Parkinson’s
Vitamin B6 made by gut bacteria may help nerve cells in the brain produce dopamine, according to animal research into Parkinson’s disease. Tests in worms and mice found that bacteria producing the vitamin may help cells make dopamine, a chemical involved in motor control that is lacking in Parkinson’s. Giving vitamin B6 to mice that [...]
The most comprehensive analysis yet undertaken of Parkinson's drug trials has found that research aimed at slowing or stopping the condition now accounts for the majority of new trials, overtaking symptom management for the first time in the history of the field. The study, published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, was carried out by [...]
A stem-cell brain transplant for Parkinson’s has passed an initial safety test after eight patients received the treatment. No serious side effects linked to the transplanted cells were recorded during the first year of follow-up. The treatment aims to replace dopamine-producing nerve cells lost through Parkinson’s disease, potentially addressing the underlying damage rather than only [...]
An enzyme-targeting approach may offer a new route to treating Parkinson’s disease and traumatic brain injury (TBI), research in mice suggests. Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and affects more than 10m people worldwide. Current treatments address symptoms but do not prevent the underlying loss of nerve cells that drives the disease. [...]
A Parkinson’s technology company has secured a €317,762 EU grant to extend its monitoring algorithms to third-party wearable devices. InSignals Neurotech will use the funding to enable its proprietary algorithms to operate remotely through devices including smartwatches and smart rings. The development aims to support continuous monitoring of Parkinson’s disease outside clinical settings. [...]
Sport Parkinson's co-founder Charlie Appleyard has been awarded an MBE for services to people with Parkinson’s and fundraising. Appleyard with Parkinson’s, a progressive neurological condition that mainly affects movement, after being diagnosed with the condition in 2016 at the age of 39. Despite the daily challenges he faces, Appleyard has championed more [...]
Too many Parkinson's patients and others are missing life-saving medication or getting it late in overcrowded A&Es, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has warned. The RCEM shared findings on 3 June from its latest Quality Improvement Programme report. RCEM’s Quality Improvement Programmes aim to drive improvements in specific areas of practice within A&E [...]
A singer with Parkinson's has used AI to continue his music career after symptoms made guitar playing increasingly difficult. London-based singer-songwriter Samuel Smith, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2020, recently released his second album, The Art of Letting Go. For Horizon, an instrumental track on the album, Smith used AI [...]
Vermont has become the first US state to ban paraquat, amid concerns over studies linking the herbicide to Parkinson’s disease. Phil Scott, the governor, signed the legislation on Tuesday. The new law takes effect on November 1, although it allows state regulators to issue special permits for paraquat use on fruit-producing tree orchards, berries and [...]
US researchers have developed a robotic hand that can hear a melody once and play it back after just two minutes of self-taught practice on a keyboard, without relying on sheet music or pre-programmed scores. The scientists say that the approach could pave the way for new Parkinson’s therapies. The hand grew so capable that [...]
