Neurodegenerative Disorder News and Research

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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 Parkinson's disease start in the brain or gut?

Does Parkinson's disease start in the brain or the gut? In a new contribution published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, scientists hypothesize that PD can be divided into two subtypes: gut-first, originating in the peripheral nervous system of the gut and spreading to the brain; and brain-first, originating in the brain, or entering the brain via the olfactory system, and spreading to the brainstem and peripheral nervous system.

7 Nov 2019

When caring for a sick spouse shakes a marriage to the core

For a dozen years, Larry Bocchiere, 68, didn't find it especially difficult to care for his wife, Deborah, who struggled with breathing problems. But as her illness took a downward turn, he became overwhelmed by stress.

7 Nov 2019

New approach holds great potential to track tremor severity in Parkinson's patients

One of the hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD) is tremors. This involuntary movement disorder reduces quality of life by interrupting patients' activities such as writing and eating.

30 Oct 2019

Pluripotent stem cells help advance understanding of how Huntington's disease develops

Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal hereditary disease for which there is no cure. A novel study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, using pluripotent stem cells advances understanding of how the disease develops and may help pave the way for identifying pathways for future treatments.

21 Oct 2019

Scientists use patient-derived neurons to develop new treatment strategy for Parkinson's disease

Northwestern Medicine scientists have used patient-derived neurons to develop and test a new strategy to treat Parkinson's disease by mitigating the effects of harmful genetic mutations, as detailed in a study published today (Oct. 16) in Science Translational Medicine.

16 Oct 2019

Understanding protein aggregation over time can help decipher early stages of Parkinson's

One of the biggest difficulties in treating Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is the understanding of when it starts.

11 Oct 2019

Researchers develop customized drug treatment to bypass patient’s unique mutation

An unprecedented case at Boston Children's Hospital shows that it's possible to do something that's never been done before: identify a patient's unique mutation, design a customized drug to bypass it, manufacture and test the drug, and obtain permission from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin treating the patient -- all in less than one year.

11 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

Genetic engineering could open possibilities for patients with Parkinson’s disease

People with Parkinson’s disease experience loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, leading to tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability, the primary symptoms of the disease.

11 Sep 2019

Simple urine analysis can be used to quickly identify brain trauma and expedite treatment

A traumatic brain injury is often easily suspected and can be confirmed and treated if necessary following an injury using a blood analysis, but scientists are reporting that even one mild blast to the brain can cause very subtle but permanent damage as well.

5 Sep 2019

Resistance to 'hunger hormone' linked with cognitive impairments and memory loss

Scientists at The University of Texas at Dallas have found evidence suggesting that resistance to the "hunger hormone" ghrelin in the brain is linked to the cognitive impairments and memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease.

4 Sep 2019

Fatigue symptoms in Parkinson's disease linked to reduction in diastolic blood pressure

In a novel research study published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, investigators found that fatigue symptoms in Parkinson's Disease are associated with low diastolic blood pressure, paving the way for developing targeted treatments.

22 Aug 2019

Novel therapeutic strategy for treating Lafora Disease shows promise in preclinical study

A team of scientists have designed and tested in mice a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for treating Lafora Disease, a fatal form of childhood epilepsy.

25 Jul 2019

Scientists discover pathway that prevents buildup of Alzheimer's protein

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have discovered a pathway that functions like a car wash to prevent the buildup of a toxic protein associated with Alzheimer's disease. The report appeared online today in the journal Cell.

28 Jun 2019

Largest study finds CTE in 6% of athletes and non-athletes

Nearly 6% of athletes and non-athletes were found to have the neurodegenerative disorder chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the largest, and broadest, study conducted of the disease to date.

23 Jun 2019

Scientists identify potential target for Parkinson's treatment

An international research team led by scientists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has identified a potential target for therapeutics that might help slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

12 Jun 2019

Scientists find ragweed compounds as potential neuroprotective agents

As spring arrives in the northern hemisphere, many people are cursing ragweed, a primary culprit in seasonal allergies.

15 May 2019

A gene regulatory multi-tool plays key role in unjamming the genome after DNA damage

A protein complex that is involved in nearly every step in the regulatory control of gene expression in cells has now been shown also to play a key role in clearing potential traffic jams in the production of RNA.

5 Apr 2019

Researchers identify blood-based biomarkers of Parkinson's disease

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Arizona State University have received funding from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to launch a multi-year, $1.7-million effort to identify blood-based biomarkers of Parkinson's disease, which could improve care and accelerate new treatments for the neurodegenerative disorder, which affects nearly 1 million Americans, with 60,000 new cases diagnosed annually.

5 Feb 2019