Feathers, fins or fur, all pets can make us feel happier. Now, new research from the University of South Australia shows that pet ownership and pet care can also support communication and wellbeing, especially for people with acquired language difficulties such as aphasia.
Tag: Parkinson disease

Researchers identify a potential new therapeutic target in Parkinson’s disease
In a study published in Nature Communications, a team led by Krembil Brain Institute at UHN Senior Scientists, Drs. Lorraine Kalia and Suneil Kalia, and University of Toronto (U of T) Professor, Dr. Philip M. Kim, identified a protein-protein interaction that contributes to Parkinson’s disease. In the disease, a protein called α-synuclein (a-syn) accumulates in the brain and leads to cell death.
Chula Launches the Latest Parkinson’s Gloves to Reduce Tremors
Doctors at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital have developed lightweight and easy-to-use Parkinson’s gloves that can automatically reduce tremors, allowing Parkinson’s Disease patients to enjoy social life and reducing side effects from medication and risk from brain surgery.
Oral ENT-01 safe, significantly improves constipation in persons with Parkinson disease
A randomized controlled trial of 150 persons with Parkinson disease has found that (oral squalamine phosphate) ENT-01 is safe for up to 25 days of treatment and significantly improves constipation and possibly neurological symptoms. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Weight Change in Early Parkinson’s May Be Tied to Changes in Thinking Skills
People who gain or lose weight soon after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may be more likely to have changes in their thinking skills than people who maintain their weight, according to a study published in the October 19, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Parkinson’s Disease: Uncovering Why Nicotine May Be Protective (for Some)
Parkinson’s disease is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, one curious example being that people who smoke appear to be less likely to develop Parkinson’s. This may be due to interactions between nicotine and genetic variations in…
Multiple System Atrophy: Identifying Cells that Accelerate Disease Progression
There is currently no cure for the rare neurodegenerative disorder multiple system atrophy (MSA), and its rarity has made it difficult to understand how the disease progresses. Now a research team has created a successful mouse model of aggressive cerebellar-type…
Chula’s Innovations for the Aging Society
As one of the countries with a rapidly increasing aging population, especially this 2022, Thailand is now becoming an ‘aging’ society and will likely become a ‘super-aging society’ by 2031. To better meet the needs and provide services to the nation’s aging society, experts from various fields at Chulalongkorn University have conducted research to produce and develop innovations for the elderly.
$2.8 million NIH Grant Funds Research Into Fatal Movement Disorders
The research may also advance understanding of the biochemical roots of Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies, which affect more than 6.8 million Americans.
Rutgers Researchers Find Links to Genetic Disorders in Walking Patterns
Rutgers researchers have linked the genetic disorders Fragile X and SHANK3 deletion syndrome – both linked to autism and health problems – to walking patterns by examining the microscopic movements of those wearing motion-sensored sneakers.

Old Habit-Controlling Neurons May Also Help the Brain Learn New Tricks
In a study of rodents, scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai discovered that a part of the brain traditionally thought to control typing the old habits may also play a critical role in learning the new actions. The results, published on August 25th in Nature Communications, suggest that this process involves a delicate balance in the activity of two neighboring neural circuits: one dedicated to new actions and the other to old habits
Ohio State Among First In Nation To Implant New Deep-Brain Stimulation Device
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The team of neurologists and neurosurgeons at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and its Neurological Institute are among the first in the nation to implant a new deep-brain stimulation (DBS) device that will help improve the quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Research Highlights from 2021 ACSM Virtual Annual Meeting: Exercise in Regenerative Medicine
The 2021 Virtual ACSM Basic Science World Congress focuses on regenerative medicine. Chaired by Marcas M. Bamman, Ph.D., FACSM, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, this world congress brings together researchers to discuss cutting-edge science in this rapidly developing field.
Reusable respirator could ease COVID-19 medical mask shortages
In addition to smoothing out wrinkles, researchers have found that the drug Botox can reveal the inner workings of the brain. A new study used it to show that feedback from individual nerve cells controls the release of dopamine, a chemical messenger involved in motivation, memory, and movement.

