Latest news with #ParkinsonsDisease
Medscape
4 days ago
- General
- Medscape
Autism Linked to Fourfold Increase in Parkinson's Disease
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is linked to a fourfold increased risk for early-onset Parkinson's disease (PD), results from the largest, population-based cohort study of its kind to date showed. The findings indicated 'that there can be shared biological drivers behind ASD and Parkinson's disease,' study investigator, Weiyao Yin, MD, PhD, of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, said in a release. 'One hypothesis is that the brain's dopamine system is affected in both cases, since the neurotransmitter dopamine plays an important part in social behavior and motion control,' Yin added. The study was published online on May 27 in JAMA Neurology . A Plausible Link Recent research pointed to a plausible biological link between ASD and PD. However, large, longitudinal studies investigating the risk for PD following an ASD diagnosis are scarce, the researchers noted. 'Our study is the first population-based study, to our knowledge, using prospectively collected data, longitudinal design, and life-course approach to strengthen the inference,' they wrote. To investigate they used national registry data from more than 2 million individuals born in Sweden between 1974 and 1999 and followed them from age 20 years up to the end of 2022. The median age at study exit was 34 years. Within this cohort, they identified 51,954 individuals with ASD and 2,226,611 individuals without the disorder. PD, defined as a first-ever diagnosis of PD or other idiopathic or degenerative parkinsonian disorders, was identified in 438 individuals without ASD (0.02%; 1.3 cases per 100,000 person-years) and in 24 individuals with ASD (0.05%; 3.9 cases per 100,000 person-years), corresponding to a relative risk (RR) of 4.43. Depression and antidepressant use were present in 46.7% of individuals with ASD, and antipsychotic use, which can cause Parkinson-like symptoms, was present in 31.5%. Adjusting for depression and antipsychotic use reduced but did not eliminate the association between ASD and PD risk (RR, 3.10 and RR, 2.00, respectively). Independent of ASD diagnosis, a history of depression and exposure to antipsychotics were linked to a significantly higher risk for PD (RR, 2.01 and RR, 6.34, respectively). Preterm or early-term birth is a known risk factor for ASD, prompting an examination of its potential association with PD. However, no increased risk for PD was found compared with individuals born at full term. After adjusting for sex, socioeconomic status, and parental mental illness or PD, the investigators found ASD remained consistently associated with an increased risk for PD. There are potential biological explanations for the link, Yin told Medscape Medical News . 'One hypothesis suggests that the brain's dopamine system is impacted in both conditions, as the neurotransmitter dopamine plays a crucial role in social behavior and motor control,' Yin said. There may be a genetic correlation between the two conditions, she added noting that the PARK2 gene may be associated between ASD and early-onset PD. 'ASD is a lifelong condition, and more children with autism now progress into middle and older adulthood. Healthcare services need to provide long-term monitoring for individuals with ASD — a vulnerable group with high comorbidity and a high use of psychotropic medications,' Yin said. Experts Weigh In The study is clinically relevant 'mainly because it shows that neurodevelopmental conditions, like ASD, may be associated with clinical signs and diagnoses that may manifest at different ages, and we as clinicians should be aware of that,' Christos Ganos, MD, a neurologist at the Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who was not involved with the study, told Medscape Medical News . 'Although neurodevelopmental disorders are diagnosed early in life, there is a need to assess for neurological symptoms and signs also later in life, including to monitor the effects of prescribed medications on neuromotor control,' added Ganos, who is the wolf chair in neurodevelopmental psychiatry, and associate professor of neurology at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. However, he urged caution in linking the specific diagnoses of ASD and PD, as there is a more general link between neurodevelopmental disorders and motor dysfunction. 'Neurodevelopmental disorders are very heterogeneous, and the 'ASD' diagnosis encompasses a lot of different disorders and etiologies. Some of these diagnoses/conditions are linked to motor syndromes that are specifically associated with motor slowing but are not PD, although they could resemble some of its features,' he explained. Strengths of the study include its large sample size and statistical power to provide estimates 'with more meaningful precision than prior studies,' said Connie Marras, MD, PhD, a movement disorders specialist, and professor of neurology at the University of Toronto. However, she noted that investigators did not include smoking in the models, which 'may result in an overestimation of the association between ASD and PD,' she added. 'Smoking is less common among individuals with ASD and may constitute a confounder. Smoking is also less common in individuals with Parkinson's disease and is considered a protective factor against PD.' She also questioned whether the results really have clinical implications for monitoring the emergence of parkinsonism in this population. 'Early detection does not have treatment implications currently, particularly since at present we don't have therapies for PD prevention or slowing of progression. Once we do have such treatments, then monitoring would be justified,' she said. However, the finding 'could have significant clinical and policy-related implications as these individuals age,' Gregory Wallace, PhD, an autism expert and associate professor of speech, language, and hearing sciences at The George Washington University, Washington, DC, who was not part of the study, told Medscape Medical News. 'Given increased rates of autism diagnoses in younger cohorts, if autistic people are at increased risk for developing parkinsonism as they age, the healthcare system and clinicians who provide care for autistic adults need to be prepared,' said Wallace. Wallace recently published research showing that co-occurring parkinsonism in adults with autism is linked with lower subjective quality of life, more memory problems, lower sleep quality, and greater depression symptoms.
