Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Latest Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Benefits of MAO-B inhibitors are small but may be worthwhile in some patients with early Parkinson's disease

A class of drugs known as MAO-B inhibitors may be effective in improving motor symptoms in people with early Parkinson's disease and may delay the need for treatment with other drugs, according to a new systematic review of current evidence.

23 Aug 2005

Rotenone study may lead to novel therapies for Parkinson's disease

Neuroscientists from the University at Buffalo have described for the first time how rotenone, an environmental toxin linked specifically to Parkinson's disease, selectively destroys the neurons that produce dopamine, the neurotransmitter critical to body movement and muscle control.

23 Aug 2005

Method to propagate mouse brain stem cells derived from ES cells

It's hard to grow stem cells in a dish. In particular, while it is possible to multiply mouse embryonic stem cells in culture, propagating stem cells that are specific to distinct tissues (e.g. neural stem cells) has proven to be a challenge.

16 Aug 2005

Pig brain cell transplant looks hopeful for treating Huntington's disease

According to researchers at Australian bioscience company Living Cell Technologies (LCT), if approved, pig brain cells wrapped in a seaweed derivative could be implanted into human brains by sometime next year to treat Huntington's disease.

11 Aug 2005

New theory as to why some people die during sleep

According to scientists the reason why some people stop breathing fatally in their sleep, is because a cumulative loss of cells in the area of the brain that controls breathing triggers a condition called central sleep apnoea.

9 Aug 2005

Nighttime dying linked to sleep apnea from brain cell loss

Aim to grow old and die peacefully in your sleep? Be careful what you wish for. A new UCLA study suggests that some people die in their sleep because they stop breathing due to a cumulative loss of cells in the brain's breathing command-post. The online edition of Nature Neuroscience reports the findings.

7 Aug 2005

MDMA/Ectasy could lead to new treatments for Parkinson's disease

Researchers at Duke University have revealed new clues about Parkinson's disease which might one day lead to new treatments.

4 Aug 2005

New study aims to understand the intricate biochemistry governing gene regulation

In their efforts to understand the complex biology of life, scientists often seek to isolate individual elements of the puzzle for study, to break the problem down to a more manageable size. Single genes and molecules are closely analyzed to better understand their specific interactions with other single entities within larger systems.

4 Aug 2005

Research to investigate new drug for Parkinsons disease

Researchers at the University of Sydney have received a grant to investigate the potential of a new drug to treat the abnormal posture and balance that affects people with Parkinson's disease ultimately confining them to a wheelchair.

2 Aug 2005

Drugs with similar chemical attributes as Ecstasy might offer useful alternatives to current therapies for Parkinson's disease

Amphetamines, including the drug popularly known as Ecstasy, can reverse the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in mice with an acute form of the condition, according to new research at Duke University Medical Center.

2 Aug 2005

Living Cell Technologies announces results for treating Huntington's disease

Living Cell Technologies announced pre-clinical results today showing its brain protection product, NeurotrophinCell (NtCell) produces a marked reduction in the size of brain lesions in a Huntington's disease (HD) model.

2 Aug 2005

New research says binge before bedtime and shed weight!

According to new research, dieters who binge before bedtime could hold the key to weight loss.

29 Jul 2005

First trial of pramipexole for the treatment of fibromyalgia

The mechanism of fibromyalgia, a chronic illness characterized by muscle pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, is unknown and medications used to treat it (such as antidepressants, antiepileptics, muscle relaxants, antiinflammatories, sedative hypnotics, pain relievers and nutriceuticals) have had limited success.

28 Jul 2005

New chemical compound can accelerate stem cell mobilization

The finding has led to the development of a new chemical compound that can accelerate this process (called stem cell mobilization) in mice - which could eventually lead to more efficient stem cell harvesting for human use.

26 Jul 2005

Methamphetamine users show symptoms similar to brain injury patients

Because today's methamphetamine is stronger, more potent and wreaks greater havoc on the brain, chronic users exhibit symptoms similar to patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to the Brain Injury Association of Arizona (BIAAZ).

26 Jul 2005

Experts discuss use of human stem cells in ape and monkey brains

An expert panel of stem cell scientists, primatologists, philosophers and lawyers has concluded that experiments implanting, or grafting, human stem cells into non-human primate brains could unintentionally shift the moral ground between humans and other primates.

14 Jul 2005

"Ipod-like" device to help correct balance disorders

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University's Neurological Sciences Institute and the University of Bologna have developed a portable "Ipod-like" device that can be used to help correct balance disorders. Scientists believe this new device, based on auditory feedback of balance, can be worn on the belt like a pager to provide regular therapy for patients with balance disorders, improving their day-to-day activities.

13 Jul 2005

Sirna Therapeutics granted new UK patents

Sirna Therapeutics has announced that the United Kingdom (UK) Patent Office has granted the Company two additional short interfering RNA (siRNA) target patents. The first patent covers any siRNA with one or more chemical modifications targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF).

12 Jul 2005

Gambling and sex addiction caused by Parkinson's drug

According to a doctor at a clinic in the U.S., a certain category of drug, which is often prescribed for Parkinson's disease, can cause some patients to become compulsive gamblers or addicted to sex.

11 Jul 2005

Dopamine agonist therapy for Parkinson's disease may lead to problem gambling

Eleven patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) developed pathological gambling behavior following dopamine agonist therapy, a drug therapy to control movement problems caused by Parkinson's disease, according to a study posted online which will appear in the September print issue of Archives of Neurology.

11 Jul 2005