Monthly Research Review – December 2018

~ Simon

 

At the end of each month the SoPD writes a post which provides an overview of some of the major pieces of Parkinson’s-related research that were made available during December2018.

The post is divided into five parts based on the type of research (Basic biology, disease mechanism, clinical research, other news, and Review articles/videos). 

 

So, what happened during December 2018?

In world news:

7th December  – The U.N.’s International Telecommunication Union reported that, by the end of 2018, more than half – a full 51.2 percent – of the world’s population will be using the Internet (Click here to read more about this).

 

8th December – Drama at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) meeting in Katowice, Poland. The US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait object to adopting the scientific report – which was commissioned at the 2015 meeting. The study suggests that the world is now “completely off track” on climate change, heading towards a 3 degree C. rise by the end of this century rather than a mere 1.5 degree C. rise (Click here to read more about this).

12th December – Negotiators at COP24 in Katowice finally secured an agreement on a range of measures that will make the Paris climate pact operational in 2020 (Click here to read more about this).

 

17th December – Astronomers announced that they have identified the most distant object ever observed within our solar system. Currently named “2018 VG18” (but nicknamed ‘Farout’), the 500km (310 miles) wide body is approximately is 120 times further away from the sun than Earth is (to put that in perspective, Pluto is only 34 times – Click here to read more about this).

 

In the world of Parkinson’s research, a great deal of new research and news was reported:

In December 2018, there were 597 research articles added to the Pubmed website with the tag word “Parkinson’s” attached (7672 for all of 2018 – compared to 7675 for all of 2017….seriously?!? Just 3 papers difference?!?). In addition, there was a wave to news reports regarding various other bits of Parkinson’s research activity (clinical trials, etc).

The top 5 pieces of Parkinson’s news

1. Inhibition of stearoyl-CoA-desaturase

Researchers demonstrated that stearoyl-CoA desaturase inhibition rescues alpha synuclein toxicity and neuron degeneration in models of Parkinson’s. The scientists have identified a number of compounds that protected cells against alpha-synuclein-induced toxicity. The investigators were interested in what happens with lipids in a situation of high levels of alpha synuclein. They found that by reducing levels of unsaturated membrane lipids – via the inhibition of the oleic acid-generating enzyme ‘stearoyl-CoA-desaturase’ – in human neurons, they could protect the cells from alpha synuclein toxicity & enhance their survival. Both excessive alpha synuclein or genetic variation associated with Parkinson’s (such as SCNA triplication) appears to alter lipid homeostasis in human neurons grown in cell culture. Stearoyl-CoA-desaturase inhibition decreases alpha synuclein inclusions and increases alpha synuclein tetramer:monomer ratio. One of the senior researchers on this paper – Prof Susan Lindquist – passed away in 2016, but such was her contribution to the field of Parkinson’s & neurodegenerative research that here she is still publishing as we approach 2019 ( and here to read more about this, click here for the press release, and click here for a SoPD post on this topic).

2. A No for Inosine

Disappointing news: On the 10th December, the National Institute of Health recommended the early closure of the Phase III clinical study of Inosine in Parkinson’s, due to failure to achieve the primary end point of the study (demonstrating efficacy in slowing disease progression – to read the press release about this).

 

3. WHAT THE…???

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generally considered damaging agents associated with ageing & degenerative conditions, like Parkinson’s. But now researchers are suggesting that ROS are secondary messengers required for neuronal plasticity. They find ROS signaling is necessary for maintaining evoked synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction – could dysregulation of ROS in the ageing brain be associated with synaptic dysfunction observed in neurodegenerative conditions? They also found that Parkinson’s-linked protein DJ-1ß is a redox sensor in neurons where it regulates structural plasticity, in part via modulation of the PTEN-PI3Kinase pathway. Fascinating study ( to read more about this).

4. Real-time feedback

By translating real-time brain activity of people with Parkinson’s into a visual representation, researchers demonstrated that participants can infuence neural output in their brains by increasing/decreasing the size of a circle on screen with their thoughts alone. Remarkable study ( to read more about this and click here for the press release).

