Movement disorders News and Research

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Spiritual care should be routine for patients with neurological diseases

People living with neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, dementia and epilepsy face not only physical decline, but also profound questions about identity, purpose, and meaning.

9 Mar 2026

A hidden movement map discovered in the brain’s insula

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a hidden "movement map" deep within the brain - a discovery that could help surgeons reduce side effects from epilepsy procedures and guide future treatments for speech and movement disorders.

4 Mar 2026

Misdiagnosed Parkinson's patient regains life after NPH treatment

At age 66, Richard "Dick" Nash first suspected something might be wrong when he participated in a Dallas walk for juvenile diabetes in honor of his granddaughter.

26 Feb 2026

Brain injury protein in the blood could help estimate biological age in animals

The protein "neurofilament light chain" (NfL) – studied in humans in the context of neurodegenerative diseases and aging – is also detectable in the blood of numerous animals, and NfL levels increase with age in mice, cats, dogs, and horses.

20 Feb 2026

Study elucidates key steps in the ubiquitin tagging of mutated huntingtin protein

Researchers have elucidated key steps in the ubiquitin tagging of the mutated huntingtin protein, providing hope for future therapies.

5 Feb 2026

Stem cell implants aim to restore dopamine in Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than one million people in the United States, with approximately 90,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

5 Feb 2026

Brain network discovery opens new path for Parkinson’s treatment

Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder affecting more than 1 million people in the U.S. and more than 10 million globally, is characterized by debilitating symptoms such as tremors, movement difficulties, sleep disturbances and cognitive impairments.

4 Feb 2026

New wearable device may reduce hand tremors linked with neurological conditions

UBC Okanagan researchers have advanced their work on developing a non-invasive, accessible way to reduce uncontrolled hand tremors.

30 Jan 2026

Neuronal master switch reshapes brain activity during learning

Memories and learning processes are based on changes in the brain's neuronal connections and, as a result, in signal transmission between neurons.

23 Dec 2025

Physical activity may help restore ease of movement and agility during aging

The brain-chemical surge that comes with running may bolster coordination and speed in the old and young alike, a new study of middle-aged mice shows.

9 Dec 2025

Researchers launch phase 2 trial to test swallowing therapy for people with early Parkinson's

Swallowing difficulties, or dysphagia, affect up to 80% of people with Parkinson's disease and can lead to serious complications, including malnutrition, aspiration and reduced quality of life.

24 Nov 2025

Study highlights need for XDP specific diagnostic assays

Scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School have developed a targeted genetic test to improve diagnosis for X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP), a rare and disabling movement disorder that affects primarily men of Filipino ancestry.

17 Nov 2025

Smartphones match traditional methods in monitoring patients with muscular dystrophy

Stanford Medicine researchers found that a smartphone could monitor patients with two types of muscular dystrophy as well as traditional methods and diagnose conditions more accurately — at no cost.

3 Nov 2025

Boston Children's Hospital secures $8.1M for spastic paraplegia research

Boston Children's Hospital has received $8.1M in NIH funding to support and expand the Spastic Paraplegia Centers of Excellence Research Network (SP-CERN). Darius Ebrahimi-Fakhari, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Movement Disorders Program at Boston Children's, and his team will lead this multi-center effort.

24 Oct 2025

Huawei smartwatch nearly matches gold-standard sleep test

A study reveals the HUAWEI WATCH GT2 smartwatch accurately tracks sleep stages, yet it falls short in diagnosing sleep disorders compared to PSG.

7 Oct 2025

Impaired spatial orientation found in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease

Individuals with an increased risk for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease can have impaired spatial orientation skills.

3 Sep 2025

New neurochemical signature distinguishes Parkinson’s disease from essential tremor

Researchers have identified a neurochemical signature that sets Parkinson's disease apart from essential tremor - two of the most common movement disorders, but each linked to distinct changes in the brain.

2 Sep 2025

Texas Children’s successfully treats AADC deficiency using FDA-approved gene therapy

Texas Children's is pleased to announce that a three-year-old girl has been successfully treated with the first-ever FDA-approved gene therapy treatment for AADC deficiency.

19 Aug 2025

Leg movement variability provides reliable marker of dystonia in pediatric cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy affects around one in 345 children in the U.S., and more than half of them experience a problem called dystonia - involuntary and often painful muscle contractions, most commonly in the legs, that lead to abnormal movement and postures and make regular activities such as walking difficult.

14 Aug 2025

Brain aging may be slower and more layered than previously thought

The human brain ages less than thought and in layers – at least in the area of the cerebral cortex responsible for the sense of touch.

11 Aug 2025