White blood cells could help diagnose people at risk of Parkinson’s, study finds

News

Author: Saskia MairPublished: 30 April 2020

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Scientists in the US have found additional evidence for the link between immune cells and Parkinson’s – alongside signs of autoimmunity present in individuals years before their Parkinson’s diagnosis.

The study – conducted by researchers from La Jolla Institute for Immunology and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, US – revealed a higher count of T cells (a type of white blood cell) in participants at the time of diagnosis but showed that few still had these cells 10 years later.

Dr Alessandro Sette, who co-led the study, said: “This tells us that detection of T cell responses could help in the diagnosis of people at risk or in early stages of [Parkinson’s] disease development.

“Importantly, we could dream of a scenario where early interference with T cell responses could prevent the disease from manifesting itself or progressing.”

To read more on this topic click here.

For more information on the latest Parkinson’s research please visit the EPDA website.

Plant-based compounds could treat chronic pain in Parkinson’s, study finds

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Europe

Have you stopped receiving our weekly e-newsletter?

Due to new laws, you must sign up for our e-newsletter to keep receiving it

Parkinson’s in the news: September

A roundup of Parkinson’s news stories in September

Tackling shame and loneliness in Italy

We speak to the founder of charity ParkinZone

Heart problems linked to dementia risk in Parkinson’s disease, say researchers

Researchers at the University of Turin, Italy, have identified that Parkinson’s-related cardiovascular problems may increase a patient’s risk of developing dementia within five years. According to the study, it is estimated that more than half of people with Parkinson’s experience an impairment of the autonomic nervous system – which helps to regulate bodily functions such as blood pressure, body temperature, respiration and heart rate. The researchers investigated the effects of this impairment on key functional Parkinson’s outcomes – including dementia, falls and postural instability – by observing 65 patients at the university’s movement disorders centre and following up after five years. Evaluations throughout the study assessed patients’ cognitive function, automatic symptoms and other motor and non-motor features. In the findings, which were published in the ‘Journal of Neurology’, the researchers noted that worse cardiovascular assessment scores were “associated with a sevenfold higher risk of developing dementia”.

A “revolutionary” step in stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease?

Scientists in China have developed a method to help improve stem cell research in mice models of Parkinson’s – which could potentially lead to promising new treatments. The researchers, based at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, identified two cell surface markers of dopamine neurons, which are reduced in Parkinson’s. They injected cells with these markers into the brains of the mice and found that this resulted in “higher therapeutic potency” for improving motor symptoms of the condition. As part of their research, the team also worked to control the variability of donor cells, to help improve therapeutic outcomes for Parkinson’s cell therapy. The researchers, whose study was published in ‘The Journal of Clinical Investigation’, described the findings as a “revolutionary step on the road towards more effective and safer stem cell therapies”.

Could frequent nightmares be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease?

A new study has suggested that experiencing recurrent nightmares and bad dreams could be an early symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Researchers from the University of Birmingham, UK, used data from an existing US study that followed 3818 men, aged 67 or older, over a period of 12 years. Participants who reported experiencing bad dreams at least once a week were followed up. During the follow up, 91 people were diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The results suggested that participants who had frequent bad dreams were twice as likely to develop the condition as those who did not. Commenting on the study, lead author Dr Abidemi Otaiku said: “While we need to carry out further research, identifying the significance of bad dreams and nightmares could indicate that individuals who experience changes to their dreams in older age – without any obvious trigger – should seek medical advice.”

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.

White blood cells could help diagnose people at risk of Parkinson’s, study finds

News

Author: Saskia MairPublished: 30 April 2020

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Europe

Have you stopped receiving our weekly e-newsletter?

Global update

Parkinson’s in the news: September

In my country

Tackling shame and loneliness in Italy

Heart problems linked to dementia risk in Parkinson’s disease, say researchers

A “revolutionary” step in stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease?

Could frequent nightmares be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease?

{title}

Subscribe

White blood cells could help diagnose people at risk of Parkinson’s, study finds

News

Author: Saskia MairPublished: 30 April 2020

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Europe

Have you stopped receiving our weekly e-newsletter?

Global update

Parkinson’s in the news: September

In my country

Tackling shame and loneliness in Italy

Heart problems linked to dementia risk in Parkinson’s disease, say researchers

A “revolutionary” step in stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease?

Could frequent nightmares be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease?

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in