Movement Disorders

An update on the prevalence and features of demoralization in patients with PD.

New research highlights prevention, diagnostic, and treatment advances for Alzheimer, autism, atherosclerosis, and more.

Levels of calcium inside nerve cells seem to decrease early in PD, and then increase later on-a finding that stresses the importance of treatment throughout the entire course of the illness.

New technology may help patients and providers assess changes in severity of Parkinson disease symptoms more objectively.

The UC Health professor of neurology argued that with the current view on Parkinson disease, the field is missing the mark for disease-modifying interventions.

Study findings revealed statistically significant results at week 4 for the 100-U dose compared to placebo. The 75-U dose, while effective, did not achieve statistical significance.

The presence of REM Behavior Disorder predicted an increased risk of Parkinson disease, Lewy Body dementia, or multisystem atrophy in the largest study ever performed in people with the strange disorder. Details here. 

The finger displacement sign is a simple bedside test that can help distinguish Parkinson dementia from Alzheimer dementia.

Newly approved medications for various types of pain, generalized myasthenia gravis, and Parkinson disease will be fodder for discussion at AAN 2018. Here’s a brief overview of the therapies the FDA has approved within the past 6 months.

A study examines a possible link between lifestyle and onset of PD.

The program seeks to optimize small-molecule compounds to decrease the production of mHtt through PTC’s splicing platform.

Parkinson disease articles published in 2018 reveal deeper dives into factors that include the impact of sleep and fatigue on symptoms.

Using the NCT-504 compound to inhibit cell-signaling activity in PIP4Kγ resulted in an increase in autophagy in connective tissue cells from patients with HD.

Exposure to monesin has been shown to combat stress by oxidants and free radicals via the protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase/activating transcription factor 4 pathway.

A newly synthesized compound may be the basis for a novel iron-chelation therapy in several iron-associated neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Huntington disease.

Most people with Parkinson Disease develop cognitive impairment at some point. But this study provides evidence for sex differences in progression to cognitive impairment and dementia.

The FDA had accepted a new drug application for the inhaled levodopa therapy for the treatment of OFF period symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease who are taking a carbidopa/levodopa regimen.

Lower serum caffeine levels may be of diagnostic significance in early Parkinson disease, consistent with epidemiologic data that support the neuro-protective properties of caffeine.

The once-daily therapy will be available in 3 doses—129 mg, 193 mg, and 258 mg—giving patients flexibility in regimen setting among the options.

The encephalitis lethargica epidemic of 1916-1930 is estimated to have affected at least half a million of people in Europe and still remains a mystery.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), initially called Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome, is a sporadic neurodegenerative disease.

A new study has found a link between Parkinson Disease (PD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and suggests that changes in the gut microbiome may be involved.

An incident, population-based prospective cohort study examined weight changes over time in patients with Parkinson disease.

Findings from a study in Neurology suggest that caffeine may be a biomarker for PD, which could represent a breakthrough for diagnosing PD using a simple blood test.

Sodium oxybate, a drug used to treat narcolepsy, may improve excessive daytime sleep and sleep disturbances in patients with Parkinson disease.