5. Inhaled levodopa: Approved

Acorda Therapeutics announced that the FDA has finally approved INBRIJA – an inhalable form of L-dopa – for the treatment of “OFF” times in Parkinson’s. The therapy is designed to rapidly alleviate symptoms. This also represents the first treatment directly funded by the Michael J Fox Foundation to come to market (Click here to read more about this and click here for an old SoPD post on this topic).

Basic biology news

  • An amazing new research tool: In vivo drug screening strategy that combines high-throughput technology to generate large-scale brain activity maps (BAMs) with machine learning for predictive analysis. Visualisation of Parkinson’s drug ethoproprazine activity ( to read more about this).
  • Lysosomes are small enzyme-containing sacs inside cells. Dysfunction in lysosomes is believed to be involved in some cases of Parkinson’s. Now researchers are using DNA nanomachines to chemically resolves lysosomes in live cells ( to read more about this).
  • People with red hair have a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s and there is some evidence in mice to suggest that the genetics of red hair can make dopamine neurons vulnerable. But new data finds red hair is more complicated than previously thought: “MC1R only explains 73% of the SNP heritability for red hair in UK Biobank, & in fact most individuals with two MC1R variants have blonde or light brown hair. We identify other genes contributing to red hair, the combined effect of which accounts for ~90% of the SNP heritability” ( to read more about this).

  • Researchers report minimally invasive nanotweezers that can extract samples from living cells with single-molecule precision. Implications for mitochondrion analysis in Parkinson’s ( to read more about this and click here to read the press release).
  • Nuclear receptor subfamily 4A (NR4A aka Nurr1) is a gene of interest in Parkinson’s. And now it is also a gene of interest in Alzheimer’s. Researchers reduce pathology (with amodiaquine treatment) in Alzheimer’s mouse model ( to read more about this).
  • New manuscript on BioRxiv suggests L-DOPA causes PARKIN loss via both an oxidative stress-independent & an oxidative stress-dependent pathway. Implications for Parkinson’s (Click here to read more about this).
  • A World War II chemical weapon antidote for combating Parkinson’s? Researchers report that Dimercaprol – an acrolein scavenger – mitigates acrolein‐mediated toxicity in cell culture experiments and in a spinal cord injury model ( to read more about this and click here for the press release).
  • “Taken together, these results suggest that the immediate therapeutic effects of imatinib in MPTP-treated mice depend on postsynaptic, but not presynaptic, striatal mechanisms”. Interesting. Implications for cABL inhibitors like Nilotinib in Parkinson’s? ( to read more about this).

  • Researchers report that abnormal induction of autophagy promotes apoptotic neuronal cell death in oxidative models of Parkinson’s, and they suggest that the treatments limiting dysregulated autophagy may have a strong neuroprotective potential ( to read more about this).
  • Naringenin, a dietary flavonoid, has been shown to display anti-oxidant,anti-inflammatory & neuroprotective activities. New research suggests Naringenin targets astroglial Nrf2 to help rescue models of Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • Hsp70 is a molecular chaperone that has been shown to prevents protein aggregation and rescue models of Parkinson’s. Now researchers have identified an Hsp70 activator, called MAL1-271, that reduces alpha synuclein aggregation in PD models ( to read more about this).
  • Caloric restriction rescues yeast cells from alpha synuclein toxicity through autophagic control of proteostasis. Implications for Parkinson’s? ( to read more about this).
  • ComPath is an “ecosystem that supports curation of pathway mappings between databases and fosters the exploration of pathway knowledge through several novel visualizations”. They use ATP13A2 in Parkinson’s as a case study ( to read more about this).

