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 3D model reveals hidden role of stem cells in 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.

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

New discovery reveals immune molecule’s role in Alzheimer’s disease

A new way of thinking about Alzheimer's disease has yielded a discovery that could be the key to stopping the cognitive decline seen in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

2 Jun 2025

Role reversal: Millions of kids are caregivers for elders. Why their numbers might grow.

High school senior Joshua Yang understands sacrifice. When he was midway through 10th grade, his mom survived a terrible car crash.

2 Jun 2025

New wearable device monitors brain waste clearance during sleep

A new device that monitors the waste-removal system of the brain may help to prevent Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases, according to a study published today in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

31 May 2025

Sleep disorders predict dementia risk years before diagnosis, study shows

Researchers analyzed health records from over 1 million people in Finland, Wales, and the UK to assess the long-term impact of sleep disorders on neurodegenerative diseases. They found that diagnosed sleep disorders can predict Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia risk up to 15 years before symptoms, regardless of genetic predisposition.

28 May 2025

Immune system shows unique signature in Parkinson's patients

Parkinson's disease is best known for its effects on the central nervous system. In addition, recent scientific advances generally emphasize the role of the immune system in the presence and development of the disease.

28 May 2025

Ghrelin receptor identified as key to easing constipation in Parkinson’s patients

Considered the natural "hunger hormone", Ghrelin could be the key to preventing debilitating chronic constipation experienced by people living with Parkinson's disease, University of Queensland researchers have found.

28 May 2025

Basal ganglia neurons precisely regulate complex movement timing

Neurons deep in the brain not only help to initiate movement-they also actively suppress it, and with astonishing precision.

28 May 2025

Alzheimer’s blood biomarkers predict faster muscle strength loss in older adults

A large Swedish cohort study found that elevated blood biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease—including p-tau217, p-tau181, neurofilament light chain, and GFAP—predict accelerated muscle strength decline over 12 years in dementia-free older adults. These findings suggest that early identification of Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers could help clinicians intervene sooner to prevent sarcopenia and related adverse outcomes in aging populations.

27 May 2025

Optical stimulation of brain region boosts motor function in Parkinson’s models

Researchers are investigating the mechanisms and identifying new areas of the brain that can benefit patients when stimulated.

27 May 2025

Catalpol shows neuroprotective effects across multiple neurologic conditions

Announcing a new publication for Acta Materia Medica journal. Neurologic disorders are the leading cause of illness and disability as a result of increased life expectancy and global population aging, highlighting the urgent need and great challenge for discovering neuroprotective agents with better efficacy and minimal side-effects.

22 May 2025

New gene delivery systems can reach cells in the brain and spinal cord with exceptional accuracy

Research teams funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have created a versatile set of gene delivery systems that can reach different neural cell types in the human brain and spinal cord with exceptional accuracy.

21 May 2025