Has the ethical dilemma regarding embryonic stem cells been resolved ? New cell lines produced starting from adult skin cells Novel surgery for Parkinson's: motor cortex stimulation The first results by the study group of the Italian Neurosurgery Society Postmenopausal hormone replacement and risk of Parkinson’s disease Differences between natural and surgical menopause New version of WHO essential drugs published Only levodopa and anticholinergics for Parkinson’s disease Brilliant preliminary results with gene therapy in Parkinson’s The official announcement of Neurologix regarding the first 12 patients Importance of PINK1 gene mutations for parkinsonism in Italy A result of research performed with the contribution of the Italian Parkinson Genetics Network Dementia and mortality in Parkinson’s disease The results of the Rotterdam study Parkinson's and pathological gambling. Dopamine agonist therapy may be associated with pathological gambling. Language should be tested twice in bilingual patients with Parkinson’s disease Impairment of mother tongue more severe Simvastatina: utile contro il declino cognitivo nella M. di P. ? La simvastatina normalizza il numero dei recettori per la dopamina nella corteccia di animali resi parkinsoniani. Parkinson's and pathological gambling. Dopamine agonist therapy may be associated with pathological gambling. Ovary removal and PD risk. The risk of developing PD and parkinsonism later in life is doubled among women who had both ovaries removed when young. Growth factor in Parkinson’s disease: if at first you don’t succede, try, try again Positive results after 24 months in 5 patients Will ex-Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger “terminate” Parkinson’s disease ? Bill for a Parkinson registry in California promoting research on the causes of the disease Excess of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) in L-dopa- treated PD patients. Vitamin B12 and folate supplementation is effective in reducing Hcy concentration. Milk in midlife and future PD. Milk intake is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's. What are the risk factors for falls and fractures in parkinsonian patients ? The results of a survey in more than 1,000 American patients Another occupation associated with parkinsonism Higher frequency of parkinsonismo amongst welders in Alabama Risk of PD and physical activity. Strenuous exercise in early adulthood tends to be inversely related to PD later in life, but only in men. Adjunct effect of rasagiline once-a-day in advanced PD. This drug is likely to find favour as a useful addition to PD therapeutics. Men who exercise more are less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease The results of a study in more than 125,000 subjects Acute akinesia in Parkinson's. Acute akinesia is a sudden deterioration in motor performance for > 48 hours, clinically distinct from PD motor fluctuations. Vascular parkinsonism (VP) in older people. Despite great advances in overall understanding of the disease, there are several gaps in our knowledge. Does severity of parkinsonian symptoms undergo seasonal changes ? According to Canadian researchers, it does not Duodenal levodopa infusion in advanced PD. Intraduodenal levodopa/carbidopa gel infusion offers an important alternative to conventional combination therapies. Hallucinations and sleep disorders in PD. Sleep disruptions and hallucinations are separated behavioral abnormalities and follow different patterns of progression. Striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) and affective symptoms in PD. Decreased DAT availability in basal ganglia may explain the development of mood and anxiety symptoms in parkinsonian patients. Rivastigmine may offer help in PD-associated dementia. The improvement is moderate, but the result is still important because nothing else has been proven effective. Suicide after successful deep brain stimulation (DBS). High rate of suicides in patients with movement disorders treated with DBS. Is intestinal administration of levodopa worthwhile ? Two thirds of patients do not wish to resume standard oral levodopa after having tried levodopa gel for intestinal administration Fracture rates in PD. In comparison with patients with other medical conditions , PD patients are more at risk of fractures. Less involuntary movements if Parkinson’s disease develops late in life Not everyone has the same risk of this complication of levodopa therapy Beware of herbal tea on holiday in the tropics Pro-parkinson neurotoxins found in tropical plants belonging to the of the Annonaceae A) Progress in gene therapy of Parkinson's. By inserting correcting genes into the brain of monkeys, scientists produce sustained low levels of a protein, called GDNF, that induces neuroprotection and behavioral recovery in experimental PD. Levodopa and the progression of PD. Clinically levodopa does not hasten the progression of PD, and it might even slow it down. Human muscle may be a source of stem cells. These adult stem cells in the future might be used to repair lesions caused by myodystrophic or neurodegenerative diseases B) Progress in gene therapy of Parkinson's. Continuous intra-striatal