Parkinson's Disease

Research looking at records from half a million people has identified 22 associations between viral infections and neurodegenerative disease. Influenza, encephalitis and other infections were linked to increased rates of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and MS.

A clinical trial is beginning in the UK, testing whether a common cough medicine can be used to treat Parkinson's. Early studies indicate the 50-year-old drug can cross into the brain and help clear out the toxic proteins known to cause the disease.

A new technique using piezoelectric nanoparticles that are activated via bursts of ultrasound has shown promise as a wire-free way to stimulate the brain. It could be used to treat Parkinson's disease and other brain-based disorders.

A study looking at post-mortem brain tissue samples has found severe COVID-19 is associated with molecular signs of brain aging. The researchers warn potential long-term neurological problems could emerge in the years following the pandemic.

A new design for a deep brain stimulation implant could greatly improve the experience of living with these devices, by using integrated triboelectric generators to convert a user’s breathing movements into electricity.

The progression of Parkinson’s is characterized by a deterioration in motor control, and through a new study MIT researchers have explored how this might be monitored via a person’s walking patterns at home.

A hormone released by muscles during exercise has been found to reduce levels of a protein associated with Parkinson’s disease. The promising animal study indicates future therapies may be developed based on the way this hormone improves brain health.

A compelling study indicates Parkinson’s disease could be diagnosed by remotely tracking a person’s breathing patterns. Led by researchers from MIT, the study presents an AI system that uses radio waves to monitor breathing while a person sleeps.

New research reports some natural supplements contain high levels of levodopa, used in drug treatments for Parkinson’s disease. The research found levels of levodopa in some supplements can be higher than what's found in common pharmaceutical formulations.

Clumps of misfolded proteins that gather in the brain have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. Now, newly identified nanobodies show promise in destabilizing the structure of these clumps, potentially leading to new treatments.

Scientists in Israel have demonstrated a promising new technology for early Parkinson's diagnosis, using a variation of MRI to spot tiny, telltale structures forming deep in the brain as the disease progresses.

New research has found an increased risk of several neurological disorders in patients following a bout of COVID-19. The study found the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and stroke all increased in COVID-positive subjects compared to those uninfected.