Health Line
5 days ago
- Business
- Health Line
Medicare Coverage for Parkinson's Disease
Medicare covers medications, therapies, and other services for treating Parkinson's disease and its symptoms. However, even with Medicare, you can expect some out-of-pocket costs. Parkinson's disease can come with a wide range of motor and nonmotor symptoms. The symptoms of this condition can be different for different people. Since it's a progressive disease, symptoms can change over time. Medicare covers a range of different treatments, medications, and services that you may need to manage Parkinson's disease throughout your life. Part C coverage and costs Part C, or Medicare Advantage, bundles hospital and medical insurance with prescription drug coverage (Part D). Costs vary depending on the plan and provider you choose. Each plan has a different premium, deductible, copayment, and coinsurance amount. Staying within your plan's 'network' of healthcare professionals, pharmacies, and other providers ensures you receive the maximum coverage at the lowest out-of-pocket cost. Once you pay your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, your plan will cover 100% of all Medicare-approved costs. Specifics vary by plan, but in 2025, the maximum out-of-pocket cost for covered services under a Part C plan is $9,350. Part D coverage and costs Part D covers prescription medications. The amount of coverage each plan provides depends on its formulary and tier system. A formulary is a list of medications the plan covers. Those medications are then divided into groups or tiers, typically based on cost. Ask your doctors what medications you'll need, then talk with your plan provider about your coverage to get an estimate of your copay or coinsurance costs. The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
TreeFrog Therapeutics Secures €30 Million From European Investment Bank (EIB) Marking a Significant Milestone in the Company's Journey to Accelerate the Field of Cell Therapy
BORDEAUX, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 2025-- TreeFrog Therapeutics, a French biotech specializing in cell therapy has secured a €30 million financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The financing will support the advancement of their lead cell therapy program in Parkinson's Disease to the clinic. Funds will also be used to reinforce their internal pipeline in other disease areas with large unmet needs. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, EIB and Frederic Desdouits, CEO TreeFrog Therapeutics sign financing of €30million to accelerate cell therapy programs. Regenerative medicine holds immense potential to revolutionize healthcare to treat or cure some of the world's unmet needs in diseases of the major organs, such as the heart, lungs, pancreas and brain. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and the fastest growing with more than 10 million people worldwide suffering from the disease. Prevalence doubled in the last 25 years and is expected to double again before 2050. Current solutions treat symptoms only. The cell therapy in development at TreeFrog has the potential to be a best-in-class treatment due to its unique 3D format microtissues, developed from induced pluripotent cells (iPSC). The program is on track to be ready for a first-in-human trial in 2027. The €30 million financing will be available in 3 tranches of €10 million each, with TreeFrog benefiting from a new vehicle from the EIB, mixing dilutive financing, hence no principal repayment required for the initial two tranches and venture debt for the last tranche. The initial €10 million will be withdrawn during the second quarter of 2025. EIB's investment aligns with the InvestEU objective of fostering research, development and innovation. Ambroise Fayolle, vice-president of the EIB, said: 'Regenerative medicine is a field that has growing importance as life expectancy rises and some diseases are still untreated. This EIB is keen to support young, dynamic European and French companies that focus on research, development and product innovation. Support from InvestEU is testimony of a wider European interest in TreeFrog's business model and new solutions for the health sector'. Jaime Arango, Chief Finance Officer, TreeFrog Therapeutics, said: 'We are delighted to receive this support from EIB which bolsters our cash visibility trajectory and enables us to bring our Parkinson's cell therapy to the clinic, while also reinforcing our internal pipeline of cell therapies in other disease areas.' TreeFrog's success in attracting investment and partners to date is based on their proprietary technology platform, C-Stem™. This platform addresses some of the major challenges by producing high quality cells, efficiently, at commercial scale. C-Stem combines microfluidics and stem cell biology to mimic the natural environment for cells. The cells are encapsulated in alginate capsules seeded with iPSCs. These capsules protect the cells, allowing them to do what they do naturally – self-organise and grow. The protected cells are nurtured and nourished, expand exponentially and can be turned into any type of cell in large-scale bioreactors without damage and stress. This results in 3D microtissues that have unique benefits in terms of quality and functionality and integrate well after transplant. Background information About EIB The European Investment Bank (EIB), whose shareholders are the Member States of the European Union (EU), is the EU's long-term financing institution. Across eight major priorities, we support investments in climate action and the environment, digital transition and technological innovation, security and defense, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world. In 2024, the EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing in support of more than 900 projects in Europe and worldwide. In France, the EIB Group signed over a hundred operations in 2024 for a total amount of €12.6 billion. Nearly 60% of the EIB Group's annual financing supports