Clinical trialRSSToday
A company called Photopharmics has finished testing a light therapy device called Celeste for Parkinson's disease. The last patient in the large study has completed all their visits. This is an important step toward potentially getting the device approved for patients to use.
WHY IT MATTERSCompletion of this pivotal trial means Celeste light therapy could move closer to FDA approval, potentially offering Parkinson's patients a new non-drug treatment option if results are positive.
NewsRSSToday
A person with Parkinson's disease shares their personal experience living with the condition and how levodopa medication affects them. They describe having good moments when their body works well and their mind is clear, but these moments don't last. The author emphasizes that everyone's experience with Parkinson's treatment is different, so people should talk to their doctor before making changes to their medications.
WHY IT MATTERSThis first-person account helps other Parkinson's patients understand that fluctuating medication effectiveness and 'on-off' periods are common experiences, validating their own struggles with levodopa management.
Clinical trialRSS2 days ago
A company called Biovie has finished enrolling patients in a study testing a new oral medication called bezisterim for early-stage Parkinson's disease. The medication is being tested as a standalone treatment that patients could take by mouth. The researchers will now analyze all the data collected, with results expected later this year.
WHY IT MATTERSIf bezisterim proves effective in this Phase 2 trial, it could offer Parkinson's patients a new oral treatment option that works alone without requiring combination with other medications.
AdvocacyRSS2 days ago
This article discusses an important challenge that families with Parkinson's disease face: deciding when a loved one should stop driving or reduce their independence due to safety concerns. The piece uses the example of noticing a parent swerving while driving to illustrate how difficult these conversations can be. It explores the tension between keeping someone safe and respecting their right to make their own choices.
WHY IT MATTERSParkinson's disease patients and caregivers need guidance on recognizing when symptoms like freezing episodes or motor control problems make activities like driving unsafe, so they can have informed conversations about maintaining safety without unnecessarily restricting independence.
ResearchRSS3 days ago
Scientists at Texas A&M University found a protective pathway in the brain that could slow Parkinson's disease progression. This pathway involves receptors that respond to nicotine (a chemical in tobacco) but doesn't require actually using tobacco. In mice, increasing these receptors helped prevent Parkinson's symptoms — but only in female mice, not male mice.
WHY IT MATTERSThis sex-specific finding could lead to new Parkinson's treatments tailored differently for women and men, addressing a gap in how the disease progresses differently between sexes.
NewsRSS3 days ago
A family shares their personal story about how their uncle Brandon's Parkinson's disease diagnosis challenged and changed their family's approach to faith and difficult conversations. The article explores how a serious neurological illness forced the family to move beyond surface-level discussions and address deeper emotional and spiritual questions they had previously avoided.
WHY IT MATTERSPersonal stories from families living with Parkinson's disease help newly diagnosed patients and caregivers understand that emotional and spiritual struggles are common, and that open family conversations can be part of the healing process.
PolicyRSS4 days ago
Vermont has become the first state in the US to ban paraquat, a weed-killing chemical that scientists have linked to a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Similar bans are being considered in about a dozen other states, including New York, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. This action is based on research showing that exposure to paraquat may increase the chances of getting Parkinson's disease.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you have Parkinson's disease or a family history of it, this ban reduces your potential exposure to a chemical that research suggests may trigger or worsen the condition.
NewsRSS5 days ago
A 49-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease is celebrating her birthday and reflecting on living with the condition. She shares that she was diagnosed nine years ago and is grateful to be marking another year of life. The article focuses on her personal perspective about managing life with Parkinson's disease.
WHY IT MATTERSThis personal story from someone living with Parkinson's disease for nine years offers patients and caregivers insight into long-term life management and emotional resilience with a progressive neurological condition.
PipelineRSS5 days ago
A company called Cellular Intelligence has bought the rights to develop a new Parkinson's disease treatment from another company called Novo Nordisk. The treatment uses stem cells (special cells that can become different types of cells) from donors. Cellular Intelligence will use artificial intelligence technology to help develop and manufacture this therapy, and Novo Nordisk is investing money in the company to support this work.
WHY IT MATTERSThis acquisition signals renewed investment in stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease, potentially accelerating development of a treatment option that could help patients with progressive motor symptoms who have limited disease-modifying therapies available.
ResearchBIORXIVMay 16
Scientists studied DNA samples and brain cells from 190 people—115 without Parkinson's disease and 75 with it—to understand how genetic differences affect how brain cells work. They used advanced technology to read entire genomes and map which genes are active in different brain cell types. This research helps explain how over 100 genetic risk factors discovered in previous studies actually increase someone's chance of developing Parkinson's disease.
WHY IT MATTERSThis research could eventually help doctors predict who is at highest genetic risk for Parkinson's disease and identify new drug targets by showing exactly how disease-linked genetic variations disrupt brain cell function.
