Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder. It occurs when certain nerve cells (neurons) in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra die or become impaired. When approximately 80 percent of neurons are damaged, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear. Parkinson's disease affects 1 in 100 people over the age of 60, with the average age of onset being 60 years. The risk of developing Parkinson's disease increases with age. In the United States, it is estimated that 60,000 new cases of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed each year, with 1.5 million Americans currently living with the disease.

What is Parkinson's Disease?

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the brain. It affects parts of the brain that are associated with normal movement and balance.

Parkinson's Disease Pathophysiology

Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis

Parkinson's Disease Treatment

Parkinson's Disease Prognosis

Parkinson's Disease History

Parkinson's Disease Research

Parkinson's Disease Support

Herpes Virus and Parkinson's Disease

Physiotherapy for Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Compared to Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)

VPS35 Gene and Parkinson's Disease

See more featured articles »

Parkinson's Disease and the Gut Microbiome

Parkinson's Disease and Helicobacter Pylori

Does Exercise Slow Parkinson's Disease Progression?

Human brain may stay active for hours after death

Neurophysiotherapy for Parkinson's Disease

Thalamotomy, Pallidotomy and Subthalamotomy

Estrogen as a Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease and Sleeping Disorders

Uncovering Hidden Symptoms: Hallucinations and Delusions in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson's Disease and the Gut Microbiome

Gut Bacteria Affecting Parkinson’s Treatment

Identifying Early Symptoms in Parkinson’s

Do Antioxidants Benefit Patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s?

Insulin Resistance and Parkinson's Disease

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) Versus Parkinson's Disease

Parkinsonism in Spinocerebellar Ataxia

Where Does Parkinson’s Disease Originate?

Is Appendectomy Linked to Parkinson’s Disease?

Bipolar Disorder and Parkinson’s

Gene Therapies for Parkinson’s Disease

Latest Parkinson's Disease News and Research

New method harnesses light to activate neurons in the brain

University of Rochester researchers have demonstrated a noninvasive method using BL-OG, or bioluminescent optogenetics, that harnesses light to activate neurons in the brain.

3 Oct 2024

NYU Langone secures NIH award to explore eye imaging for early detection of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

Researchers at NYU Langone Health were awarded $1.6 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate changes in the eye that may indicate early signs of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

2 Oct 2024

NIH grant supports research on cognitive decline in individuals with Lewy body diseases

Penn Medicine researchers will advance their understanding of the underlying causes of cognitive decline in individuals with Lewy body diseases, like Parkinson's, and identify biomarkers that predict which individuals are more likely to develop dementia with a $18 million grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging.

30 Sep 2024

Speech recognition technology shows significant gains for people with dysarthria

As Mark Hasegawa-Johnson combed through data from his latest project, he was pleasantly surprised to uncover a recipe for Eggs Florentine. Sifting through hundreds of hours of recorded speech will unearth a treasure or two, he said.

27 Sep 2024

Computational study identifies spinal circuit that modulates stretch reflexes

How did the bodies of animals, including ours, become such fine-tuned movement machines? How vertebrates coordinate the eternal tug-o-war between involuntary reflexes and seamless voluntary movements is a mystery that Francisco Valero-Cuevas' Lab in USC Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, set out to understand.

26 Sep 2024

Purine metabolism disruptions highlighted as crucial in Parkinson’s disease development

Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder globally, has long baffled scientists with its progressive nature and debilitating effects on motor function.

26 Sep 2024

Study uncovers decision-making impairments linked to Parkinson's drug

Parkinson's disease (PD), also known simply as Parkinson's, is a disorder of the nervous system that affects millions of people worldwide.

24 Sep 2024

Breakthrough research reveals key role of melatonin receptor in REM sleep

A significant breakthrough in the understanding of sleep mechanism opens new promise for treating sleep disorders and associated neuropsychiatric conditions: Scientists have pinpointed the melatonin receptor MT1 as a crucial regulator of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

23 Sep 2024

New model explains how the brain restores walking rhythm after disruptions

Walking is an activity that is often taken for granted. Most people usually think they can multitask by "walking and chewing gum" simultaneously with hardly any taxation of their mental effort.

20 Sep 2024

Novel drug molecule offers hope for early Parkinson's disease treatment

A novel drug molecule could potentially lead to new treatments to prevent Parkinson's disease in younger patients, according to new research.

20 Sep 2024

Study links diabetes drugs to lower risk of dementia and Parkinson's disease

A class of drugs for diabetes may be associated with a lower risk of dementia and Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the September 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Sep 2024

Air pollution drives higher Parkinson’s risk and worsens symptoms in affected patients

Higher air pollution levels, particularly PM2.5 and NO2, significantly increase the risk of Parkinson's disease and worsen clinical outcomes like dyskinesia.

17 Sep 2024

Wearable sensors developed to detect brain disorders through eye movement

A University of Houston engineering team has developed wearable sensors to examine eye movement to assess brain disorders or damage to the brain.

16 Sep 2024

Scientists develop selective therapy for tau tangles

Scientists have developed new potential therapies that selectively remove aggregated tau proteins, which are associated with Alzheimer's disease, and improve symptoms of neurodegeneration in mice.

14 Sep 2024

Study links protein increases to cognitive improvement in Alzheimer's

A study published in the journal Brain shows that increases in protein levels with new Alzheimer's drugs can explain the slowing of cognitive impairment at least as well as the reduction in amyloid plaques.

11 Sep 2024

Insulin resistance linked to 31 diseases and higher early death risk in women

Insulin resistance is associated with 31 different diseases and, in women, is also linked to higher odds of an early death, a study of data on hundreds of thousands of people in the UK being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (9-13 September), has found.

9 Sep 2024

New insights into stiff-person syndrome, advancing diagnosis and treatment

Research explores the complexities of diagnosing and treating stiff-person syndrome, emphasizing the uncertain role of GAD antibodies and the promise of novel therapies.

5 Sep 2024

Allen Institute and NYSCF launch collaboration to create inclusive cellular models

Today, the Allen Institute for Cell Science and New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) announced a pioneering collaboration to address this critical issue, combining two cutting-edge technologies to create more inclusive cellular models for studying disease.

4 Sep 2024

Does air pollution drive dementia?

Chronic air pollution exposure is a key factor in dementia development, with pollutants like PM2.5 and NO2 linked to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration.

4 Sep 2024

Major trial to test multiple drugs for progressive supranuclear palsy

A clinical trial that will test three drugs concurrently, and could include more, represents new hope for patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that usually kills within seven years after symptoms start.

3 Sep 2024