Brain Awareness Week — studying the power of the brain’s self-cleaning system Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash In March we mark Brain Awareness Week, a celebration of research being undertaken to understand how the brain works, and crucially ways to help when things go wrong. At Parkinson’s UK, almost all of the research we fund relates to the brain in some way. We know the symptoms of Parkinson’s are caused by a loss of a brain chemical called dopamine. This is linked to the death of brain cells which produce it. So whether the research is studying the brain more closely to lo ..read more

Falls affect around 60% of people with Parkinson’s every year and it can lead to lack of confidence and independence. In this blog, we meet three people dedicated to finding better tools and treatments in this area. Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash Over the past 2 years, Dr Rosie Morris, Gerry and Elaine, have been working together on a research project to develop an app to better monitor falls in Parkinson’s. Rosie is a researcher at Northumbria University, whose research focus is understanding changes in movement as we age, while Gerry and Elaine are members of the Parkinson’s ..read more

2022 has been a year of unity, progress and people powering research. We reflect on some key moments and give thanks to the many people who have made progress happen. Clay Banks via Unsplash https://unsplash.com/s/photos/2022 It has been a challenging year for a lot of people and we know that this is set to continue. So before we move onto looking at the stand out moments for research this year, we want to say we’re here for you. Whether you’re worried about money or need help managing your Parkinson’s, you’re not alone. We’re here to help you find the right support. Get free, confi ..read more

Diagnosing Parkinson’s earlier — so what? One area of Parkinson’s research is looking at finding ways to diagnose the condition earlier. We know that people sometimes feel unsure as to why this will be helpful, especially as there are currently no treatments that can slow or stop Parkinson’s. This blog helps explain why this area of research is important. What’s the current situation? Currently, we can’t predict whether someone will develop Parkinson’s. This is because the exact causes of the condition are still being pieced together and research is still uncovering risk factors that migh ..read more

£16m funding announced to drive forward a drug that could slow the loss of brain cells in Parkinson’s through a collaboration with the drug discovery company NRG Therapeutics Ltd. It began with the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech in 2019. Read the story so far … Research looking to find a way to slow or stop Parkinson’s is high on the agenda for people with Parkinson’s, their friends and loved ones. We often hear how frustratingly slow people find research, but there’s a glimmer of hope. Global initiatives to form collaborations to ensure promising treatments are delivered in years and not d ..read more

Finding partners — the future of GDNF In the last two years we have made real progress in scoping out a future GDNF trial. We still believe that GDNF has real promise. The next priority is seeking investors to help make a future trial possible. Recap What’s GDNF? GDNF stands for glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor. It is part of a group of proteins called growth factors and some refer to these as ”the fertilisers of the brain”. This is because these growth factors are naturally produced in the brain and support the survival of many types of brain cells, including the cells lost in Park ..read more

Taking part in research — you’re in control We cover what’s involved in taking part in research, how you can find opportunities, and answer some of the most frequently asked questions. The word research can make people think of different things and evoke different emotions. Perhaps white coats, hospitals, and for some fear or the unknown. We want to use this blog to bust some myths and inform you of exactly what research is all about and why it’s important, especially with regard to Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s is a complex condition that can impact people in completely different ways. Altho ..read more

We chat to Dr Kevin McFarthing who helps to summarise all of the active research into Parkinson’s in a way that everyone can understand. He tells us, of the 147 ongoing registered clinical studies, what treatments he thinks are the most promising and how best to stay up to date. We frequently get asked, “so, what’s going on with research into Parkinson’s?” And the answer is a lot! This is promising and reassuring, but it can also be overwhelming for people to stay up to date with research in a way that’s understandable and manageable. To help cover some of the ways you can stay up to dat ..read more

Much of what we currently understand about Parkinson’s has come from studies of affluent white populations. The East London Parkinson’s Disease project is working with the local Bengali community and other under-represented groups in the region to change this. Photo by Benjamin David on Unsplash To fully understand how Parkinson’s develops, or impacts upon people’s lives, we need to hear from all people affected by Parkinson’s. But we know that research is often not representative of everyone’s experiences. Until we do this, care and new treatments may not be serving everyone in the ..read more

Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world — there is no cure, and no treatment that slows its progression. In an attempt to change this, researchers are looking towards some of the very earliest signs of the condition — specifically a certain type of sleep disorder — to see if a new drug might hold the key to preventing Parkinson’s in the future. Photo by Krista Mangulsone on Unsplash When it comes to treating Parkinson’s no treatments have been proven to stop the progressive loss of brain cells that cause the condition. And by the time a person has been ..read more