Clinical trialRSSMay 15
A large clinical trial testing a new Parkinson's disease medication called solengepras has finished enrolling 341 patients. This medication works differently than standard Parkinson's drugs and is being tested alongside regular treatments to see if it helps patients who experience movement problems that come and go throughout the day.
WHY IT MATTERSIf solengepras proves effective in this Phase 3 trial, it could offer Parkinson's patients a new treatment option that works through a different mechanism than current dopamine-based therapies, potentially helping those with motor fluctuations who don't respond adequately to standard medications alone.
NewsRSSMay 15
A person with Parkinson's disease is training for a 5K race in June by following a modified training plan that alternates between walking and running for one minute at a time. Instead of running the full distance, this approach makes the goal achievable and helps them appreciate the progress they're making despite their condition.
WHY IT MATTERSThis article shows that people with Parkinson's disease can participate in endurance activities like 5K races by adapting their approach, which may inspire others with the condition to set and pursue fitness goals.
ResearchRSSMay 14
Vyalev is a new under-the-skin pump that delivers Parkinson's disease medication continuously. In a real-world study, it reduced the amount of time patients experienced symptoms and improved both movement problems and some other symptoms like mood or sleep issues. Patients also reported better quality of life.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you have advanced Parkinson's disease and struggle with medication wearing off between doses, Vyalev offers a continuous delivery option that may reduce symptom fluctuations and improve daily functioning.
NewsRSSMay 13
This article shares a family's personal story about how Parkinson's disease changed their uncle Brandon's life. Before his diagnosis, he was very active and social, always organizing gatherings and staying busy. The disease slowed down his movement and energy, which also affected the family's routines and how they spent time together.
WHY IT MATTERSPersonal stories from families living with Parkinson's can help newly diagnosed patients and caregivers understand how the disease affects daily life and relationships beyond just the medical symptoms.
AdvocacyRSSMay 13
The American Parkinson Disease Association released a free card game called ParkinSex: The Game to help people with Parkinson's disease and their partners deal with intimacy problems caused by the disease. Parkinson's can affect physical and emotional closeness between partners. The game is available for free on the APDA website.
WHY IT MATTERSThis resource directly addresses sexual dysfunction and intimacy challenges that many Parkinson's patients experience but rarely discuss with doctors, offering a practical tool to improve quality of life and relationships.
ResearchBIORXIVMay 13
Researchers studied two proteins called GPNMB and glycosphingolipids in blood and spinal fluid samples from Parkinson's disease patients. These proteins may be important markers that show when the brain's waste-disposal system (called lysosomes) isn't working properly in Parkinson's disease. This early-stage research could help doctors better understand and diagnose Parkinson's disease in the future.
WHY IT MATTERSIf GPNMB and glycosphingolipid measurements prove reliable, they could become blood tests that help diagnose Parkinson's disease earlier, before major symptoms appear, potentially allowing earlier treatment.
ResearchRSSMay 12
A large study from South Korea found that people with chronic allergies like asthma and hay fever may have a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Researchers think this happens because allergies cause long-term inflammation in the body, which keeps certain immune cells at high levels. Scientists still need to do more research to understand exactly how allergies and Parkinson's are connected.
WHY IT MATTERSIf you have chronic allergies or asthma, this research suggests managing your allergic inflammation carefully might be one way to potentially reduce your Parkinson's disease risk, though more research is needed to confirm this link.
AdvocacyRSSMay 12
A caregiver shares their experience learning to accept help and support while caring for someone with Parkinson's disease. Because Parkinson's symptoms and medication effects change daily, the caregiver's job also changes constantly. The article highlights how caregivers must adapt to new challenges and learn that asking for and accepting help is an important part of managing this long-term illness.
WHY IT MATTERSCaregivers of people with Parkinson's disease often struggle to accept support, but learning to do so can reduce caregiver burnout and improve the quality of care for both the patient and their support network.
GrantRSSMay 11
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai are receiving $9 million in funding to investigate whether exposure to pesticides and air pollution increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. This study is part of a larger collaborative research effort called the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's initiative. The goal is to understand environmental factors that may trigger or contribute to Parkinson's development.
WHY IT MATTERSIf this research confirms a link between pesticide exposure and Parkinson's risk, it could help patients and their doctors identify preventable environmental triggers and inform lifestyle or occupational safety decisions.
ResearchBIORXIVMay 9
Researchers studied how Parkinson's disease affects men and women differently by examining genetic and protein data from thousands of patients. They found that certain genes and biological pathways that cause Parkinson's work differently in males versus females, which could explain why men and women experience this disease differently. This discovery could lead to treatments designed specifically for each sex.
WHY IT MATTERSUnderstanding sex-specific causes of Parkinson's disease could enable doctors to develop targeted treatments that work better for men or women individually, rather than using one-size-fits-all approaches.