Parkinson’s Disease – Page 10

Single-gene treatment cures mice of Parkinson’s within three months

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Nick Lavars

Mouse astrocytes (green) before reprogramming on the left, and on the right after being converted into neurons

While there are ways to alleviate some symptoms, there is currently no way to prevent or cure Parkinson’s disease, so the prospect of a one-off treatment that completely eliminates it is certainly an exciting one. While such a therapy remains a while off, scientists have demonstrated an exciting proof of concept in mice, whereby inhibiting a single gene as a one-time treatment eradicated the disease entirely, and kept it at bay for the remainder of their lives.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: University of California, Parkinson’s Disease, Neurological, UC San Diego

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Parkinson’s linked to overabundance of opportunistic gut pathogens

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Nick Lavars

Research continues to shine a light on the role gut bacteria might play in Parkinson's disease

As a disease without a cure or means of prevention, there is a lot we don’t know about Parkinson’s and the way it takes hold in the human body. One school of thought is that it actually begins in the gut, and a new study has strengthened these ties by identifying a type of overabundant pathogen in the guts of Parkinson’s disease patients, a novel finding that opens up new lines of enquiry in understanding the root causes of the condition.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: University of Alabama, Parkinson’s Disease, Gut Bacteria, New Atlas Audio

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Positive early Alzheimer’s trial results for repurposed cancer drug

Posted on June 3, 2020 by Rich Haridy

A drug originally developed to treat leukemia, and approved for use in the United States in 2007, has shown promise for treating Alzheimer's

Encouraging results from a small Phase 2 human trial testing the effects of a cancer drug in treating Alzheimer’s disease have been published in the journal Annals of Neurology. The data suggests the drug is safe, well-tolerated and alters biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s. A larger efficacy study is currently planned.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Brain, Protein, Parkinson’s Disease, Georgetown University

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Tag team of molecules boost motor function in Parkinson’s study

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Nick Lavars

A research team has uncovered a pair of molecules that offer a promising pathway forward for treating Parkinsons's disease

The progression of Parkinson’s disease is tied to a compromised production of dopamine in the brain, so a great deal of research centers on techniques that can shore up supplies of the key neurotransmitter. Scientists at Harvard University and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have uncovered a pair of molecules that have shown significant potential in this regard, boosting dopamine production in mice with Parkinson’s and greatly improving their motor function as a result.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Parkinson’s Disease, Harvard, Nanyang Technological University

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Parkinson’s discovery implicates “second brain” in the gut

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Nick Lavars

The evidence is become more and more compelling that Parkinson's may be associated with the gut

A growing body of evidence is forging a stronger and stronger connection between the onset of Parkinson’s disease and the gut. Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have thrown further weight behind this theory, with an investigation of cellular behavior in the nervous system of the digestive system revealing possible tell-tale signs at the earliest stages of the disease.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Parkinson’s Disease, University of North Carolina, Karolinska Institutet, Brain

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Blood analysis reveals signs of Parkinson’s 10 years before diagnosis

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Nick Lavars

Clumps of a damaged protein called alpha-synuclein gather on the dopamine-producing brain cells of patients with Parkinson's disease, triggering an autoimmune response from T cells

In 2017, scientists at Columbia University found the first direct evidence that autoimmunity may play a role in the onset of Parkinson’s disease. The same team has been working to fill in this timeline of physiological events and uncovered further evidence of how the immune system contributes to the development of the disease, potentially opening up new windows of opportunity for early intervention.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: LaJolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, Columbia University, Parkinson’s Disease, Autoimmune, New Atlas Audio

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Printed Brain Implants Give New Meaning to Neuroplasticity

Posted on April 15, 2020 by Kristina Panos

3D printing has opened up a world of possibilities in plastic, food, concrete, and other materials. Now, MIT engineers have found a way to add brain implants to the list. This technology has the potential to replace electrodes used for monitoring and implants that stimulate brain tissue in order to …read more

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Experimental Parkinson’s drug reduces involuntary movement in monkeys

Posted on March 2, 2020 by Nick Lavars

A drug targeting the brain's serotonin system has showed an ability to reduce Parkinson's symptoms in a newly published study

Parkinson’s patients can suffer from a range of symptoms affecting their movement including something known as dyskinesia, which causes involuntary motion of body parts and makes everyday tasks a tricky undertaking. A new study exploring the potential of an experimental drug to reduce its severity has returned some promising results, with monkeys undergoing treatment exhibiting much improved symptoms thereafter.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Parkinson’s Disease

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Pingpong “significantly improves” Parkinson’s symptoms in pilot study

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Nick Lavars

A pilot study has found that regular ping pong sessions may improve symptoms in elderly Parkinson's patients

In calling for sharp hand-eye coordination, alertness and quick reflexes, pingpong (or table tennis to its more serious practitioners) has come to be seen as a useful therapy for a number of ailments, in particular Alzheimer’s, dementia and those associated with the brain. Researchers in Japan have turned their eye to its potential to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, with a six-month preliminary study pointing to significant improvements in the participant’s ability to carry out a variety of everyday tasks.

Category: Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle

Tags: Parkinson’s Disease, Fukuoka University, New Atlas Audio

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New evidence of gut-brain connection in Parkinson’s disease

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Rich Haridy

A new study builds on the growing hypothesis that Parkinson's disease may not originate in the brain

A new paper published in the journal Nature Neuroscience is adding weight to the growing hypothesis suggesting the toxic protein clumps that cause Parkinson’s Disease begin aggregating in the gut before travelling to the brain. The study, led by scientists from Caltech, points to a particular enzyme that may prevent these proteins from initially clustering in the gut.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Parkinson’s Disease, Brain, Neurological, Caltech, Enzyme, New Atlas Audio

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