  • Chronic low dose of rotenone results in the rapid induction of the neurodegenerative molecule SARM1. SARM1 induction & accompanying inflammatory response mediates age-dependent susceptibility to rotenone-induced neurotoxicity in models of Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • Researchers demonstrate that bioactive phenolic acids are effective in modulating the development & progression of motor issues in a fly model of Parkinson’s, and they identify specific bacteria generating these phenolic acids. “Collectively, our findings provide the basis for future developments of probiotic, prebiotic, or synbiotic approaches for modulating the onset and/or progression of α-synucleinopathies” such as PD ( to read more about this).
  • Researchers report that samples of human growth hormone used as therapy til the mid-1980s contained Alzheimer’s-associated beta amyloid & cause genetically modified mice to develop beta amyloid deposits in the brain ( to read more about this, and click here for the press release).
  • Researchers report that another Parkinson’s-associated LRRK2 genetic variant (N1437H) also results in impairment of its monomer-dimer conformational dynamics & GTPase activity ( to read more about this).

  • Researchers conducted a screen of novel 5-azaindazole-based compounds for the inhibition of Parkinson’s-associated protein LRRK2. A list of compounds has been licensed to a major pharmaceutical company for further development ( to read more about this).
  • Parkinson’s-associated LRRK2 promotes TAU neurotoxicity via dysregulation of actin & mitochondrial dynamics ( to read more about this).
  • New research demonstrates that striatal GABA can inhibit dopamine release through GABA-A & GABA-B receptors, & that these actions are not mediated by cholinergic circuits. Implications for Parkinson’s? ( to read more about this).
  • Pharmacological inhibition of LRRK2 is being clinically tested for Parkinson’s. New research suggests that inhibition triggers a cascade that results LRRK2 protein degradation. Not all pathogenic LRRK2 variants affected the same ( to read more about this).
  • Further evidence of Parkinson’s treatment Rasagline interacting with DOPAL & preventing the aggregation of alpha synuclein protein ( to read more about this).

  • Exposure to pesticide ‘dieldrin‘ is associated with increased risk of Parkinson’s. A new BioRxiv manuscript suggests dieldrin exposure during development alters DNA methylation at genes related to dopamine neuron development & PD ( to read the manuscript).
  • Researchers identify RhoE/Rnd3 as a novel inducer of a potential neuroprotective state in microglia cells, & provide a list of potential targets. Potential for Parkinson’s? ( to read more about this).
  • Researchers propose that Parkinson’s-associated PARKIN directly inhibits apoptosis-inducing BAK, allowing for the effective clearance of damaged mitochondria, but also promoting clearance of mitochondria to limit inflammatory effect ( to read more about this and click here for the press release).
  • A wireless & artefact-free 128-channel neuromodulation device for closed-loop stimulation & recording has been testd in non-human primates. Impressive results – could have implications for Parkinson’s research & deep brain stimulation ( to read more about this and click here for the press release).

 

Disease mechanism

  • Further evidence that Beta-synuclein is not neuroprotective in models of Parkinson’s. In fact, researchers show here that β-syn overexpression can form aggregates in a model of synucleinopathy ( to read more about this).
  • Researchers have a new manuscript on BioRxiv that looks at genetic variation within genes associated with mitochondrial function & finds significant association with later age at onset of Parkinson’s and contribution to disease risk ( to read more about this).
  • Genetic mutations in ATP13A2 cause an autosomal recessive form of juvenile-onset Parkinson’s. Now researchers suggest that ATP13A2 facilitates HDAC6 recruitment in autophagy (the cellular waste recycling process). Novel therapeutic target? ( to read more about this).
  • Coffee consumption is linked with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s. Now researchers show that component eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide enhances enzymatic activity of phosphatase PP2A & works in synergy with caffeine in rescuing mouse models of PD ( to read more about this).

  • Salidroside (rhodioloside) is a glucoside of tyrosol found in the plant Rhodiola rosea. Researchers find Salidroside has neuroprotective effects on neurotoxin-based model of Parkinson’s by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress & cell apoptosis ( to read more about this).
  • The absence of Toll like receptor (TLR) 4 reduces neuroinflammation & inflammasome activation in models of Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • More on TLR4: Researchers have published new data suggesting that toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated inflammation plays an important role in intestinal &/or brain inflammation in conditions like Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • The unexpected exacerbation of neuroinflammatory response after a combined therapy (antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) & an anti-inflammatory) in aged Parkinson’s mice ( to read more about this).
  • Interesting manuscript on BioRxiv in which researchers attempt to unravelling the development of one of the cardinal features of the Parkinson’s brain: Lewy bodies (Click here to read the manuscript).