DOPA production using in vivo gene transfer is effective in experimental PD.: Treatment of constipation in PD. Mosapride citrate, a novel drug acting on serotonine receptors, ameliorates constipation in parkinsonian patients. Rasagiline reccomended for approval in the EU! The marketing authorization for rasagiline is expected to be granted by the European Commission in the first quarter of 2005. New potential drugs for Parkinson's Blockers of glycine(B) receptors prolong levodopa response in parkinsonian monkeys. By carrot or by stick: cognitive learning in parkinsonism. Patient with PD are impaired in tasks that require learning from trial and error. Could Parkinson's be treated without drugs? Excercise might one day provide a non-invasive, non-pharmacological way to protect adults against the onset of parkinsonian symptoms. Torn spinal cord repaired by stem cell transplant? The scientific community refrains from expressing an opinion on the case of a paralyzed woman walking again in South Chorea Identified the most common genetic cause of some PD cases . A mutation in a recently discovered gene occurs in at least one of every 60 people who have the disease. Can antipsychotic therapy be stopped in patients with Parkinson’s disease ? The answer is no, because of severe rebound psychosis Rehabilitation of parkinsonian patients should include many exercises for short periods of time An Italian study on the effects of training suggests a particular strategy Visual dysfunction in PD. significant nerve fiber layer thinning is found at specific retinal sites in parkinsonian patients. Daytime sleepiness and alertness in PD patients. Severe daytime sleepiness is common and related to poor sleep quality and medication burden. Salivation and Parkinson’s disease Contrary to expectations, the production of saliva is low Sigarette smoking and PD progression. No influence of smoking on patients already diagnosed as parkinsonians. Safinamide improves parkinsonian symptoms in combination with a dopamine agonist The results of a European study in 151 patients Apomorphine and entacapone can be given together The outcome of an English study Should anti-parkinson therapy be instituted with cabergoline or levodopa ? Cabergoline reduces motor complications, but is less effective and associated with more edema and other side effects Testosterone deficiency and apathy in PD. Apathy, a common symptom in PD, is inversely correlated with free plasma testosterone. Transdermal apomorphine (Apo-MTD): a new treatment in Parkinson's. Apomorphine included in a microemulsion and applied to the skin is a promising add-on treatment for patients with prolonged "off" phases Longevity protein may slow Parkinson's. A type of protein which helps increase lifespan in yeast and worms could pave the way to new therapies in neurodegenerative diseases. Can the correction of vertebral misalignment improve parkinsonian symptoms ? The experience of a chiropractor Another step forward towards the understanding of the causes of Parkinson’s disease Evidence that aberrant alpha-synuclein cannot be degraded Further evidence supporting the association of pergolide therapy and cardiac valve regurgitation Estimated 2-14 fold increase in risk according to a study in Texas Are the diseases of Parkinson and Alzheimer genetically related ? Based on the results on 500 relatives of nearly 1000 subjects, the answer is no Risks and benefits of selegiline and other MAO-B inhibitors The results of a meta-analysis of 17 studies in 3,525 patients Unexplained lack of smell (hyposmia) as a preclinical sign of PD. Idiopathic olfactory dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of developing PD of al least 10%. No evidence for heritability of PD in Swedish twins. Compared with other complex diseases, the importance of genetic effects in PD is notably low. Co-transplantation of olfactory ensheating cells (OECs) with fetal ventral mesencephalic cells (VMCs). In a rat model of PD, OECs help VMC in functional restoration. Drug treatment in early PD: a major comparative trial by the Parkinson Study Group. Levodopa and pramipexole both appear to be reasonable options, but are associated with different profiles of efficacy and adverse effects. Proteasome inhibitors cause a progressive model of PD in rats. Of the several models available, none recapitulates the features of PD as close as the present one. Retinal cells may help Parkinson's. Dark cells taken from the back of the eye, implanted in the brain, produce L-Dopa and smooth out the delivery of the medication. Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level in PD patients. Depression and cognitive impairments are more common in PD patients with high Hcy. Bioavailability of levodopa in different stages of Parkinson's. Long-term levodopa administration results in an increased levodopa plasma bioavailability. Adenosine receptors in PD patients with dyskinesia. An increased synthesis of adenosine A2A receptors is associated with the development of dyskinesia. Apoliprotein E (APOE) has a role also in PD. The APOE-4 allele increases risk and decreases age at onset of PD, an association that may not be dependent upon cognitive impairment. Rasagiline slows down the progression of early Parkinson’s disease The results of a double-blind clinical trial in 370 patients Implantable chip works like an artificial synapse. For the first time a device which communicates chemically rather than electrically can deliver neurotransmitters locally to stimulate cells. Coenzyme Q(10) and mitochondrial function. A mitochondrial defect in a subgroup of PD patients can be partially ameliorated by coenzyme Q(10). Disappointing results with Amgen’s neurotrophic factor in Parkinson’s disease Biological effect, but no clinical improvement after 6 months of treatment Sensory nerve degeneration and homocysteine levels. Peripheral nerve dysfunction can be a surrogate marker for the elevation of the neurotoxic homocysteine. Embryonic nigral cell implantation in PD. Small but definite improvement of physiological measures of movement do occur in patients undergoing implants. World's first stem bank opens in Britain. This bank breaks new ground in one of the most controversial areas of medical research. Human skin can generate neural stem cells. The generation of almost limitless number of neural precursors from adult human skin has important potential therapeutic implications. Rasagiline in a rodent model of PD. The neuroprotective potential of the drug after chronic administration is shown in rats An Italian experience on the diagnosis of parkinsonian syndromes. On the basis of data collected in over 2900 patients, information useful for the differential diagnosis between PD and other parkinsonisms is provided. Further data on suggestion and Parkinson's. Dummy treatment can have a positive effect on the brain activity of PD patients Also age at onset of Parkinson’s disease may be genetically determined Discovered new genes that differ from those involved in susceptibility to the disease Stem cells from teeth. Dental pulp contain stem cells that may have a role in Parkinson's therapy. Shall we be vaccinated against Parkinson’s disease in the future? Immunization protects dopaminergic neurons from MPTP toxicity in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease Methylphenidate (Ritalin) may improve PD symptoms. A well-known drug used to treat hyperactive children boosts the potency of levodopa and relieves some of its side-effects. The benefits of amantadine related to dyskinesias do not last The results of a placebo-controlled blinded clinical trial Donepezil improves memory in Parkinson’s disease The results of a placebo-controlled blinded clinical trial Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease have a gene in common A result of the PROGENI study in 600 siblings Subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation : which type of anesthesia? General anesthesia can be performed in patients unable to tolerate prolonged states without levodopa. Pergolide and restrictive valvular heart disease (RVHD). This illness is not a rare finding in patients treated with pergolide. Rasagiline in early Parkinson's. A new drug with few side effects improves symptoms of early PD and may also modify the progression of the disease. Suggestion and transplantation surgery in PD. PD patients who thought they had received a transplant of neural cells in their brains - but who really had not - reported an improved quality of life one year later. Dopamine and L-dopa disaggregate protein deposits in neurons. These substances are able to dissolve fibrillar and amorphous deposits of both amiloid and synuclein proteins associated respectively with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Loss of the sense of smell in Parkinson’s disease explained An increase in dopamine in the olfactory bulb blocks olfactory transmission The effects of deep brain stimulation on the articulation of words The results of a specific French study Good results with a new formulation of selegiline in Parkinson’s disease The Zydis formulation controls levodopa complications Timely administration of vitamin E prevents Alzheimer’s disease Plaques were halved only in mice treated when they were young Survival of parkinsonian patients The results of a Norwegian study Parkinsonisms and the sense of smell. Olfact disorders differentiate the parkin disease from PD and other early-onset parkinsonisms. Harvard University develops its own stem cell lines According to researchers there is a deficiency of stem cells Pentagon sponsors Swedish stem cell study for Parkinson’s disease Pentagon sponsors Swedish stem cell study for Parkinson’s disease PINK1 causes juvenile Parkinson’s disease Mutations of the gene make dopaminergic neurons vulnerable to oxidative stress PD risk is higher for men. X linkage of genetic risk factors may be a possible reason for the higher incidence of PD among men. Levodopa in vascular parkinsonism (VP). Patients with VP respond to dopaminergic therapy, when their lesions are in or close to the nigrostriatal pathway. Prevention of cell death via the lysosomal function. Blocking the accumulation of alpha-synuclein aggregates may be a potential therapeutic strategy in PD. Sex in PD: functioning and fantasy. Sexual dysfunction is clinically relevant in these patients, but sexual