Movement Disorders
From the Journals
Low caffeine in blood could be marker of early Parkinson’s
Levels of caffeine and its metabolites have potential as a diagnostic screen for early Parkinson’s disease.
Conference Coverage
Corynebacterium in the gut can trigger Parkinson’s disease
SAN DIEGO – Can the bacteria be eliminated to prevent the disease?
Feature
Gene silencer reduces mutant huntingtin protein in early-stage Huntington’s patients
Whether reducing the mutant huntingtin protein with the antisense oligonucleotide IONIS-HTTRx helps patients remains to be seen.
From the Journals
High-intensity treadmill workouts preserved motor function in early-stage Parkinson’s
Now a larger efficacy trial is warranted, the investigators said.
Conference Coverage
Salivary biomarker identified for Huntington’s disease
SAN DIEGO – Perhaps the greatest potential is for predicting disease onset so treatments can be started before symptoms emerge.
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In Lewy body disease, CSF may reveal dementia risk
SAN DIEGO – A small study showed that levels of tau protein and amyloid-beta in the cerebrospinal fluid correlated with postmortem findings of...
From the Journals
Driving ability of Parkinson’s patients can decline quickly
Findings suggest that health care providers should routinely ask about driving status and make referrals for testing if necessary.
Conference Coverage
Slow-wave sleep linked to Parkinson’s disease cognition
SAN DIEGO – Study “suggests that interventions to improve sleep might also improve cognitive function in individuals with PD.”
From the Journals
Novel models predict Parkinson’s disease motor progression
The results could have “immediate relevance toward enabling more effective trial recruitment and clinical disease management.”
From the Journals
Deep brain stimulation shows promise in treating Tourette syndrome
While deep brain stimulation is not approved for Tourette syndrome in the United States, it shows promise as a treatment option.
From the Journals
Caffeine offers no perks for Parkinson’s patients
The findings from a 6-month, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial contradict those from an earlier 6-week pilot trial.