News from the Editors

Image: patient with Parkinson`s playing with a puzzle; Copyright: panthermedia.net/AndrewLozovyi

Ultrasound: restoring dopaminergic pathway at Parkinson's

11.06.2019

While there are several thousand drugs available to treat brain diseases, they cannot penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) into the brain. The BBB, which protects the brain from pathogens, also prevents most drugs from gaining access to the brain functional tissue, a well-known challenge to the treatment of all brain diseases including neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease.

Image: doctor holds hand of a patient with Parkinson`s disease; Copyright: panthermedia.net / ocskaymark

Diagnostics: Novel device for Parkinson’s disease

13.05.2019

Presently there are no disease-modifying therapies for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease; however, one potential strategy for treatment is to prevent α-synuclein aggregation. As a first step, researchers at Osaka University have developed a device that can assess the degree of α-synuclein aggregation in the brain.

Image: hand with a smartwatch picks up an apple from a fruit bowl; Copyright: Global Kinetics Corporation

Wearables: wrist band to empower Parkinson's patients

11.04.2019

People with Parkinson's could see their care transformed thanks to a new service involving wearable technology. The project, entitled Developing Home-based Parkinson's Care, will see patients use a wrist-worn device known as a Personal Kinetigraph as part of a new scheme to help them and a specialist team monitor their condition at home.

Image: brain; Copyright: panthermedia.net / Wavebreakmedia Itd

Implants: 3D-printed skull provides window to brain

04.04.2019

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a unique 3D-printed transparent skull implant for mice that provides an opportunity to watch activity of the entire brain surface in real time. The device allows fundamental brain research that could provide new insight for human brain conditions such as concussions, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Image: close-up of a boy looking out a window; Copyright: panthermedia.net/Dubova

Virtual reality for autism

28.03.2019

Playing games in virtual reality (VR) could be a key tool in treating people with neurological disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. The technology, according to a recent study from the University of Waterloo, could help individuals with these neurological conditions shift their perceptions of time, which their conditions lead them to perceive differently.

Image: Cells in a Petri dish; Copyright: panthermedia.net / devserenco

Organ-on-a-chip - the mini organs of the future?

01.02.2019

So far in vitro methods and animal experiments have been used to determine the causes of diseases, research therapeutic approaches and predict the effect of drugs. Organ-on-a-chip models now offer a more accurate and ethically justifiable alternative. Find out more about the models, their advantages and future developments in our Topic of the Month.

Image: Sock TelePark; Copyright: Marc Eisele, University Hospital Dresden

Better living thanks to telemedicine – “TelePark“- project targets patients with Parkinson’s disease

08.01.2019

Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that primarily affects movement of patients and makes their everyday lives very challenging. It also makes regular doctor appointments and treatment sessions necessary. "TelePark" - a project that collects different movement-related parameters using sensors and apps is designed to improve the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients.

Image: Woman with diabetes and a sensor; Copyright: panthermedia.net / Click and Photo

Blood glucose monitoring of tomorrow - modern diabetes therapies

02.01.2019

There are 425 million people with diabetes in the world. Heart problems, kidney failure or blindness - these can all be consequences of the metabolic disease. Diabetes patients now have the possibility of being treated digitally.

Image: Woman with electrodes on her head; Copyright: panthermedia.net / yacobchuk1

Electrical Effectiveness - healing methods alongside conventional Medicine

03.12.2018

Conventional medicine is taught at universities and is generally acknowledged. But other therapies have also proven their worth, such as electrical healing methods, which contribute to recovery and a better quality of life. In our Topic of the Month you learn about in which cases they are used, what their benefits are and what the current status of these methods is on the medical market.

Image: Woman with electrodes in her neck; Copyright: panthermedia.net / microgen

Back to health – when electrical pulses provide healing

03.12.2018

Strengthening and healing thanks to the power of electrical pulses - is that really possible? When mobility is restricted or muscles are no longer as strong as they used to be, electrical treatment options can lead to improvement or even cure of diseases. But why are more and more people turning to these alternatives, what are the advantages and what are their limitations and drawbacks?

Image: Older couple is sitting next to each other, using their smartphones; Copyright: panthermedia.net/Fabrice Michaudeau

Neurology: Early detection of Parkinson’s disease with app and data?

01.08.2018

Big Data is often likened to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack: Large volumes of data contain patterns that hold the answer to a particular question. The trick is to gather meaningful data and identify patterns. The i-PROGNOSIS research project shows how smart devices and an app team up to automatically collect data without disturbing the user.