People with Parkinson’s disease may benefit from new brain scan

News

Author: Johanna Stiefler JohnsonPublished: 26 August 2021

Parkinson's LifePrep: Parkinson's LifeCook: Parkinson's LifeServes:

Clinician holds up a sheet of brain imaging scans.

In a study funded by the charity Parkinson’s UK, researchers have used a new type of brain scan to uncover how an ADHD medication could benefit people with Parkinson’s disease.

Scientists from the University of Cambridge, UK, based their research on existing knowledge of atomoxetine, an ADHD drug that rebalances a chemical in the brain – which has previously shown potential benefits for impulsiveness and cognitive decline in Parkinson’s.

As part of the study, 19 participants with Parkinson’s completed tasks designed to test their thinking processes while the imaging scan examined changes in the brain. The scan showed that atomoxetine improved the participants’ impulsive behaviours.

“There has been so much progress treating the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s, but we have not seen the same gains in treating some of the hidden symptoms,” said the study’s lead researcher, Dr Claire O’Callaghan. “This is an exciting step towards individualised therapy for cognitive decline in Parkinson’s.”


Read more:

Innovative approach to studying Parkinson’s disease discovered

Could people with Parkinson’s disease benefit from a new hydrogel?

Go Back

Share this story

Comments


Related articles


Two scientists sit in a lab.

News

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Researchers in Denmark have shared insights on a cause of up to 95% of Park

READ MORE

News

Vineyard pesticides may be linked to Parkinson’s disease

Exposure to pesticides used in vineyards could be linked to an increased ri

READ MORE
A bowl of fruit sits on a table.

News

New evidence fruit compound could support Parkinson’s disease treatment

A new study from researchers in the US and South Korea suggests farnesol, a

READ MORE