Parkinson’s Research News

A newly identified gene therapy pathway has the potential to protect us against dementia and cancer, researchers report. ... read more

Participants in the SURE-PD3 clinical trial showed that elevating the natural antioxidant urate through inosine treatment over two years produced no significant difference in the rate of Parkinson's disease progression. ... read more

Study reveals the molecular mechanisms implicated in the regulation of toxic proteins in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. ... read more

Researchers identified 33 metabolic compounds in blood samples that differed between those with dementia and cognitively healthy older adults. 7 of the metabolites were elevated in dementia patients, while 26 were at lower levels compared to samples of those without dementia. Elevating levels of those metabolites could have a neuroprotective effect against dementia. ... read more

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improved cerebral blood flow by up to 23%, alleviating vascular dysfunction and amyloid burden in elderly patients. The treatment also improved memory by 16.5%. ... read more

People with ADHD had a 34% higher risk of developing dementia than those without the disorder. The risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the most common type of dementia, was 55% higher for those with ADHD. ... read more

Exposure to high levels of road and rail traffic noise over long periods of time is associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. ... read more

Study suggests seven compensation strategies to help those with Parkinson's disease improve mobility and walking problems. ... read more

New findings reinforce the idea that dementia with Lewy bodies can be pathologically classified as two different and distinct disease types. ... read more

Recreating major pathological features of Parkinson's disease in a lab-grown, human mini-brain will help researchers to explore new treatments. This is the first time that Lewy bodies, a hallmark of Parkinson's disease in patients' brains, have been produced in the laboratory, offering new insights into the disease. ... read more

Study reports a significant number of people with Parkinson's disease have precise deficits when learning from instructions. Researchers say the problems are associated with differences in brain function. ... read more

Working until the age of 67 slows cognitive decline and appears to be neuroprotective against cognitive impairments and dementias. ... read more

Restoring levels of the DAXX protein prevents misfolding of proteins that drive Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. ... read more

A new test reveals an association between poor lifestyle choices and an increased risk of cognitive decline leading to dementia. ... read more

A new small-scale study reveals transcranial direct current stimulation improved gait and increased the benefits of aerobic exercise in Parkinson's patients. ... read more

Learning music can help fortify neural pathways associated with cognitive function and could help to stave off dementia, researchers report. ... read more

Irisin, a hormone secreted by muscles during exercise, improved cognitive function and lowered levels of inflammation in mouse models. The findings have implications for the development of treatments for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. ... read more

New studies have identified an association between daily high coffee consumption, brain shrinkage and an increased risk of dementia. However, researchers were unable to identify a causal relationship between caffeine consumption and dementia. The study also found moderate coffee consumption was associated with lower dementia risk than high consumption, or abstaining from caffeinated drinks. ... read more

Long-term circadian rhythm disruptions induce Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in rats, which can be reversed by administering fluoxetine. Additionally, elevated levels of amyloid beta and circadian rhythm disruptions can trigger each other, leading to the cascade of neurological symptoms of dementia. ... read more

Wearable health technologies are vastly popular with people wanting to improve their physical and mental health. Everything from exercise, sleep patterns, calories consumed and heart rhythms can be tracked by a wearable device. But timely and accurate data is also especially valuable for doctors treating patients with complicated health conditions using virtual care. ... read more

Inside cells, organelles called mitochondria carry out a medley of vital tasks. These structures generate energy and help to keep the cells' interior environment in a state of healthy equilibrium, among other functions. Now, scientists show in detail how alpha-synuclein, a protein associated with Parkinson's disease, can damage these cellular powerhouses. ... read more

Diet and exercise can influence hippocampal neurogenesis, researchers say. Poor nutrition and lack of exercise have detrimental effects on hippocampal neurogenesis, increasing the risk for dementia. ... read more

Widespread pain, a subset of chronic pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders, is linked to an increased risk of all types of dementias, including Alzheimer's disease, and a greater risk of stroke. ... read more

Researchers have developed a new technique to quantify protein droplets associated with a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS. ... read more

Adipocytes, or beige fat cells, are indispensable to the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of subcutaneous fat, researchers say. ... read more