gene therapy delivered into the brain may be safe, effective in treating rare neurological disorder

A new study published in Nature Communications suggests that gene therapy delivered into the brain may be safe and effective in treating aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency.

16 Jul 2021

Component derived from turmeric essential oil exhibits neuroprotective effects

Researchers from Kumamoto University, Japan have found that a component derived from turmeric essential oil, aromatic turmerone (ar-turmerone), and its derivatives act directly on dopaminergic nerves to create a neuroprotective effect on tissue cultures of a Parkinson's disease model.

14 Jul 2021

Researchers identify early functional deficiencies in neurons derived from Parkinson's patients

Researchers from IDIBELL and the University of Barcelona have described that neurons derived from Parkinson's patients show impairments in their transmission before neurodegeneration.

7 Jul 2021

Role of tau in pathogenesis of Lewy body dementias is distinct from Alzheimer’s disease, suggests study

Will a reduction in tau protein in brain neurons protect against Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementias?

21 Jun 2021

New approach could revolutionize treatment, prevention of Parkinson’s disease

Researchers from Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan may have unraveled a new approach that could revolutionize the treatment, prevention, and possibly reversal of the damages that could lead to Parkinson's Disease (PD).

11 Jun 2021

Nanoscale coordination polymers show promise for efficient dopamine delivery in Parkinson's treatment

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons in a part of the brain (known as substantia nigra pars compacta), which leads to a deficit of dopamine (DA), one of the main neurotransmitters active in the central nervous system.

1 Jun 2021

A look at how coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affects Parkinson's

Earlier, herpes simplex virus (HSV), influenza virus A, measles virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and mumps virus have all been associated with after-effects of the virus that includes Parkinson's disease (PD). This list may now include SARS-CoV-2.

14 May 2021

Altered neural functioning in Parkinson's patients changes the way art is perceived and valued

Art appreciation is considered essential to human experience. While taste in art varies depending on the individual, cognitive neuroscience can provide clues about how viewing art affects our neural systems, and evaluate how these systems inform our valuation of art.

23 Apr 2021