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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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 protein discovery may contribute to improving the diagnosis of Dementia with Lewy Bodies

A research team led by Associate Professor Ayako Okado-Matsumoto from the Department of Biology at Toho University has made a significant finding that sheds new light on Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB).

27 Jun 2025

Parse Biosciences GigaLab to support Mount Sinai researchers in generating one of the largest Alzheimer's and Parkinson's single cell datasets

Parse Biosciences today announced their commitment to support researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in generating one of the largest single cell datasets focused on understanding alternative splicing events in the cells of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients.

From Parse Biosciences 26 Jun 2025

New PET radiotracer offers clearer view of brain inflammation

A newly developed PET radiotracer has shown the ability to produce high-quality images of real-time brain inflammation, according to research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2025 Annual Meeting.

24 Jun 2025

New 3D model reveals how nose stem cells support sense of smell

Using a newly devised, three-dimensional model to study the regeneration of nerve tissue in the nose, researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) and colleagues have discovered that one type of stem cell thought to be dormant may play a more significant role in preserving the sense of smell than originally believed.

19 Jun 2025

T cells play key role in early stages of Parkinson’s disease

Your T cells work hard to fight disease. Unfortunately, "friendly fire" from T cells can sometimes harm the body's healthy tissues.

19 Jun 2025

New screening method for Parkinson's analyzes odors in ear wax

Most treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD) only slow disease progression. Early intervention for the neurological disease that worsens over time is therefore critical to optimize care, but that requires early diagnosis.

18 Jun 2025

Equal access, unequal impact: Parkinson’s hits minorities harder in the UK

Researchers in East London found that South Asian and Black Parkinson’s disease patients experience more severe motor and cognitive symptoms than White patients. Despite similar access to diagnosis, disparities persist, highlighting the need for more inclusive and culturally sensitive care.

18 Jun 2025

Rising temperatures linked to more severe sleep apnea worldwide

Sleep apnea will become more common and more severe due to global warming, leading to increased health and economic burdens across the globe, warn Flinders University sleep experts.

16 Jun 2025

New 3D model reveals hidden role of stem cells in sense of smell

11 Jun 2025

How Parkinson’s disease affects emotion recognition of voices

A new study in Neurodegenerative Diseases looks closely at how Parkinson’s disease can affect something as everyday and essential as recognizing emotion in someone’s voice.

From S. Karger AG 11 Jun 2025

Using causal machine learning to identify potential ALS treatments

Potential treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases may already be out there in the form of drugs prescribed for other conditions.

10 Jun 2025

Symptom asymmetry influences how Parkinson’s patients process emotions

New study shows dopamine treatments and symptom asymmetry impact patients differently.

10 Jun 2025

Brain-computer interfaces signal a new era in neurosurgery and neurorehabilitation

Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is opening an unprecedented chapter in human-machine integration by establishing direct communication between the brain and external devices.

10 Jun 2025

As cannabis users age, health risks appear to grow

Benjamin Han, a geriatrician and addiction medicine specialist at the University of California-San Diego, tells his students a cautionary tale about a 76-year-old patient who, like many older people, struggled with insomnia.

9 Jun 2025

Integrating discoveries with translational science to transform Alzheimer's care

At the 12th annual Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute Symposium, scientists and clinicians shared their latest research which is advancing how Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed and treated.

4 Jun 2025

New mouse model sheds light on smell loss and neural regeneration

A new study suggests that stem cells thought to be dormant may offer clues to why our sense of smell declines or is lost.

3 Jun 2025

Molecular stress makes old neurons vulnerable to neurodegenerative diseases

As the global population ages, the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) continues to rise. But the molecular mechanisms behind the deterioration of brain cells have remained elusive.

2 Jun 2025