Parkinson’s Research News

Researchers reveal the critical role the p62 gene plays in the selective autophagy of tau oligomers. ... read more

Alterations in the nascent transcription of introns may indicate risk factors for, and the progression of Parkinson's disease. ... read more

Social isolation is linked to alterations in brain structure and cognitive deficits. Additionally, social isolation can increase the risk of developing dementia as a person ages. ... read more

Willingness in older people to give more money away appears to correlate with cognitive decline associated with dementia. The findings may explain why many older adults could be more prone to financial exploitation. ... read more

People with two of the diseases, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease or stroke have double the risk of developing dementia, researchers say. ... read more

Researchers found an association between low vitamin D levels and reduced brain volume. Lower vitamin D was also linked to an increased risk of stroke and dementia. Up to 17% of dementia cases could be prevented by increasing vitamin D. ... read more

The prevalence of brain changes associated with LATE, a form of dementia first identified in 2019, may be as high as 40% in older adults and 50% in those with Alzheimer's disease. ... read more

Researchers identified LIPE, a lipase that degrades triglycerides to produce fatty acids, as a potential new target for the development of treatments for Parkinson's disease. ... read more

People who suffer cardiometabolic disorders, such as stroke, diabetes, or a heart attack, either as stand-alone conditions or a combination of the conditions, have an increased risk of developing dementia regardless of whether or not they have a genetic predisposition for neurodegeneration. ... read more

Despite speculation that inflammation associated with the shingles virus can increase dementia risk, researchers found little evidence to substantiate the claim. ... read more

People with higher levels of omega-3 DHA in their blood are 49% less likely to develop dementia than those with lower levels. Researchers say adding additional omega-3 DHA to the diet, especially in those with the Alzheimer's associated Apoe4 gene, could slow the development and progress of dementia. ... read more

The Parkinson's-associated protein alpha-synuclein appears to act as a "toggle switch" that helps control vesicle transportation and gene expression. In a diseased state, this delicate balance is broken. The findings have implications for the development of new treatments for Parkinson's disease. ... read more

Social isolation has been directly linked to structural changes in brain areas associated with memory and cognitive function. Researchers report socially isolated people are 26% more likely to develop dementia later in life. ... read more

Older adults who frequently experience bad dreams or nightmares are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a new study reports. ... read more

Neurons in the parafascicular thalamus project to three different parts of the basal ganglia. Targeting these circuits could be a new target for treating motor dysfunction and depression associated with Parkinson's disease. ... read more

Neuroscientists identified three circuits in the thalamus that influence the development of motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. And by manipulating these circuits, they could reverse Parkinson's symptoms in mice. ... read more

Older adults who start to experience bad dreams or nightmares could be exhibiting the earliest signs of Parkinson's disease, say researchers. ... read more

# # # # Experiential observations and anecdotal insights from the patient community have generated many key discoveries for the field of Parkinson’s research. A chance question (“Why do people with Parkinson’s smell different?” – click here to read more about that) or random interaction have opened doors to entirely new realms of research. An good example of ... read more

Brain wave data collected during sleep predicts the future incidences of 11 health-related outcomes, including dementia, cardiovascular health, psychological disorders, and mortality. ... read more

White matter may be the key to understanding dementia, TBI, and numerous other neurological disorders. ... read more

People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis are 1.2 times more likely to develop depression. Additionally, the risk of developing dementia increased by 2-3% every 5 years following a diagnosis of RA. ... read more

Fragmented tau that accumulates in neurons in those with Alzheimer's disease may be a new target for drugs to treat the neurodegenerative disease. ... read more

A newly invented soft, implantable probe can interface between gut and brain tissue, measuring both dopamine and serotonin levels. The device has applications for depression, Parkinson's disease, and intestinal disorders. ... read more

# # # # At the end of each month the SoPD writes a post which provides an overview of some of the major pieces of Parkinson’s-related research that were made available during May 2022. The post is divided into 10 parts ... read more

Older adults who consumed cranberries frequently as part of their diet saw improvements in episodic memory, neural function, and brain perfusion. Cranberry consumption was also linked to a significant decrease in LDL cholesterol. Findings reveal adding cranberries to the diet helps to improve memory and could protect against dementia. ... read more