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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Latest Parkinson's Disease News and Research

Listening to music can help older adults sleep better, finds study

A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has found that listening to music can help older adults sleep better.

21 Apr 2021

Light therapy offers a safe, cost-effective alternative for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

A lot about the human brain and its intricacies continue to remain a mystery. With the advancement of neurobiology, the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases (ND) has been uncovered to a certain extent along with molecular targets around which current therapies revolve.

19 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein can trigger α-synuclein amyloid fibril formation

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, casts some light on the pathogenesis of acute and subacute neurological complications associated with COVID-19.

19 Apr 2021

Study provides new insights into how signal molecules are transported in the axons

In a new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have gained new insights into how signal molecules are transported in some of the longest cells in the nervous system.

17 Apr 2021

Researchers visualize fast brain signals from outside the skull

The brain processes information using both slow and fast currents. Until now, researchers had to use electrodes placed inside the brain in order to measure the latter.

16 Apr 2021

Researchers invent new technique to measure the speed of fibril growth

Amyloid fibrils are deposits of proteins in the body that join together to form microscopic fibres. Their formation has been linked to many serious human diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Type 2 diabetes.

16 Apr 2021

Personality trait neuroticism associated with higher risk of Parkinson's disease

New research from the Florida State University College of Medicine has found that the personality trait neuroticism is consistently associated with a higher risk of developing the brain disorder Parkinson's disease.

15 Apr 2021

Non-invasive neuromodulation approaches can prevent invasive surgery in Parkinson's patients

From optogenetics to sonogenetics to magnetognetics, scientists around the world are investigating new techniques to treat Parkinson's disease without the need for invasive surgery.

13 Apr 2021

New grants could help protect the environment and create new therapy for Parkinson's

New grants from the State University of New York could help researchers at Binghamton University create a new therapy to provide relief to Parkinson's patients and help locate abandoned oil and gas wells.

12 Apr 2021

New digital platform to aid young Aussies living with incurable movement disorder

More than 20,000 young Aussies (under 50 years of age) living with an incurable movement disorder are set to benefit from the launch of an Australian-first digital support platform today (Thursday, April 8, 2021), ahead of World Parkinson’s Day (Sunday, April 11, 2021).

9 Apr 2021

Study reveals link between changes of neuronal activities and dyskinesia

Many people with Parkinson's disease develop abnormal movements called L-DOPA induced dyskinesia, a major side effect of long-term medication. The mechanism underlying this side effect has been unknown. In this study, researchers have revealed relation between changes of neuronal activities and dyskinesia.

9 Apr 2021

Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer share the same pathway, shows study

When cells are stressed, chemical alarms go off, setting in motion a flurry of activity that protects the cell's most important players. During the rush, a protein called Parkin hurries to protect the mitochondria, the power stations that generate energy for the cell.

8 Apr 2021

Research on mysterious gene may lead to new treatments for Parkinson’s disease

More than 20 years after the discovery of the parkin gene linked to young-onset Parkinson's disease, researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa may have finally figured out how this mysterious gene protects the brain.

8 Apr 2021

Step length synergy while crossing obstacles found to be lower in Parkinson’s patients

A multidisciplinary research group affiliated with the Department of Physical Education's Human Movement Laboratory at São Paulo State University in Bauru, Brazil, measured step length synergy while crossing obstacles in patients with Parkinson's disease and concluded that it was 53% lower than in healthy subjects of the same age and weight. Step length is one of the main variables affected by the disease.

7 Apr 2021

Study indicates an amyloid link between melanoma and Parkinson’s disease

On the surface, Parkinson's disease -; a neurodegenerative disorder -; and melanoma -; a type of skin cancer -; do not appear to have much in common.

7 Apr 2021

'Brain glue' may aid in functional neural repair after severe TBI

At a cost of $38 billion a year, an estimated 5.3 million people are living with a permanent disability related to traumatic brain injury in the United States today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

6 Apr 2021

Researchers generate a precise map of basal ganglia connectivity

Thousands of our daily activities, from making coffee to taking a walk to saying hello to a neighbor, are made possible through an ancient collection of brain structures tucked away near the center of the cranium.

5 Apr 2021

New mini-microscope enables imaging of complex brain functions in freely moving mice

Researchers from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering and Medical School have developed a unique head-mounted mini-microscope device that allows them to image complex brain functions of freely moving mice in real time over a period of more than 300 days.

5 Apr 2021

Different neural circuitries linked to distinct Parkinsonian behavioral deficits

Parkinson's disease (PD) is well known as a debilitating disease that gradually worsens over time. Although the disease's progression has been largely tied to the loss of motor functions, non-motor symptoms, including the loss of cognitive abilities, often emerge early in the disease.

5 Apr 2021

Major CIHR grant to help find and tackle the root cause of neurodegenerative disease

Dr. Simonetta Sipione, GlycoNet Investigator and Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Alberta, was recently awarded a major five-year grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, worth $1.04 million.

26 Mar 2021