  • Researchers produce dopamine neurons from embryonic stem cells that do not exhibit the aggregation of alpha synuclein when exposed to pre-formed fibrils (Click here to read more about this).
  • Reseachers have an interesting manuscript on BioRxiv in which they present a mouse model of Parkinson’s (MI2 transgenic) & demonstrate that the alpha synuclein oligomer modulator anle138b can partially rescue the model ( to read the manuscript).
  • Researchers have a manuscript on BioRxiv in which they demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of ERK1 (Mapk3) protein kinase signalling (with a novel drug RB5) can protect mouse model of Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s ( to read more about this).
  • Pridopidine – a dopamine stabilizer in development for Huntington’s – produceS a significant decrease in Ldopa-induced dyskinesias in a primate model of Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • Researchers have a fascinating manuscript on BioRxiv – people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) exhibit Parkinson’s-associated alpha synuclein accumulation in their colon. In an experimental model of IBD, they show that intestinal inflammation can trigger alpha synuclein accumulation in the enteric nervous system of BOTH wildtype and a-Syn transgenic mice. IL10 treatment can alleviate the situation, but left untreated at 3 months of age can exacerbate the accumulation of aggregated alpha synuclein in the brain of a-Syn transgenic mice, AND result in dopamine cell loss. Researchers conclude “data suggest a critical role for intestinal inflammation in the initiation and progression of PD” ( to read more about this).

  • Calpain, a ubiquitous cysteine protease, has been implicated in several neurodegenerative conditions, including Parkinson’s. Now researchers present two new calpain inhibitors that reduce accumulation of alpha synuclein & neurodegeneration in models of PD ( to read more about this).
  • French researchers find that an acute but not chronic model of colitis was associated with a DECREASED expression of Parkinson’s-associated alpha‐synuclein in the nerves surrunding the colon. Curious results – a re-think of inflammation in the gut & PD? ( to read more about this).
  • Given the side effects of classical iron chelators, a screen has identified Lactoferrin – a multifunctional iron-binding globular glycoprotein – as a novel neuroprotective compound in a neurotxoin-based model of Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).

 

Clinical research

  • Further evidence (from a second cohort) that the LRRK2 p.G2019S is not implicated in Parkinson’s in black populations from Nigeria, supporting the notion that the p.G2019S mutation originated after the early human dispersal from sub-Saharan Africa ( to read more about this).
  • Levels of cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light are associated with cognitive impairments in people with Alzheimer’s & frontotemporal dementia. In other neurodegenerative conditions, like Parkinson’s, NFL levels reflects the intensity of condition ( to read more about this).
  • A study using the PPMI data from 393 patients finds that cerebrospinal fluid levels of Alzheimer’s-associated protein β-amyloid 42 are a predictor of freezing of gait in people with early Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).

  • Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) – a Michael J Fox Foundation supported project – is an amazing data source for the PD community. 423 untreated PD, 196 control & 64 SWEDD participants enrolled at 24 sites are helping to establish a biomarker signature for early PD. And just for reference/clarity sake: SWEDD = Scans Without Evidence of Dopaminergic Deficit; these are people with Parkinson’s motor features, but without obvious dysfunction in the brain imaging of their dopamine system. Nothing to do with Sweden the country! ( to read more about this).
  • Ventral striatal dopamine transporter availability is associated with lower trait motor impulsivity in healthy adults. Implications for compulsive behaviour issues in some people with Parkinson’s? ( to read more about this).
  • Just “learning one’s genetic risk changes physiology independent of actual genetic risk”…”Effects of perceived genetic risk on outcomes were sometimes greater than the effects associated with actual genetic risk”. Implications for Parkinson’s? ( to read more about this).
  • Microsoft’s Kinect motion capture device is adequate to build a inexpensive & comfortable system that classifies Parkinson’s into three different stages related to freezing of gait ( to read more about this).