Henry Ford Health System First in the U.S. to Offer Next Generation Deep Brain Stimulation System For Parkinson’s Disease
The Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center at Henry Ford Health System was the first in the United States to offer a new FDA-approved device to help treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Neurosurgeon Jason Schwalb, M.D. surgically implanted the Vercise Genus™ Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) System, which stimulates a targeted region of the brain through implanted leads that are placed in the brain.

Routine eye scans may give clues to cognitive decline in diabetes
In older people with type 1 diabetes, damage to the retina may be linked to memory problems and other cognitive conditions.BOSTON – (December 31, 2020) – As they age, people with diabetes are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders than are people without diabetes. Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center now have shown that routine eye imaging can identify changes in the retina that may be associated with cognitive disorders in older people with type 1 diabetes.

Loneliness in Parkinson’s disease may lead to worsening of symptoms
Research from UCLA scientists and colleagues from other institutions finds that people with Parkinson’s disease who lack meaningful social interactions may be at an increased risk for severe symptoms related to the disease.
Rush Focused Ultrasound Program Changing Lives of Patients With Movement Disorders
A Rush team of neurological and neurosurgical clinicians is the first in Illinois and among the first in the United States to offer an innovative, noninvasive treatment for medication-refractory tremor: MR-guided focused ultrasound.
Rush University Awarded “Real Funding To Make Big Progress” in Battling Parkinson’s
Rush University College of Medicine will be leading one of 21 teams receiving significant funding in hopes of making major advances in the fight against Parkinson’s disease.

Researchers pioneer early diagnostic tool for Parkinson’s
University of South Australia researchers are pioneering a new method to more accurately diagnose Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative brain disorder which affects around 10 million people worldwide, resulting in a loss of control of body movements.
Novel pathology could improve diagnosis and treatment of Huntington’s and other diseases
Bristol scientists have discovered a novel pathology that occurs in several human neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease.
The article, published in Brain Pathology, describes how SAFB1 expression occurs in both spinocerebellar ataxias and Huntington’s disease and may be a common marker of these conditions, which have a similar genetic background.
New Discovery May Lead to Effective and Natural Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease
Summary: Investigators have identified two molecules naturally produced by the body that stimulate the production of dopamine, the molecule that is in short supply in the brains of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Highlights: – The Nurr1 protein maintains thehealth of neurons…
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Study Finds a Drug-Like Compound That May Prevent Parkinson’s Disease Progression
A collaboration between scientists at Rutgers University and The Scripps Research Institute led to the discovery of a small molecule that may slow down or stop the progression of Parkinson’s Disease.
Parkinson’s Disease May Start Before Birth
People who develop Parkinson’s disease before age 50 may have been born with disordered brain cells that went undetected for decades, according to EMBARGOED Cedars-Sinai research that will publish Jan. 27 in the journal Nature Medicine. The research points to a drug that potentially might help correct these disease processes.
Study Finds a Drug-Like Compound That May Prevent Parkinson’s Disease Progression
A collaboration between scientists at Rutgers University and The Scripps Research Institute led to the discovery of a small molecule that may slow down or stop the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
NINDS Awards Coriell Institute for Medical Research $7.7 Million Contract
The five-year award will support the NINDS Human Genetics Resource Center, a collection of biological samples and corresponding demographic, clinical, and genetic data made available to qualified researchers around the world. This repository includes samples from subjects with various diseases – such as cerebrovascular disease, dystonia, epilepsy, motor neuron disease, parkinsonism, and Tourette Syndrome.

The other side of seizure freedom: “I kind of wish my epilepsy was back”
It might seem that there’s no downside to successful epilepsy surgery. Who wouldn’t want to be free of seizures that limit their life? But there are challenges to seizure freedom after years of living with epilepsy. The “burden of normality” can disrupt a person’s life and their relationships.