projects contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as the creation of a healthier environment. About TreeFrog Therapeutics TreeFrog Therapeutics is a French-based regenerative medicine biotech set to unlock access to cell therapies for millions of patients. TreeFrog is unique in its approach to cell therapy development, bringing together biophysicists, cell biologists and bioproduction engineers to address the challenges of the industry - producing and differentiating cells of quality at unprecedented scale, cost-effectively. To succeed in their mission of Cell Therapy for all, TreeFrog operates a business model that includes its own therapeutic programs and partnerships with leading biotech and industry players. Since 2021, the company has raised $82 million to advance a pipeline of stem cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine. View source version on CONTACT: Press contacts EIB Andrea Morawski,[email protected], mobile: +352 691 284 349 Website: Press Office:[email protected] TreeFrog Therapeutics Rachel Mooney Chief Communications Officer [email protected] Tel: +33 674063461 KEYWORD: EUROPE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA FRANCE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER HEALTH RESEARCH BANKING GENERAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PUBLIC RELATIONS/INVESTOR RELATIONS SCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS FINANCE OTHER SCIENCE HEALTH SOURCE: TreeFrog Therapeutics Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/27/2025 07:15 AM/DISC: 05/27/2025 07:14 AM
Zawya
26-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Riyadh hospital pioneers AI device implant for brain stimulation
Saudi Arabia - King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh has successfully executed a groundbreaking procedure in the Middle East, implanting an advanced smart device within the brain to help manage chronic neurological disorders. This device monitors abnormal electrical activity and sends targeted electrical impulses to the affected regions, aiming to alleviate symptoms, decrease dependence on medication, and enhance patients' quality of life, independence, and health stability. This state-of-the-art innovation enables patients to better control neurological symptoms and potentially lower medication doses by as much as 50%, reducing side effects and improving daily activities- especially for those with Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and movement disorders, said the centre. The device's built-in artificial intelligence rapidly analyses brain signals to detect abnormal activity patterns and responds by providing targeted electrical stimulation to restore neural balance. This allows for highly accurate, adaptive treatment that adjusts to the patient's condition in real time without requiring continuous manual intervention from healthcare professionals. While benefits start to appear within the first few weeks post-implantation, achieving optimal results requires a fine-tuning period of one to three months, during which electrical responses are calibrated according to real-time brain signals collected by the device, it said. The procedure utilises minimally invasive methods lasting only three to five hours, avoiding large surgical cuts. This approach lessens recovery time, minimises complications, and encourages a quicker return to everyday activities. This achievement highlights KFSHRC's ongoing progress in harnessing artificial intelligence and medical innovation to provide high-precision, specialised care, meet patient needs, and shape an advanced therapeutic model for the region and beyond, the centre said. Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Seed Oils, UPFs, And Carni-Bros: Is RFK Making America Healthy Again?
RFK Jr is not just bringing back infectious diseases like measles. Our top health official is working hard to back diet-related diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart attacks. During his first three months in office, RFK, Jr. has made three big pronouncements about what Americans should eat. The first is important but for the wrong reasons. The second builds on the fallacies of the first. And the third goes against 60 plus years of scientific evidence. RFK is not wrong if he is referring to ultra-processed foods (or UPFs). A recent study found that those who ate more UPFs were more likely to show early symptoms of Parkinson's disease and a review study linked UPFs to higher risk of dying from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and mental health outcomes including anxiety and sleeping difficulties. UPFs are made from multiple ingredients including additives like colorants, flavor enhancers, and preservatives. They contain high amounts of sugars, salt, and fats, which makes them hyper-palatable, or simply tasty. And they are cheap, readily available (witness the local gas station convenience store), and handy to eat. Unfortunately for the consumer, a review of studies with a combined population of over 1 million, found that for each 10% increase in UPF consumption, your risk of mortality increases by 10%. Why are UPFs unhealthy? Many people eschew the long list of 'chemicals' on the ingredient labels of everything from Wheaties to Fritos. One type of ingredient--food dyes--can have negative health effects and are associated with hyperactivity in children. In fact, MAHA hopes to ban food dyes in UPFs like soft drinks and Fruit Loops. Yet I haven't heard MAHA alerting us to the high levels of salt, sugar, and saturated fat in UPFs… all things that have been shown over and over to contribute to chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. Dr Kevin Hall, who worked as a nutrition researcher at NIH for 21 years, found that people on an ultra-processed diet consumed about 500 more calories per day, which could explain why UPFs are associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity. But what explains why UPF consumers gobble up more calories? Dr Hall thinks energy