fantasy increases with advancing disease. L-dopa therapy for parkinsonism in welders. L-dopa unresponsiveness may be useful to distinguish manganese-induced parkinsonism from idiopathic PD. Sex in PD: functioning and fantasy. Sexual dysfunction is clinically relevant in these patients, but sexual fantasy increases with advancing disease. Clozapine controls levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). In patients with severe PD, low-dose clozapine, an antipsychotic drug, reduced involuntary movements by around 50%. Will caloric restriction and folate protect against AD and PD? High-caloric diets and elevated homocysteine levels may render the brain vulnerable to neurodegenerative disorders. Portable aid to gauge PD. US and Japanese scientists have developed a body sensor to analyze walking patterns in minute details. Are testosterone levels important for cognitive function in Parkinson’s disease ? No influence on global cognitive function and on memory, but correlation with mental flexibility Fractal analysis applied to Parkinson’s disease Introduction of the tri-axial accelerometer for the assessment of the response of gait to dopaminergic therapy More micrography in one’s native tongue in Parkinson’s disease ? The case of a Japanese teacher of English CEP-1347 and the survival of embryonic dopaminergic nerve cells. An inhibitor of nerve cell death improves dopaminergic cell survival in culture and after grafting into the striatum of parkinsonian rats. Neuroprotection in PD. Misteries, myths, and misconceptions of therapy that might slow, stop or reverse disease progression. Ocular features in Parkinson's. Many visual difficulties are commonly encountered by PD patients. They frequently respond to treatment. Duration of amantadine benefit on dyskinesia. Dyskinesia in PD was reduced by approximately 45% with amantadine, but the benefit lasted less than eight months.. Embryonic neural stem cells transplanted into an animal model of Parkinson’s disease in China The neural stem cells survived and started producing dopamine Does your doctor carry out the pull test correctly in assessing postural instability? As stated by Canadian reserchers, only 9% of examinatios with this diagnostic manoeuvre were error-free. Embryonic neural stem cells transplanted into an animal model of Parkinson’s disease in China The neural stem cells survived and started producing dopamine The examination of the cerebrospinal fluid may be useful for the differential diagnosis between PD and MSA. More tau protein and less neurotransmitter metabolites in multiple system atrophy Considerable weight gain after deep brain stimulation in parkinsonian patients confirmed The increase is due to a reduction in energy consumption at rest with no reduction in food intake Levodopa-induced motor complications and COMT inhibitors. Combining levodopa with entacapone may prevent or reverse motor complications. Parkinson’s disease studied in yeast Toxic role of alpha-synuclein confirmed by this model of the disease Smoke, MAO inhibitors and neuroprotection. In tobacco leaf and smoke a substance with MAO-B inhibiting activity has been identified. Rotigotine: a patch for the treatment of PD. Rotigotine can be safely administered once-daily transdermally and improves parkinsonian signs in patients with early PD. Etilevodopa compared to levodopa: a pharmacokinetic study Quicker achievement of maximal plasma concentration observed with etilevodopa potentially translates to a shorter time to "on". What happens when donepezil is suddenly withdrawn in PD patients with dementia? Donepezil improves cognition, but its withdrawal is detrimental, producing acute cognitive and behavioral decline. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in PD: a study in mice. The inhibition of COX-2 protein expression decreases lesions in substantia nigra due to a neurotoxic substance. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-directed bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus. This procedure of targeting can be used safely and effectively, is time-sparing and cost-effective. Parkin gene mutation and early onset parkinsonism. The DJ-1 (PARK 7) mutation is not a common locus for early onset autosomal recessive parkinsonism. Benefits of embryonic dopamine cell transplantation. A review of the survival of the transplanted cells and their capability of improving symptoms of PD. Sleep breathing disorders in PD. Sleep abnormalities, predominantly obstructive, are common in parkinsonian patients and are correlated wth the severity of the disease. A drug that warrents an investigation in PD patients Atipamezole improves the efficacy of levodopa and apomorphine and reduces adverse dopaminergic effects on vigilance and cardiovascular function. Bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus: the Grenoble team's experience. Five year follow-up of the procedure in 49 consecutive patients with advanced PD shows marked improvements in motor function. