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

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Thalamotomy, Pallidotomy and Subthalamotomy

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Parkinson’s Disease and Sleeping Disorders

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Parkinson's Disease and the Gut Microbiome

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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

Novel antisense therapy targets α-synuclein pathologies in neurodegenerative diseases

TMDU researchers demonstrate proof of concept of antisense nucleic acid therapy to prevent the spread of α-synuclein pathologies in synucleinopathies.

25 Jul 2024

High belly and arm fat linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's risk

People with high levels of body fat stored in their belly or arms may be more likely to develop diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's than people with low levels of fat in these areas, according to a study published in the July 24, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

24 Jul 2024

WVU researchers explore immune cell interactions in multiple sclerosis

A West Virginia University immunologist is exploring how the interaction between two types of immune cells within the central nervous system covering causes multiple sclerosis to develop.

24 Jul 2024

Review highlights hidden gut-brain connection in neurological disorders

Research reveals the gut microbiota-brain axis as a critical link in understanding and treating neurological disorders through microbial interventions.

23 Jul 2024

Discovery of key proteins that regulate mitophagy could unlock new Parkinson's disease treatments Researchers At WEHI ...

Researchers at WEHI in collaboration with a team at the University of Vienna have discovered two proteins that act as regulators for mitophagy.

23 Jul 2024

New preclinical model offers a unique platform for studying Parkinson's disease process

A new preclinical model offers a unique platform for studying the Parkinson's disease process and suggests a relatively easy method for detecting the disease in people, according to a new study led by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers.

23 Jul 2024

Beyond the anti-obesity benefits of glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs

The advantages of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medicines beyond glycemic and weight control.

23 Jul 2024

Blood test may aid early detection of Parkinson's and guide treatment strategies

To date Parkinson's disease (PD) is diagnosed clinically and rather late in the course of the disease. There is an urgent need to find an objective, quantifiable biomarker for the diagnosis of this highly prevalent movement disorder. Researchers have now found initial evidence that a blood test to detect the alpha-synuclein protein is a viable, less invasive option to diagnose PD. The study appears in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, published by IOS Press, now part of Sage.

23 Jul 2024

Combination therapy incorporating three existing drugs shows potential for treating retinal degenerations

Drug repurposing shows promise in the treatment of retinal degenerations, according to a new study by an international team of researchers, published in Nature Communications.

22 Jul 2024

Saffron: A golden remedy for modern health challenges

Review highlights saffron's potential in preventing and treating various human diseases through its bioactive compounds. Clinical and preclinical studies confirm saffron's benefits in conditions like maculopathy, depression, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer.

21 Jul 2024

Novel insights into how exercise functions as an antidepressant

Researchers from University College London propose a novel framework linking reduced inflammation and boosted dopamine transmission through exercise to alleviate depressive symptoms.

18 Jul 2024

Weill Cornell researchers define three Parkinson's subtypes with machine learning

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have used machine learning to define three subtypes of Parkinson's disease based on the pace at which the disease progresses.

16 Jul 2024

Study analyzes lack of palliative care referrals for nursing home residents

Palliative care, specialized medical care focusing on providing relief from the symptoms -- including pain -- and the stress of serious illness, is underutilized in nursing homes, despite the large number of nursing home residents living with a serious illness such as cancer, dementia, Parkinson's disease, heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

16 Jul 2024

Study reveals altered neural signature in patients with depression

As parents, teachers and pet owners can attest, rewards play a huge role in shaping behaviors in humans and animals.

15 Jul 2024

Unraveling the role of liquid-liquid phase separation in neurodegenerative diseases

Liquid-liquid phase separation is not a precursor to formation of amyloid fibrils, a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease, shows study.

15 Jul 2024

Review highlights unique characteristics and mechanisms of ferroptosis

Junxia Min, Fudi Wang, et al., at Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China, provided an in-depth review on the programmed cell death known as ferroptosis, which is driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation.

14 Jul 2024

Study links OCD improvement to brain activity shift

A recent study from Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital has identified a specific neural activity pattern as a novel biomarker to accurately predict and monitor the clinical status of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS), a rapidly emerging therapeutic approach for severe psychiatric disorders. The study, led by led by Drs. Sameer Sheth and Wayne Goodman along with co-lead authors, Drs. Nicole Provenza, Sandy Reddy, and Anthony Allam, was published in Nature Medicine.

13 Jul 2024

Immune cell inflammation may be responsible for some severe symptoms in lysosomal storage diseases

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found that inflammation in an immune cell may be responsible in part for some severe symptoms in a group of rare genetic conditions called lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs).

12 Jul 2024

LSVT LOUD outperforms NHS speech and language therapy for people with Parkinson's disease

An intensive voice treatment developed in the USA and known as the Lee Silverman voice treatment (LSVT LOUD) is more effective than conventional NHS speech and language therapy or no therapy for people with Parkinson's disease, finds a trial published in The BMJ today.

11 Jul 2024

Animal model sheds light on the role understudied brain organ in repairing stroke damage

University of Cincinnati researchers have pioneered an animal model that sheds light on the role an understudied organ in the brain has in repairing damage caused by stroke.

9 Jul 2024