Movement Disorders Foundation

10/13/2026

A self-healing hydrogel derived from Polygonatum sibiricum, a plant long used in traditional Chinese medicine, improved Parkinson’s disease-related damage in rat and cellular models, according to researchers at Ningbo University and Wenzhou Medical University. Published in Advanced Science, the study describes an injectable material made by chemically modifying a polysaccharide from the plant and crosslinking it with carboxymethyl chitosan.

Beyond serving as a drug-delivery vehicle, the hydrogel appeared to actively modify the diseased brain environment. In Parkinson’s models, the drug-free hydrogel reduced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, protected dopamine-producing neurons, and improved motor behaviors. Adding levodopa enhanced several of these effects.

Proteomic and molecular analyses implicated activation of the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, while experiments using the TGF-β attenuator pirfenidone provided evidence that the pathway contributes to the hydrogel’s effects. While the findings are promising, questions about long-term safety, biodistribution, and clinical feasibility require further study. Click below to learn more.

An injectable self-healing hydrogel made from an oxidized polysaccharide of the traditional Chinese medicine herb Huangjing protects dopaminergic neurons in rat and cellular Parkinson's disease

10/12/2026

The Movement Disorders Foundation’s 2026 Young Investigator Pilot Grant (YIPG) program has generated an exceptionally strong response, with more than 20 Letters of Intent from universities and research institutions around the world. Proposed research spanned Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), parkinsonism, dystonia, and Christianson syndrome.

Following rigorous initial review, the MDF Scientific Review Committee advanced 10 innovative projects to the full proposal stage. Dozens of senior movement-disorders researchers and peer reviewers have volunteered their expertise to evaluate the proposals.

The MDF Board has committed $100,000 to fund two $50,000 YIPG awards this December. But with 10 promising projects advancing to the full proposal stage, we anticipate that several other deserving projects will remain unfunded.

We believe we can do more. MDF is launching a campaign to raise $50,000 for a third YIPG award before year-end, specifically to support one of the Parkinson’s disease research projects under consideration. A gift of any size can help us reach this goal — or donors may consider underwriting the entire $50,000 award.

Next week, we'll provide more details about the campaign and how you can help put another promising young investigator on the path to discovery. To learn more or discuss how you can support a third YIPG award, please contact MDF Executive Director Gene Sobczak at [email protected] or (303) 588-3496.

10/10/2026

The FDA has approved Daxxify (daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm) to treat adults with cervical dystonia. Botulinum toxin injections are a standard treatment for cervical dystonia, relaxing affected muscles and reducing spasms and stiffness. However, their effects gradually wear off, requiring repeat injections. Developed by Revance Therapeutics, Daxxify is designed to provide longer-lasting effects than currently available botulinum toxin treatments.

The approval was supported by the Phase 3 ASPEN clinical program, which included 382 patients and 1,240 treatments over as many as five injection cycles. In ASPEN 1, the median duration of effect was 24.0 and 20.3 weeks for two dosing groups. Symptoms continued to improve with successive treatments in the ASPEN open-label study, while adverse events remained low, including rates of difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).

“Daxxify is the first long-acting neuromodulator that [has demonstrated] durable symptom relief between treatment cycles, providing the opportunity to extend treatment intervals,” according to Peter McAllister, M.D., trial investigator and co-founder and medical director of the New England Institute for Neurology and Headache. Click https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/fda-approves-long-acting-botulinum-toxin-for-cervical-dystonia to learn more.

10/09/2026

Neuronal antibody-associated disorders were uncommon among patients with atypical parkinsonism (AP) who underwent antibody testing, according to a study published in Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation. Researchers examined 532 patients with suspected or diagnosed progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy, corticobasal syndrome, Lewy body disease, or other forms of parkinsonism.

Definite antibody-associated neurologic disorders were identified in seven patients (1.3%). Six of the seven were from a cohort in which an autoimmune cause had already been suspected. Among 30 Dutch patients with anti-IgLON5 disease, 12 (40%) had parkinsonian or PSP-like symptoms. However, 11 of those 12 also had other features suggestive of anti-IgLON5 disease, including sleep apnea, neuromuscular symptoms or chorea.

The researchers concluded that routine antibody screening for all patients with atypical parkinsonism may not be warranted. However, targeted testing may be appropriate when symptoms begin subacutely or do not fit typical diagnostic criteria. The study also identified eight false-positive anti-IgLON5 results from a commercial assay. Click https://www.neurologyadvisor.com/news/neuronal-antibodies-atypical-parkinsonism/to learn more.

10/08/2026

Bone marrow transplantation improved neurological and heart abnormalities in a mouse model of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), with researchers identifying a potential mechanism involving the transfer of healthy mitochondria between cells. The study, conducted by U.S. researchers, replaced myeloid cells—including microglia in the brain and spinal cord and macrophages in other tissues—with healthy, donor-derived cells.

In FA mice, these cells appeared to transfer healthy mitochondria to neighboring cells affected by frataxin deficiency. The transfer was associated with changes in genes involved in energy production and partial restoration of mitochondrial proteins. Treated mice grew better and survived longer, while female mice showed improvements in movement, strength, coordination, and heart function.