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in PD. The results of this study do not prove the efficacy of rTMS, but they do not rule out definitely possible positive effects. Pallido-thalamic tractotomy (PTT) in Parkinson's. PTT is an effective treatment for chronic therapy-resistant PD, improving symptoms in on- and off-conditions. Gene-carrier neuronal stem cells effective in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease Successful use of gene-modified neuronal progenitor cells Does ecstasy produce Parkinson’s disease or doesn’t it ? The answer will be provided by a study sponsored by the Institute of Neuroscience of the University of Pisa Also the neurotransmitter serotonin is reduced in Parkinson’s disease The results of a PET neuroimaging study Phytotherapy with ginkgo biloba and Parkinson’s disease Chinese researchers study the combination of traditional therapy with modern pharmacological therapy Basic mechanisms of neurodegeneration in PD. Restoration of mitochondrial activity and reduction of protein aggregation and degradation hold promise as neuroprotective strategies in Parkinson's. Levodopa ameliorates fatigue in Parkinson’s disease The outcome of a placebo-controlled, double-blind study Vocal cord augmentation in parkinsonian patients. The injection of collagen in vocal folds improves voice and is well tolerated in hypophonic patients. Wearing off of levodopa occurs earlier than neurologists believe The results of a comparison between the findings of the neurologist and a patient self-assessment questionnaire Cholinesterase inhibitors in dementia complicating PD. Positive effects are obtained upon all aspects of the neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with Parkinson's. Transdermal nicotine patches and PD. This treatment can produce unpleasant adverse effects . A ketone antiepileptic agent works also in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease D-beta-hydroxybutyrate reduces the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and improves parkinsonian symptoms Nefazodone in PD patients with depression. Nefazodone improves depression, but it has also a secondary beneficial effect on extrapyramidal symptoms. Cough in Parkinson’s disease The impairment of coughing reflex involves not only the motor component, but also the sensorial component in the advanced phases of the disease Cardiac problems in patients treated with high-dose pergolide. Two patients treated with more than 5 mg of pergolide daily developed severe heart failure. Discovered mechanism potentially responsible for daytime sleepiness in Parkinson’s disease Orexin-A seems to be the guilty party And now there are also cloned stem cells Cloned stem cells induced to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons improve parkinsonian mice Gene-carrier neuronal stem cells effective in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease Successful use of gene-modified neuronal progenitor cells Does ecstasy produce Parkinson’s disease or doesn’t it ? The answer will be provided by a study sponsored by the Institute of Neuroscience of the University of Pisa Serotonin in Parkinson's. The density of serotonin transporters is reduced in the striatum of PD patients, like that of dopamine transporters. Experience of physical pleasure in parkinsonian patients. Physical anhedonia is a relatively frequent, although mild, affective disturbance of PD, independent from neurological, frontal and depressive aspects. Fetal nigral transplantation in PD. The results of this study show that fetal nigral transplantation currently cannot be recommended. Metabotropic glutamate 5 receptor (mGluR5) blockade alleviates akinesia in parkinsonian rats. The therapeutic potential of mGluR5 antagonists also in the treatmen of early PD is stressed by this study. Extraneuronal neuromelanin responsible for chronic phase of neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease Neuromelanin inhibitors are a new target for researchers developing new therapies Be careful with chronic anticholinergic therapy in elderly patients with Parkinson’s disease It might increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease Pay attention to body weight gain during deep brain stimulation Weight gain up to 15% in a few months has been reported Entacapone is beneficial also in patients with Parkinson’s disease who do not experience motor fluctuations The results of the UK-Irish double-blind, placebo-controlled 6-month clinical trial in 300 patients British stem cells for research on Parkinson’s disease British scientists have created UK’s first stem cell line The foot contributes towards balance control impairment in parkinsonian patients The sensitivity of the sole is reduced in Parkinson’s disease Glial cell inhibition: a new target for antiparkinsonian therapy Researchers believe that supporting nervous cells produce toxic substances that contribute towards the progression of Parkinson’s disease First results in man with a new class of antiparkinsonian drugs: the A2 adenosine-antagonists First clinical results with istradefylline Is gambling a side effect of dopaminergic therapy ? A report by the Muhammad Alì Parkinson Research Centre Exercise and the improvement of parkinsonian symptoms. In rodent models of PD, exercise ameliorates motor symptoms and neurochemical deficits. Neuropsychological study of pramipexole vs. levodopa. Pramipexole