  • Could reduced workforce participation 5 years prior to diagnosis by a prodromal biomarker for Parkinson’s? New research suggests yes. Check out “musculoskeletal” sick days! ( to read more about this).
  • Researchers have investigated the metabolic profile of 31 people with Parkinson’s and 95 healthy controls using cerebrospinal fluid. Results point towards mitochondrial dysfunction & increased oxidative stress within mitochondria ( to read more about this).
  • Researchers assessed genetic variants in known genes for Parkinson’s & other movement disorders in 50 people with early‐onset PD. Just 7 subjects (14%) carried pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in Parkin, PLA2G6, or GBA ( to read more about this).
  • Researchers collected blood from both people with Parkinson’s and age/gender-matched controls, stimulated it with alpha synuclein & produced a robust inflammatory cytokine response. Monomers had bigger response than fibrillar a-syn ( to read more about this).
  • New research involving 1,232 people with Parkinson’s indicates that time course of motor & nonmotor milestones in PD is determined by disease duration & age at diagnosis (Click here to read more about this).
  • The ‘hot cross bun’ sign is considered a cardinal feature of brain images for cases of multiple system atrophy (MSA) – a condition similar to Parkinson’s. Now researchers present 5 of the 11 ‘hot cross bun’ cases that did not have MSA ( to read more about this).

  • Analysis of TAU in brains from 36 Parkinson’s dementia, 19 Lewy body dementia (LBD), & 25 Alzheimer’s (AD) cases found that LBD cases with AD co‐pathology have greater cortical alpha synuclein pathology. Cognitive score inversely correlated with TAU burden ( to read more about this).
  • “Despite increases in levodopa dose, levodopa–carbidopa intestinal gel treatment led to significant & sustained reductions in dyskinesia time, severity and associated pain in advanced Parkinson’s disease patients with high baseline dyskinesia burden” ( to read more about this).
  • Chinese researchers find that Nuclear receptor related 1 protein (NURR1) levels in peripheral blood cells (PBMCs) in 312 people with Parkinson’s were significantly lower than PBMCs from 318 healthy controls (HC), & 332 non-PD neurological disease controls ( to read more about this)
  • IBM researchers present a new wearable method of monitoring Parkinson’s via fingernail sensors. Device transmits raw deformation data to an ‘off-finger’ device for interpretation. Simple motions, grip strength, activation time, etc can be monitored ( to read more about this and click here for the press release).
  • Researchers report that postural dynamics are associated with cognitive decline in Parkinson’s. Results based on 35 people recruited to the ICICLE-GAIT study. Assessments at 18, 36, & 54 months after enrolment ( to read more about this).
  • New meta analysis shows that Impulse Control Disorders (ICD) in Parkinson’s involves lower dopaminergic transporter levels in the dorsal striatum & increased dopamine release in the ventral striatum when engaged in reward-related stimuli/gambling tasks ( to read more about this).
  • Curious: LRRK2 G2019S genetic variant might have a protective effect in people with GBA genetic variants. Analysis based on 236 people with Parkinson’s, included LRRK2-PD (n = 66), GBA-PD (n = 78), GBA-LRRK2-PD (n = 12) (Click here to read more about this).

Clinical trial news

  • A clinical trial of Parkinson’s treatment Ropinirole in ALS (motor neurone disease) is starting based on the results of this study (Click here to see the study) published in August (Click here to read more about this).
  • Biotech firm Alkahest has dosed the first participant in their randomised, double-blind Phase II clinical trial of GRF6021 – an intravenous admin. plasma-derived product – to treat Parkinson’s with mild dementia ( to read more about this and click here for the press release).

