Parkinson’s
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 [...]
New artificial intelligence software can spot subtle movement changes in Parkinson's disease from video recordings before they are visible to clinicians. The technology analyses finger-tapping movements to find changes invisible to the human eye, potentially enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment. The AI system, called VisionMD, was developed by a team at the University of Florida [...]
A virus long thought to be harmless may play a role in Parkinson’s disease, new research suggests. Scientists at Northwestern Medicine detected Human Pegivirus (HPgV) in the brains and spinal fluid of people with Parkinson’s, but not in those without the condition. The virus appeared in half of the Parkinson’s brain samples examined but was [...]
UK-based NRG Therapeutics has raised US$67m (£50m) in series B financing to take its lead drug for Parkinson’s disease and ALS into first-in-human clinical trials. The fundraising round was led by the Dementia Discovery Fund, alongside the venture arms of Novartis and Merck KGaA. The series B funding will support Phase 1 trials of NRG5051, [...]