may worsen cognitive functios although not exceeding normative values. Hallucinations as a REM sleep disorder. In PD visual hallucinations are likely related to a REM sleep disorder and their frequency is decreased by clonazepam treatment. A novel disease modifying therapy for PD? A glutamate subtype receptor (AMPA) potentiator has neuroprotective effects in rodent models of PD. Progression of PD: ropinirole versus levodopa. Ropinirole is associated wth slower progression of PD than levodopa. Freezing of gate (FOG) subtypes and response to levodopa. Levodopa helps in reducing the frequency and duration of "off"-related FOG. Entacapone in both fluctuating and non-fluctuating PD patients. The drug is beneficial not only increasing ON time in fluctuating patients, but also improving ADL scores in patients without fluctuauions. Cognitive function not improved in PD by transplantation of embryonic cells Interim results after 1-year Degeneration of nigral dopaminergic cells in vivo. Microglial activation triggered by endogenous compounds, such as thrombin, may be involved in the dopaminergic cell death i n PD. Cognition following implants of embrionic neurons in PD. Dopamine-producing neurons can be implanted safely into putamen without imparing cognition. Gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) and tremor. Implantation of GABA-releasing cells in the Substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) reduces tremor in an animal model of PD. Intraoperative predictive factors in subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation. The improvement of segmental akinesia and the appearance of dyskinesias during the operation predict the best post-operative effects. Pramipexole vs. pergolide in PD with depression. The antidepressant effect of pramipexole is demonstrated by this study, while any conclusion cannot be drawn for pergolide. Iron, manganese and PD. A high intake of iron, especially in combination with manganese, may be a risk factor for Parkinson's. Dopamine (DA) release after pharmacological challenges. Significant endogenous DA release in striatum and prefrontal areas in advanced PD. Gabapentin for tremor. A trial of gabapentin is warrented in patients with tremor resistant to traditional therapy. High-dose ropinirole in advanced Parkinson's. This strategy is safe and effective for patients with levodopa associated dyskinesias. Kiss and run, compensation and abandonment: three modes of neurotransmission in the brain The novel optical recording technique permits in-depth studies on vesicle-mediated neurotransmission in the brain No association between alcohol and Parkinson’s disease This finding goes against the hypothesis that there is a “pre-parkinsonian” personality that avoids the consumption of substances that induce dependence Disappointing results with anti-inflammatory drugs in Alzheimer’s disease Rofecoxib and naproxen do not slow down mental function deterioration Hope for parkinsonian patients with levodopa-induced dyskinesias The dopamine agonist BP897 reproduces the therapeutic effect of levodopa without inducing dyskinesias in monkeys Calpain inhibition improves symptoms in a mouse model of PD. Protection against nigral cell degeneration using either a calpain inhibitor, or through the overexpression of calpastatin, an endogenous antagonist, significantly restores locomotor activity in experimental PD. Head trauma is a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease An additional reason to wear protective head gear Head trauma preceding PD. People who sustained head injuries are more likely to develop PD years later. Group B-vitamin status and homocysteine in PD patients. B-vitamin supplements may be warranted for PD patients on L-dopa therapy to control hyperhomocysteinemia. Reduced metabolization of the hydrocarbon n-hexane in PD. Aging and PD may be associated with a reduction in the capacity to eliminate the hydrocarbon n-hexane, a solvent possibly involved in the pathogenesis of PD. Steroid therapy of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) in PD. Steroid pulse therapy is useful for reducing the illness duration and improving symptoms. Time to focus on the locus in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Neuronal loss is greater in the Locus coeruleus (LC) than Nucleus basalis (NB) and Substantia nigra (SN). Iron chelators protect animals against parkinsonism A novel potential therapeutic approach to Parkinson’s disease Melatonin secretion pattern throughout the day is modified by dopaminergic treatment in patients with Parkinson’s disease Other biological cycles do not change Spa therapy in PD. Thermal treatment is useful and cost-effective in parkinsonian patients. Is underweightness still a problem in Parkinson’s disease ? The increase in the prevalence of overweightness in Italy compensates for the impact of the disease Discovery of factors that trigger a cerebral inflammatory reaction that accelerates the progression of Alzheimer’s disease New hopes for the treatment of Alzhemer's disease Selegiline and cold remedies. Patients taking selegiline should avoid pseudoephedrine and dextromethorphan containing cold medications.