Parkinson's disease news stories on Newser

Parkinson’s Drug May Speed Brain Injury Recovery

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:42:09 CST

Good news for patients suffering from severe brain injuries: A drug used to treat Parkinson's disease could accelerate their recovery. The drug, amantadine hydrochloride, was tested against a placebo in a blind study of 184 patients. The group receiving the drug showed more improvement—not a lot more, but in...

Back From the Future: Nike Releases Genuine Air Mags

Mark Russell — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:00:00 CDT

They're the most famous shoes never made—until now. They're the Nike Air Mags, the LED-covered high-tops Marty McFly wore in Back to the Future Part II . Now, as Gizmodo gushes , they can be yours for a limited time ... for the right price. Nike has made just 1,500 pairs...

Scientists Develop Wireless Mind Control Device

Tim Karan — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:01:25 CDT

You're one step closer to having your movement and sexual arousal controlled by somebody else, but the huge, obtrusive helmet you'd have to wear would probably tip you off. A scientist at MIT has developed a method for wireless mind control in mice, reports Discover . The helmet triggers specific reactions...

Dad Sues Drug Firm for Sex Addiction

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 04:05:00 CST

A French man is suing a drug firm for his addiction to sex and gambling, claiming a medication he was taking to control his Parkinson's disease triggered compulsive behavior. The claim isn't so far fetched. Experts say that dopamine agonists like that found in the drug Requip, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline,...

John Paul's 'Miracle' Shows Catholic Church's Hypocrisy

John Johnson — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:57:05 CST

News that the Vatican has given the late pontiff John Paul II credit for a miracle related to Parkinson's leads Michael Kinsley—who has Parkinson's himself—to one conclusion: "The Roman Catholic Church has either a very good or a very bad sense of humor." After all, if the church...

Corpse Meister Plans to Exhibit Own Body

Rob Quinn — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 02:23:25 CST

The German anatomist famous for his displays of preserved corpses is preparing to become part of one of his own exhibitions. Gunther von Hagens, who pioneered the "plastination" technique of preserving corpses by injecting them with plastics, is suffering from Parkinson's disease and says the symptoms are becoming impossible to...

Protein Discovery Could Spur 'Gold Rush' for New Drugs

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:09:05 CST

Scientists are hailing a potential breakthrough in the treatment of 130 conditions following the identification of more than 1,400 crucial brain proteins. When faulty, these proteins have been found to contribute to conditions including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, autism, and learning disabilities, and their identification could accelerate the development of...

Scandal Threatens John Paul II's Sainthood

Emily Rauhala — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:27:54 CDT

Questions swirled about John Paul II's legacy at a ceremony yesterday marking the 5th anniversary of his death. The inexplicable healing of a young French nun from Parkinson's disease had seemed like the miracle required for his sainthood. But, according to a Polish newspaper, there are now doubts the nun...

Michael J. Fox Gets a PhD

Nick McMaster — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:13:00 CST

Michael J. Fox will soon become Michael J. Fox, PhD. The Karolinska Institute—the Nobel Prize people—will award the actor an honorary doctorate for his philanthropic work toward finding a cure for Parkinson's disease. "I'm grateful to the Board of Research and to the Karolinska Institute for this tremendous...