Parkinson’s
Scientists have identified an enzyme that protects brain cells from Parkinson's disease by regulating how mitochondria — the cell’s energy producers — are recycled and replaced. The protein complex, known as PP2A-B55α, acts as a molecular switch that determines whether cells repair or create mitochondria, maintaining the energy balance vital for neuron survival. Mitochondria are [...]
People with restless leg syndrome may be up to 60 per cent more likely to develop Parkinson's disease, new research suggests. The condition, which affects up to 10 per cent of the population and is more common in women, causes an unpleasant crawling sensation in the legs, usually at night, and an almost irresistible urge [...]
Deep brain stimulation has been shown to ease symptoms and improve quality of life for people with Parkinson's, with benefits lasting five years, a major US study has found. The trial, conducted across 23 movement disorder centres, was the largest prospective long-term study of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease. Nearly 200 patients received [...]
Scientists have developed a molecule that prevents toxic protein clumping in Parkinson's disease, demonstrating its effect in an animal model. Researchers at the University of Bath, working with the Universities of Oxford and Bristol, engineered a peptide fragment that locks alpha-synuclein – a protein that forms toxic clumps in Parkinson's – into its healthy shape, [...]
Scientists have, for the first time, directly visualised and quantified the protein clusters believed to trigger Parkinson’s, marking a major advance in the study of the world’s fastest-growing neurological disease. These tiny clusters, called alpha-synuclein oligomers, have long been considered the likely culprits for Parkinson’s disease to start developing in the brain, but until now, [...]
Around 166,000 people have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the UK alone. That figure is expected to grow to 272,000 by 2034. As the search for a cure continues, patients continue to seek treatments that can reduce symptoms and improve their quality of life. One well-established treatment is deep brain stimulation (DBS), which has been [...]
Scientists have created tiny capsules that deliver anti-inflammatory proteins to reduce brain inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's disease. The system, named AstroCapsules, encloses human astrocytes – star-shaped brain cells that support healthy nervous system function – inside small, biocompatible hydrogel containers. When equipped with an anti-inflammatory protein called interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), the encapsulated [...]
Oral bacteria that settle in the gut may produce chemicals that damage brain cells and play a role in Parkinson's disease, researchers have suggested. Scientists found that Streptococcus mutans – the bacterium responsible for tooth decay – was more common in the guts of Parkinson’s patients than in healthy people. The finding adds to the case for [...]
A protein that helps organise brain cell connections has been identified by researchers, offering potential new ways to treat brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers from Michigan State University and Rutgers University–New Brunswick have found that a protein called cypin acts as a “librarian” in the brain. It tags and arranges other proteins in the [...]
Emerging research is exploring the potential of photobiomodulation (PBM) - a light-based therapy targeting the gut-brain axis- as a promising new treatment for Parkinson’s disease. A recently published clinical trial, conducted on 60 participants in Canada, reported clinically significant improvements in multiple Parkinson’s symptoms following treatment with photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy. The results, presented last month at [...]
