Study Finds Pesticide Use Linked to Parkinson’s in Rocky Mountain, Great Plains Region

Pesticides and herbicides used in farming have been linked to Parkinson’s disease in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains region of the country, according to a preliminary study released today, February 27, 2024, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online.

Gold nanoparticles reverse brain deficits in multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s

Results from phase two clinical trials at UT Southwestern Medical Center showed that a suspension of gold nanocrystals taken daily by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) significantly reversed deficits of metabolites linked to energy activity in the brain and resulted in functional improvements.

Microbial Metabolites: A New Link to Parkinson’s Disease?

Published in Environment International, a groundbreaking study from the Institute of Biological Chemistry and Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS) at the University of Vienna, in collaboration with the University of Konstanz and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, reveals a microbial metabolite’s role in inducing Parkinson’s-like symptoms.

“Stereotyped, devalued and shunned.” Experts address treating the stigma of Parkinson’s disease

Even the best treatment approaches for Parkinson’s disease are inadequate if they do not address patients’ feelings of social rejection, isolation, loneliness and other psychosocial effects of stigma, according to a report from experts specializing in Parkinson’s and other movement disorders.

Can a Blood Test Detect Alzheimer’s Disease?

In July, the first direct-to-consumer blood test designed to assess a user’s risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease hit the market.

FAU and Insightec Partner to Use Focused Ultrasound to Treat Neurological Disorders

This agreement will enable FAU and Insightec to collaborate to advance scientific knowledge about the use of focused ultrasound to treat brain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. By harnessing acoustic energy, Insightec’s innovative technology uses focused ultrasound to treat diseases in different ways.

NeuroPoint Alliance’s Registry for the Advancement of DBS in Parkinson’s Disease Successfully Completes Pilot Phase

NeuroPoint Alliance’s (NPA) Registry for the Advancement of DBS in Parkinson’s Disease (RAD-PD) has successfully completed its Pilot Phase by achieving all data collection goals established at the beginning of registry creation.

Study: Misfolded alpha-synuclein protein key to early detection of Parkinson’s disease

The presence of a misfolded alpha-synuclein protein can be used to determine if people have Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study using technology developed by a researcher at UTHealth Houston. This biomarker could pave the way for the development of better diagnostic tools and new treatment options for the disease.

For People with Parkinson’s Disease, Quality of Life Linked to Race, Ethnicity

Among those living with Parkinson’s disease, Black, Hispanic and Asian people were found to have a lower health-related quality of life than white people, according to a new study published in the April 5, 2023, online issue of Neurology® , the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Study Finds Air Pollution Exposure Linked to Parkinson’s Risk, Identifies U.S. Hot Spot

Living in areas of the United States with higher levels of air pollution is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to a preliminary study released today, February 23, 2023, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75th Annual Meeting being held in person in Boston and live online from April 22-27, 2023.

Nanopore-Based Sensing Device Explores Neurodegenerative Diseases

In Journal of Applied Physics, researchers present a special silicon nitride nanopore-based sensing device that is designed to provide volume information about tau and tubulin protein molecules and their aggregation states. To create the sensor, the team explored how the proteins change the current and voltage flowing through a nanopore system.

New blood test can detect ‘toxic’ protein years before Alzheimer’s symptoms emerge, study shows

Researchers can detect small “toxic” aggregates of a particular protein in the blood of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and in individuals who showed no signs of cognitive impairment at the time the blood sample was taken, but who developed it at a later date.

Review: Are Climate Change and Air Pollution Making Neurologic Diseases Worse?

People with neurologic diseases like headache, dementia, multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease may experience worsening symptoms due to climate change, according to a scoping review of research published in the November 16, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Today: ANA2022 Media Roundtable to Spotlight Latest in Neuro Research

As the American Neurological Association’s 147th Annual Meeting wraps up today, October 25, the ANA is holding a Media Roundtable at 11 a.m. U.S. Central for reporters to access the latest developments in neurology and neuroscience.