The researchers said the findings identify mitochondrial transfer as a mechanism that may contribute to the therapeutic effects of myeloid cell replacement and support further investigation of hematopoietic transplantation for FA and other mitochondrial disorders. Click https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-76775-y to read the research article, “Myeloid cell replacement induces intercellular mitochondrial transfer and restores metabolism in a mouse model of mitochondrial disease.”

10/07/2026

An experimental vaccine designed to target toxic forms of alpha-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease was generally safe and triggered a strong immune response in the first part of a Phase 2 trial, according to AC Immune. The VacSYn study evaluated ACI-7104 in 34 people with early Parkinson’s disease, with 25 receiving the vaccine and nine receiving placebo.

At 100 weeks, all participants who received ACI-7104 had developed antibodies against its alpha-synuclein target after three immunizations. The antibodies were also detected in cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting the immune response reached the central nervous system. Most adverse events were mild and temporary, with injection-site reactions the most common.

ACI-7104 is designed to stimulate antibodies that preferentially recognize aggregated alpha-synuclein, including potentially toxic oligomers, while sparing normal forms of the protein. The trial’s second part is being planned to provide additional proof-of-concept data and monitor Parkinson’s symptoms and biomarkers. Click https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/news/trial-experimental-parkinsons-vaccine-shows-positive-first-results/ to learn more.

10/06/2026

A study of more than 900,000 genomes has found that the CAG DNA repeats linked to Huntington’s disease can expand in multiple locations across the genome, suggesting that repeat growth may be influenced by common biological mechanisms.

Researchers led by Po-Ru Loh, PhD, of Harvard University analyzed about 350,000 repetitive DNA regions. They identified 18 locations where some people carried unusually long CAG repeats and 15 where repeat lengths varied between generations.

Four of 15 repeats examined also showed age-dependent expansion within individuals. The researchers found that several DNA-repair genes—including MSH3, FAN1, ATAD5 and PMS2, which have previously been linked to CAG expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene—were associated with expansion of CAG repeats in another gene, TCF4.

The study also found that small interruptions within CAG repeats could dramatically slow their expansion. While the findings support further investigation of DNA-repair pathways and repeat-targeting therapies, most measurements were made in blood cells, so their relevance to the brain remains uncertain. Click https://en.hdbuzz.net/studying-stutters-what-900000-genomes-teach-us-about-growing-dna-repeats/ to learn more.

10/05/2026

The FDA has approved tavapadon, a new Parkinson’s disease treatment from AbbVie that was acquired through the company’s $8.7 billion purchase of Cerevel Therapeutics. The drug, to be marketed as Juvmo, is approved for adults with Parkinson’s disease and is the first selective D1/D5 dopamine receptor agonist available in the U.S. Approval was supported by results from AbbVie’s Phase 3 TEMPO program.

In TEMPO-1, Juvmo significantly improved motor function compared with placebo. TEMPO-2 showed significant improvements in motor symptoms and activities of daily living, while TEMPO-3 demonstrated significantly more “on” time—the periods when Parkinson’s symptoms are better controlled.

Unlike levodopa, the standard treatment for Parkinson’s motor symptoms, Juvmo targets dopamine D1/D5 receptors. AbbVie expects to make the drug available in the U.S. next month, with a list price of approximately $4,900 for a 30-day supply. Click https://www.biospace.com/fda/abbvie-wins-fda-approval-for-parkinsons-drug-from-8-7b-cerevel-takeover to learn more.

10/03/2026

Researchers have identified a potential PET tracer candidate that selectively binds alpha-synuclein aggregates associated with Lewy body diseases. The compound, ³H-M503-1619, bound to alpha-synuclein pathology in postmortem brain tissue from patients with Parkinson’s disease and other Lewy body disorders but did not bind the glial cytoplasmic inclusions characteristic of multiple system atrophy (MSA).

The finding could help advance efforts to develop molecular imaging tools for alpha-synuclein disorders. A tracer capable of visualizing alpha-synuclein in the living brain could potentially support earlier or more accurate diagnosis, distinguish among synucleinopathies, and help researchers measure target engagement in clinical trials.

The researchers emphasized that the results are an early step. Tritium autoradiography demonstrates binding in postmortem tissue but does not establish whether the compound can safely and effectively function as a PET tracer in living patients. Further studies will be needed to assess brain uptake, specificity and imaging performance. Click https://bioengineer.org/new-pet-tracer-candidate-flags-alpha-synuclein-in-lewy-body-disease-but-misses-msa/ to learn more.

10/03/2026

The Movement Disorders Foundation (MDF) is proud to participate as a community partner in the 2026 Denver Run/Walk for Parkinson’s research, presented by the Michael J. Fox Foundation, this Sunday, October 4.

This inspiring community event brings together people with Parkinson’s disease, their families, friends, care partners and supporters to raise awareness and accelerate progress toward better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

MDF will have a table at the event, and we hope you’ll stop by to meet us. Learn more about how our Young Investigator Pilot Grant program is supporting innovative early-career researchers and how donors can make a direct impact by helping fund promising research into Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.

Through our Donors Driving Discovery initiative, supporters can follow the scientific journey of individual projects through progress reports, insights from researchers, virtual lab tours and interactive Q&A sessions.