Sensors could measure brain chemical levels over the course of a year

News

Author: Simge Eva DoganPublished: 18 October 2018

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Neuroscientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US, believe they have developed brain sensors that can measure dopamine levels over a year-long period.

The sensors – which are implanted about five millimetres deep – were tested on animals and recorded dopamine levels for up to 393 days. To ensure results were accurate over a longer period of time, scientists designed sensors that would not provoke an immune reaction.

If the new technology is developed for human use, it could help doctors measure dopamine levels in people receiving deep brain stimulation – and subsequently allow them to deliver the treatment only when it is necessary.

Helen N. Schwerdt, MIT postdoctoral research associate and lead author of the study published in science journal ‘Communications Biology’, said: “Understanding those relationships between chemical and electrical activity will be really important to understanding all of the issues that you see in Parkinson’s.”

To read more on this topic click here.

For more information on Parkinson’s and deep brain stimulation please visit the EPDA website.

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Global update

No Escape Room: a Parkinson’s campaign like no other

The escape room simulates common Parkinson’s symptoms

Kitty Fitton: “It’s vital that we keep our sense of humour, especially at times like this”

We talk to comedian with Parkinson’s Kitty Fitton

Win a free copy of ‘Faces of Parkinson’s’ book by sharing #UniteForParkinsons

Competition time! Spread the word about #UniteForParkinsons on social media

Can tremor predict the effect of Parkinson’s disease medication?

Researchers from the Netherlands have found a link between tremor symptoms and how dopaminergic medication impacts learning abilities in Parkinson’s disease. Many people with Parkinson’s become sensitive to learning through rewards due to a decrease in dopamine in the brain. As part of a new study – published in the scientific journal Brain –researchers assessed 43 tremor-dominant and 20 non-tremor dominant people with Parkinson’s while they were on and off dopaminergic medication. The results showed that in people with Parkinson’s who do not experience tremor, dopaminergic medication improves the ability to learn from rewards – and in those with tremor, the medication has no impact on reward learning. Rick Helmich, co-author of the study and a neurologist at Radboud University Medical Centre, the Netherlands, said: “Whether someone experiences tremor or not might therefore potentially have a significant predictive value regarding the effectiveness of medication in the cognitive domain. However, more…

Could a ‘Mediterranean diet’ lower the risk of Parkinson’s for women?

A study by scientists in Sweden has suggested that women who eat a ‘Mediterranean diet’ at middle age could have a lower risk of Parkinson’s later in life. The report, published in the Movement Disorders journal, used dietary information from more than 47,000 women aged 29 to 49, recorded between the early 1990s and 2012. They looked at how closely the women adhered to a Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP), which is high in foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, unsaturated fats and legumes. They then compared the information with data from the Swedish National Patient Register to find out whether participants had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The researchers found that those with a high adherence to the diet had a 46% lower risk of being diagnosed with the condition compared to those with a low adherence, concluding that “higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet at middle age was associated with…

Pesticide that increases Parkinson’s risk by 150% reapproved in the US

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has allowed the continued use of paraquat, a pesticide that increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease by 150%. The pesticide – which has already been banned in 32 countries – was reapproved by the EPA in October as part of a review of the safety of all herbicides and pesticides in the US, a process which takes place every 15 years. Many studies have shown that as well as increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, exposure to the pesticide is associated with other health issues and risk of death. Exposure to paraquat endangers both the farmers who use the pesticide, as well as the families who can be exposed to it through the air or transfers onto clothing or other materials. In response to the reapproval, the Michael J Fox Foundation is calling on the Parkinson’s community to ask senators and representatives to support a…

All fields required

First name*
Last name*
Email address*
Enter Email Confirm Email
Country of residence*
About me*
- I have Parkinson's disease
- I am a partner / carer / family / friend of someone who has Parkinson's
- I am a healthcare professional with an interest in Parkinson's
- I work for a Parkinson's disease organisation
- Other
CAPTCHA
*
- By proceeding you agree to our
Comments
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sensors could measure brain chemical levels over the course of a year

News

Author: Simge Eva DoganPublished: 18 October 2018

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Global update

No Escape Room: a Parkinson’s campaign like no other

Interviews

Kitty Fitton: “It’s vital that we keep our sense of humour, especially at times like this”

Global update

Win a free copy of ‘Faces of Parkinson’s’ book by sharing #UniteForParkinsons

Can tremor predict the effect of Parkinson’s disease medication?

Could a ‘Mediterranean diet’ lower the risk of Parkinson’s for women?

Pesticide that increases Parkinson’s risk by 150% reapproved in the US

{title}

Subscribe

Sensors could measure brain chemical levels over the course of a year

News

Author: Simge Eva DoganPublished: 18 October 2018

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Global update

No Escape Room: a Parkinson’s campaign like no other

Interviews

Kitty Fitton: “It’s vital that we keep our sense of humour, especially at times like this”

Global update

Win a free copy of ‘Faces of Parkinson’s’ book by sharing #UniteForParkinsons

Can tremor predict the effect of Parkinson’s disease medication?

Could a ‘Mediterranean diet’ lower the risk of Parkinson’s for women?

Pesticide that increases Parkinson’s risk by 150% reapproved in the US

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in