  • Researchers at the Karolinska Institute & IRLAB report the results of their Phase Ib safety & tolerability clinical trial of IRL790 in Parkinson’s with L-dopa-induced dyskinesia. IRL790 is a D3 receptor antagonist & these results will guide the design of Phase II studies ( to read more about this).
  • Biotech firm Axovant – which is currently conducting the SUNRISE-PD gene therapy clinical trial in Parkinson’s – has announced that the FDA has confirmed that the previously conducted ProSavin study may be considered part of the program of AXO-Lenti-PD. They also announced that the second participant in the SUNRISE-PD study was dosed in November. The company expects to announce data from the first two patients in March 2019 ( to read more about this).

  • Amneal Pharmac report the results of their single-dose pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics clinical study of IPX203 in people with advanced Parkinson’s. This was a comparison study with immediate-release carbidopa-levodopa & extended-release Rytary ( to read more about this).
  • Voyager therapeutics announcesd that the first participant has been dosed in their RESTORE-1 study – a Phase II clinical trial of VY-AADC gene therapy for Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • Denali Therapeutics announced that the first participant has been dosed in their Phase Ib clinical trials of DNL201 for Parkinson’s. DNL201 is a small molecule inhibitor of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) ( to read more about this and click here to read a SoPD post on this topic).

  • Interesting results from a small high-intensity exercise Phase II, randomised clinical trial in people with Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • Rodin Therapeutics  announces the initiation of a Phase I safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic & pharmacodynamic clinical trial of RDN-929 – a potent & selective HDAC-CoREST inhibitor – in healthy individuals. Next up Parkinson’s? ( to read more about this).

  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of omega-3 fatty acids & vitamin E co-supplementation for 12 weeks inpeople with Parkinson’s significantly improved gene expression of TNF-α, PPAR-γ & LDLR, but did not affect IL-1 & IL-8 ( to read more about this).
  • INSIGHTEC has announced that the FDA has approved an expansion of the indication of Exablate Neuro (a focused ultrasound device for performing incisionless thalamotomy) to include the treatment of patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • DBS researchers highlight the need for meticulous programming of frequency to maximise speech intelligibility in chronic subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).

 

Other news

  • This is a damning statistic for the Parkinson’s research community: A review of registered clinical trials (380+) from 2007 to 2016 found that “40% of completed PD trials are unpublished, reflecting suboptimal utilization of participant efforts” ( to read more about it).
  • Acorda Therapeutics – a biotech firm with a focus on PD – has launched an art initiative to foster better conversations about Parkinson’s symptoms ( to read more about this).

  • The E-Therapeutics and C4X Discovery collaboration announces the identification of “new pathophysiological mechanisms in Parkinson’s” and the “early results point to novel approaches to drug discovery” ( to read more about this).
  • Impel NeuroPharma anounce the raising of $67.5 million in new funding to support clinical trials of its drug candidates. INP103 is an intranasally administered form of L-dopa designed to address the “OFF” episodes or frozen states in people with Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • A survey of 40+ Parkinson’s experts each asked to list what they believe are the 5 top experimental therapies for PD. Amazing breadth in the answers, shows how many different approaches are being taken to tackle the beast (Click here to read more about this).
  • Swedish biotech firm BioArctic has outlicensed its alpha synuclein antibody portfolio for Parkinson’s to pharmaceutical company Abbvie. AbbVie will progress BAN0805 (now known as ABBV-0805) into clinical development with the first clinical study planned for 2019 ( to read more about this).

  • Tech firm Microsoft has been granted a patent titled “WEARABLE DEVICE” which was first filed for by the company in June 2017. It appears to be a combination of actuators & sensors that could be used to control or stabilise the motor features of Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • Voyager therapeutics announced joining multiple partnerships with the Michael J Fox Foundation. Expanding Voyager’s commitment to new initiatives & education campaigns to accelerate the development of new therapies for Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • Progenra has received a Therapeutic Pipeline Award from Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research & drug development. Progenra is developing novel therapeutics by targeting enzymes from the ubiquitin proteasome system ( to read more about this).

