Levodopa News and Research

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Ceftazidime flagged as a potential inhibitor of the SARS-COV-2 virus

After screening more than 3,500 FDA-approved drugs and small molecules, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that ceftazidime, an antibiotic approved for use in treating pneumonia, binds to the receptors that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) binds to in human cells.

17 Sep 2020

NTU-incubated start-up plans clinical trial of new slow-release pill for Parkinson’s disease

Materials scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a new pill which uses the stomach as a drug reservoir and delivers medicines slowly over time to patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

16 Sep 2020

Parkinson's disease drug may improve vision in patients with age-related macular degeneration

Investigators have determined that treating patients with an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with levodopa, a safe and readily available drug commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease, stabilized and improved their vision.

10 Sep 2020

New project improves timely administration of drugs to hospitalized Parkinson's patients

Timely administration of anti-Parkinson drugs is a significant issue for hospitalized patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with late or missed doses resulting in longer stays and worse outcomes.

9 Jul 2020

Research reveals mechanism underlying Parkinson's dyskinesia

Many people with Parkinson's disease eventually develop debilitating movements called dyskinesia, a side effect of their much-needed dopamine replacement medication.

3 May 2020

Experimental drug offers hope for improving movement symptoms of Parkinson's

Results from a study looking at an experimental drug to tackle the debilitating side effect of dyskinesia, have offered hope that it may have potential as a future treatment for people with Parkinson's.

2 Mar 2020

New radiotracer to improve image-based differential diagnostics of Parkinson’s disease

An interdisciplinary team from the Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research headed by Prof. Peter Brust has won HZDR's (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf) third Innovation Contest.

27 Feb 2020

Study shows nilotinib drug is safe and well tolerated in patients with Parkinson's disease

A clinical trial investigating the repurposed cancer drug nilotinib in people with Parkinson's disease finds that it is reasonably safe and well tolerated.

17 Dec 2019

Researchers identify new factors associated with higher mortality rates in Parkinson's patients

By following a group of newly diagnosed patients with Parkinson's disease for a decade or more, researchers have been able to identify several factors never before reported that appear to be associated with higher mortality rates in PD patients compared to the general population.

8 Nov 2019

Does bipolar disorder increase the risk of Parkinson's disease?

A review published by the JAMA Network has found that the risk of Parkinson's disease is significantly higher in those with bipolar disorder.

18 Oct 2019

Novel clinical trial to examine use of cannabidiol in people with Parkinson's-related psychosis

A pioneering clinical trial will investigate the use of cannabidiol (CBD) - a compound found in the cannabis plant - in people with Parkinson's-related psychosis.

14 Oct 2019

Penn researchers to develop critical tool for imaging the brains of patients with Parkinson's

Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania will lead a multi-institutional effort in pursuit of developing a critical tool for imaging the brains of patients with Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

10 Oct 2019

New review provides knowledge about sex-related differences in Parkinson's disease

There is growing evidence that Parkinson's disease affects women and men differently. In this insightful review, published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, scientists present the most recent knowledge about these sex-related differences and highlight the significance of estrogens, which play an important role in the sex differences in PD.

25 Sep 2019

Prilenia's lead compound selected to participate in first-ever ALS platform trial

Prilenia, a newly formed biotech company focused on developing novel treatments for neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, announces that Pridopidine, its lead compound, has been selected as the first of three potential new treatments to be included in the launch of the first ever platform trial in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

19 Sep 2019

Johns Hopkins researchers reveal why deep brain stimulation improves Parkinson’s symptoms

In a new study of seven people with Parkinson’s disease, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that deep brain stimulation using electrical impulses jumpstarts the nerve cells that produce the chemical messenger dopamine to reduce tremors and muscle rigidity that are the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease, and increases feelings of well-being.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 21 Aug 2019

New study analyzes impulsivity in Parkinson's patients treated with Deep Brain Stimulation

Promises of food, sums of money or entertaining pastimes: it does not matter what the temptation is, a new study shows that patients suffering from Parkinson's disease who are treated with Deep Brain Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus are not more impulsive than others when making decisions about a stimulus that they find particularly appealing.

26 Feb 2019

Experts highlight emerging evidence of impending Parkinson’s disease pandemic

For most of human history Parkinson's disease (PD) has been a rare disorder. However, demography and the by-products of industrialization a now contributing to an impending a Parkinson's pandemic, according to experts writing in a supplement to the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.

29 Jan 2019

Study reveals link between dopamine and reward responses in humans when listening to music

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reveals a causal link between dopamine and the reward responses in humans when listening to music.

25 Jan 2019

Study shows how gut bacteria affect the treatment of Parkinson's disease

Patients with Parkinson's disease are treated with levodopa, which is converted into dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain. In a study published on 18 January in the journal Nature Communications, scientists from the University of Groningen show that gut bacteria can metabolize levodopa into dopamine.

18 Jan 2019

Combining toxic herbicide with sugar-binding proteins may trigger Parkinsonism

Combining low doses of a toxic herbicide with sugar-binding proteins called lectins may trigger Parkinsonism -- symptoms typical of Parkinson's disease like body tremors and slowing of body motions -- after the toxin travels from the stomach to the brain.

4 Dec 2018