Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Latest Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Damaged alpha-synuclein proteins can spread in a 'prion-like' manner: Study

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, reveals that damaged alpha-synuclein proteins can spread in a 'prion-like' manner, an infection model previously described for diseases such as BSE.

20 Jan 2011

Scientists discover fundamental mechanism behind toxic protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases

Protein aggregation underlies several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's chorea or Parkinson's. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB) in Martinsried near Munich, Germany, now discovered a fundamental mechanism which explains how toxic protein aggregation occurs and why it leads to a widespread impairment of essential cellular functions.

20 Jan 2011

New research: HIV individuals are more likely to have stroke

New research suggests that people infected with human immunodeficiency virus may be up to three times more likely to have a stroke compared to those not affected with HIV. The study is published in the January 19, 2011, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Jan 2011

Study demonstrates role of alpha-synuclein cell-to-cell transfer in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis

The misfolding of abnormal proteins in brain cells is a key element in Parkinson's disease development. A recent study suggests that the sick proteins slowly move between cells, eventually triggering the destruction of the new host cell. The discovery could potentially lead to new therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases aimed at blocking the spread of protein misfolding throughout the brain.

19 Jan 2011

Deep brain stimulation stabilizes motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease over time

Parkinson's disease symptoms begin subtly and worsen as damage to certain brain cells continues. But an electrical stimulation device implanted deep in the brain and programmed remotely, along with medications, may provide some control of "motor symptoms" common to the disease, such as shaking, stiffness, and loss of muscle control.

19 Jan 2011

MicroRNA-29 molecule makes brain cells resistant to programmed cell death

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered a molecule that can make brain cells resistant to programmed cell death or apoptosis.

19 Jan 2011

New guideline recommends plasmapheresis usage to treat people with severe relapses in MS, neuropathies

A new guideline from the American Academy of Neurology recommends using plasma exchange to treat people with severe relapses in multiple sclerosis and related diseases, as well as those with certain kinds of nerve disorders known as neuropathies.

18 Jan 2011

Heart disease patients' skin cells may help test long QT syndrome

Skin cells from a patient with an inherited heart disease were the seeds of a stem cell experiment that could help researchers test specific treatments for the disease, known as long QT syndrome. The research results appear in the January 16 issue of the journal Nature.

18 Jan 2011

Research: Adults with ADHD are more likely to develop degenerative dementia

Adults who suffer from attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more than three times as likely to develop a common form of degenerative dementia than those without, according to research in the January issue of the European Journal of Neurology.

18 Jan 2011

House GOP poised to restart health law repeal effort; Vote set for Wednesday

Republican leaders in the House have scheduled debate to begin on Tuesday. And, although the vote — which will follow a day later — is largely considered symbolic, it will kick off the GOP push to defund the bill and undo some of its more unpopular provisions.

14 Jan 2011

65% of Americans oppose Medicaid cuts

Coming on the heels of a major research report finding that long term care is paid less on an hourly basis than the national minimum wage, a new nationwide poll shows that 65 percent of Americans would oppose further cuts to funding for long term care.

14 Jan 2011

Video submissions invited for the 2011 Neuro Film Festival competition

People who have loved ones affected by a brain disorder or have been affected by a disorder themselves still have the opportunity to share their story by submitting a short video to the 2011 Neuro Film Festival(SM) competition at http://www.neurofilmfestival.com. The deadline for entries is February 15, 2011.

13 Jan 2011

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone holds potential for treatment of fear based disorders

Living a traumatic experience favours the persistence of fear associated with an aversive stimulus, known as fear conditioning and such effect, in mice, can be suppressed with a single dosis of 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone, a type of flavonoid which boosts the ability to acquire new emotional learnings.

13 Jan 2011

Study highlights states with largest aggregate Medicaid underfunding

A new study released today finds that Medicaid programs in states across the country underfunded nursing facility care by $5.6 billion in 2010, paying on average $7.17 per hour per patient, less than the nation's current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

13 Jan 2011

5 easy steps to improve heart health

Did you know that a good night's sleep can help prevent heart disease? There are many simple ways to lower your risk.

12 Jan 2011

ACADIA raises $15 million through private placement

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical company utilizing innovative technology to fuel drug discovery and clinical development of novel treatments for central nervous system disorders, today announced that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement for a private placement financing with a select group of institutional investors, including New Enterprise Associates and Venrock.

10 Jan 2011

Sangamo completes enrollment in SB-509-901 Phase 2b clinical trial in diabetic neuropathy

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced today that the company completed enrollment of its Phase 2b double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (SB-509-901) in subjects with diabetic neuropathy (DN). The company expects to have efficacy data from this study in the second half of 2011. The company also plans to present the first human clinical data from its Phase 1 trials of SB-728-T in HIV/AIDS in the first quarter of 2011.

10 Jan 2011

Civitas receives $20 million Series A financing

Civitas Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative pulmonary delivery therapies, announced today that it has secured a $20 million Series A financing from founding investor, Longitude Capital, along with co-lead Canaan Partners. The proceeds of the financing will be primarily used to advance Civitas' lead program for treating patients with Parkinson's disease through clinical proof-of-concept.

10 Jan 2011

Research suggests novel therapeutic approach for Huntington's Disease

Hope for new ways of treating devastating neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease has been raised by a trans-Atlantic team of researchers thanks to the use of cutting-edge genetic techniques.

10 Jan 2011

AMT enters agreement with Consortium for clinical development of novel gene therapy to treat Sanfilippo B

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics, a leader in human gene therapy, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, and a group of French research institutes (together the "Consortium") to support clinical development of a novel gene therapy to treat Sanfilippo B.

10 Jan 2011