Parkinson's Treatment Shows Promise in Mice

(NEWSER) - The precise application of electricity to certain areas of the brain—the same principles a pacemaker uses for the heart—is showing promise for people with an array of illnesses such as Parkinson's, severe depression, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's, the Chicago Tribune reports. The treatment, called deep brain stimulation, remains in the preliminary stages, but its potential grows as researchers develop ever-more detailed maps of the brain and its circuitry. More»

Patients report sudden onset of addictions

(NEWSER) - Drugs for Parkinson's disease can be enormously beneficial, relieving patients' tremors and rigid muscles. But some patients are now complaining of an unusual side effect—extreme compulsive behavior. One woman began taking Mirapex to combat symptoms and suddenly found herself with a $200-a-day scratch-off lottery ticket habit, reports the Chicago Tribune. More»

Deep brain stimulation, used for years to fight Parkinson's, is spreading out

(NEWSER) - A type of brain surgery previously used to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may be effective in countering the debilitating effects of deep depression, CNN reports. A new study shows that deep brain stimulation, a process in which electrodes are inserted into problem areas in the brain and hooked up to a power source, can decrease symptoms of depression up to 50%. More»

Disease found in healthy cells grafted to sufferers' brains

(NEWSER) - Transplanting healthy cells into the brains of people with Parkinson's alleviates symptoms, but sufferers showed signs of deterioration as the disease spread to the grafted cells, according to two studies in the journal Nature Medicine. Scientists in Sweden and Chicago discovered similar results in patients who received cell transplants up to 16 years ago. More»

Study finds mice's own stem cells most effective vs disease

(NEWSER) - Scientists have found that embryonic stem cells effectively treat Parkinson's disease in lab mice, but only when the cells come from the sick mouse's own clones, Reuters reports. The study, published in Nature Medicine, created "therapeutic clones" by transferring cell nuclei into mouse egg cells and growing them into the type of brain cells Parkinson's destroys. More»