Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Latest Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Californians say yes on 71

With a clear mandate, the voters of California yesterday overwhelmingly approved Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative.

4 Nov 2004

Scientists have identified the gene which produces the hereditary Park8 variant of Parkinson’s

Research began when doctors discovered that various members of the same family had Parkinson’s. There are many kinds of Parkinson’s and some are hereditary.

4 Nov 2004

Expert panel see hope for stem cell use as diabetes cure

A report from a medical panel of academic and community-based endocrinologists and transplant surgeons acknowledged that a recent study supports the use of stem cells as a future cure for type I diabetes.

1 Nov 2004

New evidence to explain why mental function becomes less efficient with ageing

Dementia and milder forms of loss of mental ability affects millions of older people every year, but the causes are unclear. Previous research using brain scanning has shown that brain shrinkage and changes in the brain's white matter 'wiring', are associated with mental function slowing down in old age.

29 Oct 2004

Marijuana-like compounds may aid Parkinson's disease, pain and obesity

No longer a pipe dream, new animal research now indicates that marijuana-like compounds can aid a bevy of debilitating conditions, ranging from brain disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease, to pain and obesity.

28 Oct 2004

Evidence links cellular iron deficiency to restless legs syndrome

Iron-deficient cells in the brain are mixing up central nervous system signals to the legs and arms causing the irresistible urges to move and creepy-crawly sensations that characterize restless legs syndrome (RLS), a Penn State College of Medicine study reports.

25 Oct 2004

Calorie restriction prevents certain aging-related changes in the brain

Severe calorie restriction prevents certain aging-related changes in the brain, including the accumulation of free radicals and impairments in coordination and strength, according to a mouse study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

24 Oct 2004

Exercise protects brain cells affected by Parkinson's

In an animal model of Parkinson's, exercise prevents degeneration of nerve cells that are normally impaired or destroyed by the disease, according to University of Pittsburgh researchers.

24 Oct 2004

Key discovery toward understanding mechanism associated with uncontrollable muscular movements

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's and Huntington's exhibit loss of nerve function in different ways, from memory lapses to uncontrollable muscular movements, but it is now believed that these diseases share many common molecular mechanisms.

22 Oct 2004

Deep brain stimulation could help alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms on both sides of the body

For many patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease, deep brain stimulation can mean the difference between having difficulty walking and being able to run.

22 Oct 2004

Gene mutation causes Parkinson's disease in some families

An international research team, led by scientists at the National Institute on Aging (NIA), has discovered a gene, which when mutated, causes Parkinson's disease in some families.

22 Oct 2004

New research collaboration investigates disease in newborn and elderly

The University of Otago's Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences' 30 year expertise in free radical research will be a vital component of a new collaborative Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE), recently backed by major Government funding.

13 Oct 2004

Robotic microscope shows how mutant Huntington's disease protein affects neurons

Using a specially designed robotic microscope to study cultured cells, researchers have found evidence that abnormal protein clumps called inclusion bodies in neurons from people with Huntington's disease (HD) prevent cell death.

13 Oct 2004

Dietary iron imbalances increase the odds of developing Parkinson's disease

You might want to toss those iron-fortified vitamins, because absent a diagnosed deficiency too much of a good thing can be bad.

12 Oct 2004

Researchers analyze the mechanisms and proteins that underlie mitochondria

New findings explaining the complicated process by which the "energy substations" of human cells split apart and recombine may lay the groundwork for new treatment approaches to a wide range of diseases, including some cancers and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

12 Oct 2004

Aspirin might well be considered the top utility player in the medicine cabinet

This cheap over-the-counter drug can be used not only for fever, pain and arthritis, but to prevent heart attack, stroke or angina. It also may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Yet aspirin also has side effects worth considering, and its very accessibility may hamper its use.

8 Oct 2004

Patients suffering from diseases as varied as Type II diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's have one thing in common

Patients suffering from diseases as varied as Type II diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and dozens of lesser known maladies have one thing in common: they suffer from a large build up of amyloids

5 Oct 2004

Neurologists have discovered a drug application smart enough to alleviate orthostatic hypotension

Mayo Clinic neurologists have discovered a drug application smart enough to alleviate orthostatic hypotension -- problems with sinking blood pressure when standing up from a sitting position -- without the unwanted effect of also causing patients' blood pressure to soar when lying down.

5 Oct 2004

Stem cells and drug design

Victorian College of Pharmacy researchers hope stem cells will help them better understand the action of existing drugs and aid in the discovery of new drugs for illnesses such as depression, obesity and anxiety.

5 Oct 2004

Americans overwhelmingly support stem cell research - 74-21 percent

By a decisive margin of 74-21 percent, Americans support former First Lady Nancy Reagan's call for the Bush White House to lift restrictions on stem cell research in order to look for possible treatments for the Alzheimer's disease

4 Oct 2004