Featured
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News & Views |
Disentangling clinical and biological trajectories of neurodegenerative diseases
In recent years, we have seen a shift towards defining sporadic neurodegenerative diseases as a biological continuum. Here, we discuss the risks associated with this shift, emphasize the importance of maintaining a strong connection between disease definitions and subsequent clinical outcomes, and suggest clinicobiological frameworks to disentangle multiple discrete nosological entities.
- Nicolas Villain
- & Vincent Planche
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Comment |
Focused ultrasound brain therapy is a new tool in the box
Similar to any innovation that disrupts the status quo, the advent of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound in neurology was accompanied by controversy and debate. However, evidence suggests that this therapeutic tool, which is already widely used to treat tremor and Parkinson disease, is gaining acceptance and will become a viable therapeutic option for various other neurological conditions in the near future.
- Raúl Martínez-Fernández
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Comment |
Approval of omaveloxolone for Friedreich ataxia
The recent approval of omaveloxolone for the treatment of Friedreich ataxia in the USA and Europe represents an important milestone in the field of rare neurological diseases. However, many challenges lie ahead, including the translation of trial results into clinical practice, and the management of patients’ expectations.
- Sylvia Boesch
- & Elisabetta Indelicato
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Research Highlight |
Parkinson disease pathology in inflammatory bowel disease
A new study has found evidence of α-synuclein aggregates — a key pathological hallmark of Parkinson disease — in the gut and brain in people and animals with inflammatory bowel disease.
- Heather Wood
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Perspective |
Next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics in rare movement disorders
In this Perspective, Zech and Winkelmann outline multidimensional strategies for genetic diagnosis in patients with rare movement disorders and highlight community-driven data-sharing and case-matchmaking platforms designed to foster the discovery of new genotype–phenotype relationships.
- Michael Zech
- & Juliane Winkelmann
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Comment |
Glyphosate and neurotoxicity — a call for scientific renewal
Glyphosate, a controversial herbicide, has been approved for use in the European Union for another 10 years despite uncertainty over whether it increases the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson disease. We call for new approaches to assessing the neurotoxicity of glyphosate and other pesticides and improving their regulation.
- Bastiaan R. Bloem
- , Tjitske A. Boonstra
- & Roel C. H. Vermeulen
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Research Highlight |
CD11c+ macrophages mediate brain-to-gut α-synuclein trafficking
New research indicates that in a mouse model of Parkinson disease, α-synuclein is trafficked from the brain to the gut by CD11c-expressing macrophages.
- Heather Wood
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Research Highlight |
A new biological classification for Parkinson disease
In a plenary lecture at the XXVI World Congress of Neurology, Anthony Lang presented a new biological classification model for Parkinson disease.
- Heather Wood
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Research Highlight |
27-Hydroxycholesterol propagates α-synuclein pathology in Parkinson disease
New research in a mouse model of Parkinson disease indicates that the cholesterol metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol drives α-synuclein pathology.
- Lisa Kiani
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Comment |
AI and deep brain stimulation: what have we learned?
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established approach for treating movement disorders such as Parkinson disease, dystonia and essential tremor. However, the outcomes are variable, and researchers are now exploring artificial intelligence-based strategies to help improve DBS procedures.
- Patricia Limousin
- & Harith Akram
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Research Highlight |
Continuous levodopa production by an artificial enzyme
Researchers in China have developed a functional nucleic acid-based responsive artificial enzyme that enables continuous production of levodopa in a mouse model of Parkinson disease.
- Heather Wood
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Review Article |
The noradrenergic subtype of Parkinson disease: from animal models to clinical practice
Some patients with Parkinson disease (PD) present with mostly non-motor symptoms. Here, Chaudhuri et al. discuss the evidence for CNS abnormalities in noradrenergic function in these individuals. Recognition of this noradrenergic subtype of PD might ultimately lead to subtype-specific treatments and personalized medicine.
- K. Ray Chaudhuri
- , Valentina Leta
- & Per Svenningsson
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Research Highlight |
A seed amplification assay to detect Parkinson disease pathology
An α-synuclein seed amplification assay can reliably identify people with Parkinson disease, even at the prodromal stage, new research indicates.
- Heather Wood
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Research Highlight |
Gut microbiome changes linked to Parkinson disease
A new study used a metagenomic approach to survey the entire gut microbiome in people with Parkinson disease and identified specific changes that could be linked to the pathogenesis of the disease.
- Heather Wood
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Research Highlight |
Glial response to Parkinson disease-like neurodegeneration is region-dependent
According to new findings in a mouse model of Parkinson disease, the glial response to nigrostriatal degeneration differs depending on brain region.
- Sarah Lemprière
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Research Highlight |
Transmembrane protein interacts with α-synuclein to confer risk of PD
According to new findings, the transmembrane protein GPNMB is the mechanistic link between a Parkinson disease risk locus and α-synuclein pathology.
- Sarah Lemprière
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Research Highlight |
VEGFA mediates blood–brain barrier disruption in Parkinson disease
- Heather Wood
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News & Views |
The Parkinson disease connectome — insights from new imaging studies
During Parkinson disease progression, the accumulation of α-synuclein pathology is paralleled by changes in structural and functional connectivity in the brain. Two new studies pinpoint specific alterations in the brain connectome in the early stages of Parkinson disease and suggest future avenues of research to develop connectome-based biomarkers.
- Florian Krismer
- & Klaus Seppi
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Review Article |
Technology of deep brain stimulation: current status and future directions
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure that allows targeted circuit-based neuromodulation and has become a standard of care in a range of movement disorders. This Review discusses the evolution and current status of DBS technology and anticipates future advances.
- Joachim K. Krauss
- , Nir Lipsman
- & Andres M. Lozano
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News & Views |
Pathogenetic insights into young-onset Parkinson disease
An understanding of the biochemical processes underlying Parkinson disease (PD) will be essential for the development of disease-modifying therapies. In a recent study, a novel biochemical phenotype of the disease was identified from analysis of inducible pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons from individuals with young-onset PD.
- Anthony H. V. Schapira
- & Huw R. Morris
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News & Views |
Prion protein — mediator of toxicity in multiple proteinopathies
A new study shows that interactions of the cellular prion protein with amyloid-β, tau and α-synuclein oligomers are important in mediating the toxicity of these proteins in Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease. The findings suggest a shared pathway that could be a therapeutic target common to multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
- Jacob I. Ayers
- & Stanley B. Prusiner
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Review Article |
LRRK2 in Parkinson disease: challenges of clinical trials
In this Review, Tolosa et al. discuss the strategies in development for disease-modifying treatments in Parkinson disease cause by mutations in the LRRK2 gene, and consider the challenges in designing and implementing clinical trials in this condition.
- Eduardo Tolosa
- , Miquel Vila
- & Olivier Rascol