Articles related to PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD)

This summary of a recent French study highlights that patients enabled to infuse apomorphine at home improved QoL more quickly and became more autonomous in managing the device compared with a hospital infusion group. The findings could be helpful to patients who would benefit from continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI) but are deterred “by the wait for an appointment and the length of the subsequent hospital stay, as well as the physical distance from the nearest specialist center.”

Athira’s safety and efficacy trial, geared for 75 patients, will run with a smaller-than-planned 28 patient study population. The trial is for the small molecule fosgonimeton, an activator of the HGF/MET pathway, postulated to offer neuroprotective effects to improve brain function in patients with Parkinson’s dementia.

Symbyx Neuro uses a 12-minute cycle of red light therapy followed by 12 minutes of infrared light therapy. Improvement was seen across measures of facial expression, upper limb, walking, and tremor domains. Light therapy may reduce Parkinson’s symptoms by targeting mitochondria and/or the release of dopamine. It does not interfere with other Parkinson’s treatments.

Genetic mutations, head trauma, and other PD causes are well known or easily identified. However, these causes and risk factors cannot account for the majority of cases. This six-atom molecule that can decaffeinate coffee, degrease metals, and dry clean clothes was identified as a possible PD contributor as early as 1969.

Exablate Neuro from Insightec targets and removes a tiny part of the globus pallidus using precision MRI-guided focused ultrasound. This reduces activity and motor symptoms like tremor and stiffness. During the procedure, patients are awake, allowing doctors to detect immediate effects and adjust as needed. There is no need for anesthesia or a hospital stay following the procedure. Exablate Neuro, unlike deep brain stimulation, does not require any surgical incisions or brain implants. Additionally, the technique reduces the risk of serious infection or brain bleeding.

Multiple studies’ pooled data revealed a significantly increased risk of Parkinson’s when combined with bullous pemphigoid, a rare skin condition, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or Sjögren’s syndrome. Immune response impairment has been linked to Parkinson’s disease in a growing body of evidence. Indeed, some studies have suggested that the neurodegenerative disease may be exacerbated by autoimmune processes, which occur when the immune system incorrectly attacks and destroys healthy tissue.