Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder. It occurs when certain nerve cells (neurons) in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra die or become impaired. When approximately 80 percent of neurons are damaged, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear. Parkinson's disease affects 1 in 100 people over the age of 60, with the average age of onset being 60 years. The risk of developing Parkinson's disease increases with age. In the United States, it is estimated that 60,000 new cases of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed each year, with 1.5 million Americans currently living with the disease.

What is Parkinson's Disease?

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the brain. It affects parts of the brain that are associated with normal movement and balance.

Parkinson's Disease Pathophysiology

Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis

Parkinson's Disease Treatment

Parkinson's Disease Prognosis

Parkinson's Disease History

Parkinson's Disease Research

Parkinson's Disease Support

Herpes Virus and Parkinson's Disease

Physiotherapy for Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Compared to Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)

VPS35 Gene and Parkinson's Disease

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Thalamotomy, Pallidotomy and Subthalamotomy

Estrogen as a Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease and Sleeping Disorders

Uncovering Hidden Symptoms: Hallucinations and Delusions in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson's Disease and the Gut Microbiome

Gut Bacteria Affecting Parkinson’s Treatment

Identifying Early Symptoms in Parkinson’s

Do Antioxidants Benefit Patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s?

Insulin Resistance and Parkinson's Disease

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) Versus Parkinson's Disease

Parkinsonism in Spinocerebellar Ataxia

Where Does Parkinson’s Disease Originate?

Is Appendectomy Linked to Parkinson’s Disease?

Bipolar Disorder and Parkinson’s

Gene Therapies for Parkinson’s Disease

Latest Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Targeting a key protein outside of the brain could help manage Parkinson's-related heart issues

Parkinson's doesn't just affect movement and the brain - it may also impact the heart, according to new research from the University of Surrey. Scientists from Surrey's School of Veterinary Medicine suggest that targeting a key protein outside of the brain could help manage Parkinson's-related heart issues.

3 Apr 2025

Blood test offers insight into Alzheimer's stage and severity

A newly developed blood test for Alzheimer's disease not only aids in the diagnosis of the neurodegenerative condition but also indicates how far it has progressed, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Lund University in Sweden.

31 Mar 2025

Novel PET imaging method quantifies brain inflammation enzyme

A novel PET imaging approach can effectively quantify a key enzyme associated with brain inflammation, according to research published in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

28 Mar 2025

Scientists confirm neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility

For the first time, scientists have confirmed a neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility, according to new research published in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

28 Mar 2025

New light-driven process could accelerate the discovery of new drugs

Researchers at Indiana University and Wuhan University in China have unveiled a groundbreaking chemical process that could streamline the development of pharmaceutical compounds, chemical building blocks that influence how drugs interact with the body.

22 Mar 2025

Targeting brain’s waste removal system may help combat cognitive decline

As aging bodies decline, the brain loses the ability to cleanse itself of waste, a scenario that scientists think could be contributing to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, among others.

21 Mar 2025

Groundbreaking stem cell therapy trial for Alzheimer's disease underway at UTHealth Houston

A stem cell therapy trial aimed at reducing neuroinflammation in patients with presymptomatic Alzheimer's disease is underway at UTHealth Houston.

14 Mar 2025

WEHI team makes major strides in the fight against Parkinson's disease

WEHI researchers have made a huge leap forward in the fight against Parkinson's disease, solving a decades-long mystery that paves the way for development of new drugs to treat the condition.

14 Mar 2025

Portable system detects mild cognitive impairment in older adults

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can be an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease or dementia, so identifying those with cognitive issues early could lead to interventions and better outcomes.

13 Mar 2025

Compound found in rosemary shows promise for Alzheimer's treatment

The herb rosemary has long been linked with memory: "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance," says Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet. So it is fitting that researchers would study a compound found in rosemary and sage-carnosic acid-for its impact on Alzheimer's disease.

10 Mar 2025

Can microbiome discoveries finally become treatments? Scientists show the way

Researchers propose a novel iterative strategy combining big data and experimental models to move microbiome research from theory to clinical applications. The study highlights the need to bridge the gap between correlation and causation to develop effective microbiome-based therapies.

9 Mar 2025

Study links ITSN1 gene variants to increased Parkinson's disease risk

A new study published in Cell Reports reveals a breakthrough discovery linking genetic variants in the gene ITSN1 to a significantly elevated risk of Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative condition that affects nearly 2% of adults older than 65 years.

7 Mar 2025

Phase 1 trial examines safety and feasibility of stem cell treatment for Parkinson's

A recently launched Phase 1 clinical trial at Mass General Brigham is examining the safety and feasibility of a groundbreaking treatment approach for Parkinson's disease in which a patient's stem cells are reprogrammed to replace dopamine cells in the brain damaged by the disease.

6 Mar 2025

Projections show Parkinson's disease cases will reach 25.2 million by 2050

By 2050, there will be 25.2 million people living with Parkinson's disease worldwide (a 112% increase from 2021), largely due to population ageing, suggests a modelling study published by The BMJ today.

5 Mar 2025

Exploring the role of subventricular zone in neural regeneration, neurodegenerative diseases

This recently published exploration into the subventricular zone (SVZ) highlights its critical role in neural regeneration, neurodegenerative diseases, and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

5 Mar 2025

Non-invasive 40Hz gamma stimulation could help fight Alzheimer’s

A decade after scientists in The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT first began testing whether sensory stimulation of the brain's 40Hz "gamma" frequency rhythms could treat Alzheimer's disease in mice, a growing evidence base supporting the idea that it can improve brain health-in humans as well as animals-has emerged from the work of labs all over the world.

3 Mar 2025

Medtronic receives FDA approval for BrainSense Adaptive DBS technology

For the one million people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the United States, Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), a global leader in healthcare technology, proudly announces U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of BrainSense™ Adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) and BrainSense™ Electrode Identifier (EI).

3 Mar 2025

Early CPAP treatment may reduce Parkinson's disease risk in people with sleep apnea

People with obstructive sleep apnea have an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, but if started early enough, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may reduce that risk, according to a preliminary study released today, March 2, 2025, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 77th Annual Meeting taking place April 5–9, 2025, in San Diego and online.

2 Mar 2025

TFE3 activation shows promise for counteracting Parkinson's disease pathology

This recent study highlights the neuroprotective potential of TFE3, a transcription factor that plays a pivotal role in counteracting key pathological mechanisms associated with Parkinson's disease (PD).

2 Mar 2025