An Environmental Wake-Up Call for Neurology

The Presidential Symposium at the American Neurological Association’s 2022 Annual Meeting (ANA2022) in Chicago will shine a spotlight on the role of environmental exposures — air pollution, pesticides, microplastics, and more — in diseases like dementias and developmental disorders.

American Neurological Association Publishes Research Abstracts for ANA2022, Oct. 22–25 in Chicago

Abstracts of breaking research in neurology and neuroscience, to be presented at the 2022 American Neurological Association Annual Meeting Oct. 22-25, are now available in Annals of Neurology and on the ANA2022 website.

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…

Mayo Clinic Healthcare expert explains when swallowing issues are more than an accident

Many people have experienced the discomfort of food or a beverage accidentally going to the wrong place when swallowing. But swallowing issues sometimes become chronic and may be a sign of a health condition that should be treated.

May Research Highlights

A Roundup of the Latest Medical Discoveries and Faculty News at Cedars-Sinai

UTHealth Houston’s UTMOVE program receives distinguished Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders

UTHealth Houston’s Movement Disorders and Neurodegenerative Diseases Fellowship Training Program (UTMOVE fellowship program) has been chosen by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) as one of eight international academic centers to train a new movement disorder clinician-researcher — a neurologist with additional training and expertise in diagnosing and treating Parkinson’s and related diseases — as part of the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders Class of 2025.

Vascular Defects Appear to Underlie the Progression of Parkinson’s Disease

In an unexpected discovery, Georgetown University Medical Center researchers have identified what appears to be a significant vascular defect in patients with moderately severe Parkinson’s disease. The finding could help explain an earlier outcome of the same study, in which the drug nilotinib was able to halt motor and non-motor (cognition and quality of life) decline in the long term.

Study: Death Rate from Parkinson’s Rising in U.S.

A new study shows that in the last two decades the death rate from Parkinson’s disease has risen about 63% in the United States. The research is published in the October 27, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that the death rate was twice as high in men as in women, and there was a higher death rate in white people than other racial/ethnic groups.

UF, UF Health announce gift and new $75 million initiative to expand Norman Fixel Institute

The University of Florida and UF Health on Tuesday, Sept. 14, announced an additional $25 million gift from the Lauren and Lee Fixel Family Foundation aimed at improving the lives of patients across the globe through the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health. The new investment will spur growth in the areas of national and international telemedicine, Alzheimer’s disease clinical research, mental health, traumatic brain injury and ALS and will help cultivate the next generation of expert researchers tackling these challenging diseases.

People with Parkinson’s May Benefit from 7 Walking Strategies

Various strategies can help people with Parkinson’s who have difficulty walking, but a new study finds that many people have never heard of or tried these strategies. The research is published in the September 8, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that how well different compensation strategies worked depended on the context in which they were used, such as indoors versus outdoors, under time pressure or not.

New Study Provides Structural Insights into How Cholesterol in the Brain Regulates Ion Channels and Alters Their Function; Findings Could Facilitate the Development of Therapeutics for Neurological Diseases

UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 11am EST on August 24: Cell Reports   Senior Author: Paul A. Slesinger, PhD, Lillian and Henry M. Stratton Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the Center for Neurotechnology and Behavior, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,…

Hopkins Med News Update

NEWS STORIES IN THIS ISSUE:

-Study: Race and Ethnicity May Impact Prevalence and Treatment of Heart Valve Dysfunction
-Johns Hopkins Medicine Suggests Eliminating Nerve Cell Protein May Stop ALS, Dementia
-Researchers Tell Doctors to Avoid Routine Urinary Tests for Older Patients with Delirium
-Johns Hopkins Medicine Researchers Show How Air Pollution May Cause Chronic Sinusitis
-Researchers ID Location on Brain Protein Linked to Parkinson’s Disease Development
-COVID-19 News: The Return of Onsite Schooling — and How to Keep Your Kids Safe from COVID

Parkinson’s disease: How lysosomes become a hub for the propagation of the pathology

Over the last few decades, neurodegenerative diseases became one of the top 10 global causes of death. Researchers worldwide are making a strong effort to understand neurodegenerative diseases pathogenesis, which is essential to develop efficient treatments against these incurable diseases.…