 

Review articles/videos

  • The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease has a special issue of OPEN ACCESS articles reviewing the current and future state of Parkinson’s – some of the best researchers in the field offer opinions and highlight unanswered questions (Click here to read more about this).

  • Interesting review of the biology of N-Acetylcysteine (or NAC) in neurodegenerative conditions, like Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • Parkinson’s is complex. “The complexity & heterogeneity of symptoms therefore warrant a holistic, multidisciplinary approach“. Interesting review discussing multidisciplinary care for people with PD ( to read more about this).
  • Parkinson’s research highlights of 2018 from Parkinson’s UK (Click here to read more about this).
  • Interesting discussion about Parkinson’s in the age of personalised medicine ( to read more about this).
  • An intimate interview with Jonathan Silverstein – founder of the Silverstein Foundation (Click here to read more about this).

  • An excellent review of the etiology, neuropathology, and pathogenesis of Parkinson’s (Click here to read more about this).
  • Interesting piece on “Art for better health and wellbeing” – particularly in the case of Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).
  • An idea whose time has come: “The focal nature of PARKIN‐mediated neurodegeneration & lack of active synucleinopathy in most young‐onset cases makes these patients ideal candidates for a dopaminergic cell replacement therapy” – what is the next step? ( to read more about this).
  • Interesting discussion on the Movement Disorders website about the use of technology & voice in diagnosing/monitoring Parkinson’s ( to read more about this).

  • An interesting review of the current literature relating to the cross talk between glucocerebrosidase & alpha‐synuclein, Parkinson’s-associated GBA1 clinical phenotypes, & ongoing therapeutic approaches targeting GBA1 ( to read more about this).
  • An important topic that does not get discussed often enough: The long‐term direct & indirect economic burden among Parkinson’s caregivers in the United States ( to read more about this).
  • Interesting overview outlining the “Developing a Research Participation Enhancement and Advocacy Training Program for Diverse Seniors” (DREAMS) program for Parkinson’s. “DREAMS is intended to be a multi-directional exchange, in which presenters, health students, & diverse older adults can all learn from each other. Presenting for older adult stakeholders can help clinical faculty & students build relationships with diverse community members” ( to read more about this).

 

* * * * * * * * * * * *

And there it is, just some of the highlights from December 2018 – another very busy month of Parkinson’s research. Hopefully there will be bits and pieces of interest for everyone in the list. Much of the material used here was collected from the Science of Parkinson’s Twitter feed (and there is a lot more posted there each day).

Any thoughts/feedback would be greatly appreciated (either in the comments below, or contact me directly).

And now: on to 2019!!!

EDITOR’S NOTE: The information provided by the SoPD website is for information and educational purposes only. Under no circumstances should it ever be considered medical or actionable advice. It is provided by research scientists, not medical practitioners. Any actions taken – based on what has been read on the website – are the sole responsibility of the reader. Any actions being contemplated by readers should firstly be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional who is aware of your medical history. While some of the information discussed in this post may cause concern, please speak with your medical physician before attempting any change in an existing treatment regime.

In addition, many of the companies mentioned in this post are publicly traded companies. That said, the material presented on this page should under no circumstances be considered financial advice. Any actions taken by the reader based on reading this material is the sole responsibility of the reader. None of the companies have requested that this material be produced, nor has the author had any contact with any of the companies or associated parties. This post has been produced for educational purposes only.

Published by Simon

I am the Director of Research at Cure Parkinson's. Before that I was working as a Parkinson's research scientist at the University of Cambridge where I conducted both clinical- and lab-based research on Parkinson's. I have worked in the Parkinson's research field for over 15 years - both academically and in biotech ventures. All of my views/opinions expressed here are solely my own, and may not reflect the views of my employer or associated parties.

One thought on “Monthly Research Review – December 2018”

  1. Pingback: Neurological Mayhem by Dual Antioxidative and Anti-inflammatory Agents in Aged Parkinson’s Mice – Journey with Parkinson's

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