density might be the culprit. Simply put, a chocolate chip cookie packs a lot more calories into every bite than a banana. So eating that ultra processed chocolate chip cookie means eating more calories per bite compared to eating fruit and other less processed foods. Not to mention that the sugar, salt and fat taste good… making me want to eat 4 or 5 chocolate chip cookies instead of one banana. The preliminary results of Dr Hall's recent study, which he posted on X, show that the high energy density and the irresistible taste of salt, sugar, and fat explain why people on high UPF diets eat more calories. But don't expect to see the final results of this important study published anytime soon. Turns out Dr Hall took early retirement at 54 yrs old from his research position at NIH. Why? Because the MAHA administration forced him to withdraw his name from a paper on UPFs that mentioned 'health equity'--or the difficulties some groups have accessing healthy food. The administration also took away the money Dr Hall needed to continue his UPF research, censored his media access, and even incorrectly edited his response to a NY Times inquiry. Just as we were on the brink of understanding why UPFs are making us sick, one of the world's leading UPF scientists is out. Hard to see how lack of scientific information is Making Americans Healthy Again. While dining on fries and a double cheeseburger at Steak N Shake with Fox News's Sean Hannity, Kennedy touted French fries cooked in beef tallow. To be sure, consuming a lot of seed oils raises health concerns, including that they contain few nutrients, are often highly processed, and some, like soybean oil, might contain unhealthy amounts of omega 6 acids. But, are seed oils worse than saturated animal fats? Seed oils, unlike animal fats, are mostly unsaturated. And in a 2025 study, participants with the highest intake of butter, which similar to beef tallow is largely saturated animal fat, had a 15% higher total mortality whereas those with the highest intake of total plant-based oil (olive, soybean and canola) were 16% less likely to die. About ⅓ of the deaths were due to cancer, about a third to cardiovascular disease, and a third other causes. The authors conclude: In short, if you have to choose between seed oils and animal fat, you are probably better off with seed oils, or even better, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). But, you should avoid consuming too much of any sort of oil or fat, which brings us to the third RFK Jr pronouncement. At a public event to promote MAHA in West Virginia, RFK Jr body shamed Governor Patrick Morrisey for his weight. MAHA seems to be at the forefront of the next culture war: dump plant-based foods and become a 'carni-bro.' Yet a comprehensive review of studies on foods and obesity concluded: How do UPFs compare to red meat? The only study I found comparing the two found people eating UPFs had an approximately 14% greater chance of dying whereas those who ate red meat had an approximately 8% chance of death over the same time period. (Those eating other types of meats like chicken and pork and fish did not have a greater chance of dying.) But this study was conducted with Seventh Day Adventists, whose meat consumption was way lower than the average American (while their UPF consumption was fairly typical of the US). People in West Virginia, whose governor is in fact rotund, are by far and away the biggest consumer of hotdogs in the US, at 481 hot dogs per person per year. In a recent UK study with a more typical population, every added 70 g of red meat and processed meat (like ham, hotdogs, bacon, and deli meats) per day was associated with a 15% higher risk of coronary heart disease and a 30% higher risk of diabetes. Because red and processed meat consumption is also associated with higher rates of cancer, the World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting red meat to no more than three portions per week and avoiding processed meat altogether. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, accounting for one in five deaths, or one death every 33 seconds. Heart disease cost the US about $252.2 billion from 2019 to 2020. And if you look at a map of where heart disease is more common, it looks uncannily like a map of MAHA supporters (including in West Virginia). . The first items in a list of CDC recommendations for preventing heart disease are all about food: Choose healthy meals and snacks high in fiber and limit saturated and trans fats, salt, and sugar. This sounds like a recipe for avoiding UPFs. But it could also be a recipe for substituting whole grains and fruit and vegetables for red and processed meats, which punch the double whammy of being meat and UPFs. Let's celebrate Kennedy's move away from UPFs, an important step toward improving Americans' health. But why does our top health official publicly tout beef tallow, French fries, and double cheeseburgers, when we know that Americans' consumption of saturated fat and meat lead to obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease? Or has he weighed in on ultra-processed meats, like Slim Jim's, which with sales at $3 billion last year is America's fastest growing snack? It's hard to understand what is going on in RFK's brain. He gloms on to a limited number of studies suggesting health risks of eating seed oils, while ignoring saturated fats and even encouraging Americans to eat fast foods. He wants to rout out corruption in the food and pharmaceutical industry, yet uses his position to sell Make America Tallow Again hats and T-shirts. He says he believes climate change poses an existential threat, yet on his second day in office eliminated funding for research on heat waves, indoor mold after flooding, and other NIH climate change and health programs. And in his big May report on children's health, he ignores the largest causes of death for those under 19--gun violence and accidents. Raise your hand if you want Secretary Kennedy to conduct a public truth-telling once a month.
