Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Latest Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Higher antibiotic exposure linked to increased risk of Parkinson's disease

Higher exposure to commonly used oral antibiotics is linked to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease according to a recently published study by researchers form the Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.

22 Nov 2019

Accelerating Medicines Partnership program for Parkinson’s disease launches new data portal

The Accelerating Medicines Partnership program for Parkinson's disease (PD) has launched a data portal to provide de-identified information collected from 4,298 PD patients and healthy controls to researchers working to develop effective therapies for the disease.

22 Nov 2019

University of Sheffield receives Queen's Anniversary Prize for innovation in neuroscience

Neuroscience research at the University of Sheffield has been recognized by Her Majesty The Queen for delivering real benefits in improving patient outcomes for people living with some of the most devastating neurodegenerative diseases.

22 Nov 2019

Ultrasound treatment could be safe and effective option for people with essential tremor

People with tremors in their hands, head or voice may find some relief for up to three years from a treatment using ultrasound waves to destroy the area of the brain causing the tremor, according to a study published in the November 20, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

21 Nov 2019

Movements affect the processing of visual stimuli

How do we perceive our environment? What is the influence of sensory stimuli on the peripheral nervous system and what on the brain? Science has an interest in this question for many reasons. In the long term, insights from this research could contribute to a better understanding of diseases such as ADHD and Parkinson's disease.

20 Nov 2019

Scientists discover new molecular drivers of Parkinson's disease

Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have uncovered new molecular drivers of Parkinson's disease using a sophisticated statistical technique called multiscale gene network analysis.

20 Nov 2019

New glassy carbon electrode makes deep brain stimulation safer for patients

Imagine having an electrode embedded in your brain in a surgical procedure that involves drilling holes in your skull to implant it. Now imagine going through an MRI scan for medical evaluation, when the metal electrode may react to the magnetic fields and vibrate, generate heat or even possibly damage the brain.

19 Nov 2019

New light-based method to capture the epicenter of neural activity in the brain

Researchers from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and University of Salento, both in Lecce, Italy, and Harvard Medical School in Boston have developed a new light-based method to capture and pinpoint the epicenter of neural activity in the brain.

19 Nov 2019

Researchers evaluate potential of FMT, pre- and probiotics to treat Parkinson's patients

Constipation is a common complaint in patients with Parkinson's disease. Fecal microbiome transplantation and pre- and probiotics are potential options for treating constipation and restoring the microbiome of patients with Parkinson's disease, but scientists warn that clinical data are scarce, and more research is needed before supporting their use.

15 Nov 2019

New insights into how immune system and inflammation play a role in PD

Relatively new research findings indicating that the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) may occur in the gut have been gaining traction in recent years. In a review published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, Tomasz Brudek, PhD, evaluates evidence for the association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and PD and proposes directions for future research.

14 Nov 2019

People who are illiterate may have greater risk of developing dementia

New research has found that people who are illiterate, meaning they never learned to read or write, may have nearly three times greater risk of developing dementia than people who can read and write.

13 Nov 2019

Targeting the formation of alpha-synuclein aggregates may slow Parkinson's progression

Aggregates of the protein alpha-synuclein arising in the gut may play a key role in the development of Parkinson's disease.

13 Nov 2019

SleepFit app can help monitor motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease

In order to optimally treat motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), it is necessary to have a good understanding of their severity and daily fluctuations. A report in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease describes how a new app, SleepFit, could be a useful tool in routine clinical practice to monitor motor symptoms and facilitate specific symptom-oriented follow-up.

12 Nov 2019

Understanding neural processes behind motor behaviours and learning

Researchers have provided new insight into the neural processes behind movement and learning behaviours, according to a study published today in eLife.

12 Nov 2019

Scientists identify new mechanism for the development of Parkinson's disease

An international research team including scientists from the University of Cologne have identified a new mechanism for the development of Parkinson's disease, which could prove to be the starting point for the development of a more targeted therapy.

12 Nov 2019

Fluorescent carbon dots can effectively detect calcium levels in cells

In hospitals, doctors often advise patients to take calcium supplements. But does the calcium get into the cells that need it? Until recently, it's been hard to tell.

12 Nov 2019

The arts play an important role in improving well-being, according to a WHO report

A report has concluded that engaging in art-based activities can significantly benefit health, both mentally and physically.

12 Nov 2019

Parkinson's Foundation and Parkinson's UK form new partnership

Each year, Parkinson's UK, their supporters and partners invest more than £4 million into the Parkinson's Virtual Biotech to rapidly develop and test the most promising research findings with the aim of turning them into treatments that will transform the lives of people with Parkinson's.

12 Nov 2019

Future drugs aimed at halting cell-inactivation process may help prevent Parkinson's disease

In neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's disease, a specific group of neurons start to die one by one, causing movement problems and other symptoms. Scientists have long focused on finding out why these neurons die. Now it turns out, they might not even be dead.

11 Nov 2019

New recommendations aim to improve outcomes of Parkinson's disease patients

Since the discovery that the gut microbiome may play a role in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD), this fresh scientific approach has produced varying results. In this review published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease scientists compare results of current research and provide recommendations to increase the comparability and utility of these studies with a view towards improving patient outcomes.

11 Nov 2019