Thursday, August 28, 2026

Living near dry cleaners linked to higher Parkinson’s risk

A nationwide study published in npj Parkinson’s Disease found an association between living near a dry cleaner and an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Led by Brittany Krzyzanowski, PhD, and senior author Brad A. Racette, MD, at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, the study analyzed Medicare records for nearly 19 million adults age 67 and older.

Researchers found that people living within 500 feet of a dry cleaner had a 14% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s than those living 4–5 miles away. The association was even stronger among people with Parkinson’s characterized by gait instability. The researchers emphasized that the findings do not establish that living near a dry cleaner causes Parkinson’s.

Instead, they identified a dose-dependent association and pointed to exposure to chlorinated solvents—including trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE)—as a possible explanation. Some of the strongest geographic associations occurred in the New York metropolitan area, as well as parts of the South, Michigan and Southern California. Click here to learn more.

Cerebellar changes linked to freezing of gait in MSA

New research from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University suggests that changes in a specific region of the cerebellum may contribute to freezing of gait (FOG) in people with multiple system atrophy (MSA).

The study, published July 27, 2026, in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, included 106 people with MSA, including 58 who experienced FOG and 48 who did not. Researchers used MRI scans and cognitive testing to examine relationships among cerebellar structure, cognition and gait.

People with MSA and FOG showed greater cerebellar atrophy and more pronounced impairments in executive function, attention and working memory than those without FOG. In particular, reduced volume in a region called Crus II was associated with more severe FOG. The researchers found that executive function and attention/working memory partially mediated the relationship between Crus II atrophy and FOG severity.

The findings suggest that cerebellar atrophy, particularly in Crus II, may serve as a potential biomarker for FOG in MSA and highlight the importance of cognitive-motor interactions in gait impairment. Click here to read the study, “Cerebellar Atrophy Modulates Freezing of Gait in Multiple System Atrophy Through Cognitive Dysfunction.”

Parkinson’s disease may influence artistic style, but not creativity

A new study from researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and collaborating institutions offers insight into how Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects professional artists and their creative work. Published in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, the study included interviews with five professional artists living with PD, representing disciplines including dance, painting, drawing and sculpture.

All of the artists reported changes in their artistic style or technique, although none reported a loss of creativity. Four described changes in style, including one who said art had become “less physical, but more conceptual.”

The artists also described relationships between their art-making, motor fluctuations and medication. All reported daily motor fluctuations, and those taking medication generally found that creating art was easier during “on” periods. The authors noted that exploring the artistic experiences of people with PD may provide insights relevant to managing both motor and nonmotor symptoms.

The findings also highlight the complex relationship among Parkinson’s symptoms, dopaminergic medications and artistic expression. Click here to read the study, “Artists and Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Series and Narrative Review of Literature.”

Voice-based tool may track Huntington’s disease progression

Researchers in China have developed a machine learning-based speech index that may provide a convenient, objective way to monitor Huntington’s disease (HD) severity. The study analyzed smartphone voice recordings from 141 people carrying an HD-causing mutation and 69 healthy controls. Participants read a standardized passage aloud, allowing researchers to analyze speech characteristics related to loudness, pronunciation, pitch and timing.

The resulting speech index distinguished mutation carriers from healthy participants with high accuracy, and scores increased progressively with more advanced disease. Higher scores also correlated with standard measures of motor and cognitive impairment and with shrinkage of the caudate and putamen, brain regions affected early in HD.

Because the study involved Mandarin-speaking participants at a single center in China, the researchers emphasized that larger, more diverse studies are needed to determine whether the tool can reliably track disease progression or treatment response. Click here to read the study, “A machine learning-derived speech index as a biomarker for Huntington’s disease severity.”

FDA supports αSyn-SAA biomarker for Parkinson’s clinical trials

A biomarker that may help identify the earliest biological signs of Parkinson’s disease has received support from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), potentially enabling more precise and earlier clinical trials. The Critical Path Institute’s Critical Path for Parkinson’s consortium published the findings in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, documenting the scientific and regulatory work behind the FDA’s Letter of Support for the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay (αSyn-SAA) as a susceptibility and risk biomarker.

The initiative builds on data from the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), which first reported αSyn-SAA findings in 2023. The assay can detect biological evidence of Parkinson’s in living people, potentially allowing therapies to be tested before significant disease progression.

“αSyn-SAA enables greater precision in identifying trial participants,” said Diane Stephenson, Ph.D., executive director of Critical Path for Parkinson’s, “to ultimately accelerate our path toward effective treatments.” Click here to learn more.

Early rehabilitation linked to longer survival in Parkinson’s

Starting rehabilitation within the first year after a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis may be associated with longer survival, according to a nationwide South Korean study published in npj Parkinson’s Disease. Researchers analyzed national health insurance data from 19,153 people with Parkinson’s and examined whether the timing of rehabilitation was associated with mortality over up to 15 years of follow-up.

About 32% began rehabilitation within one year of diagnosis, while 54% waited at least two years. After adjusting for factors including age, sex, and income, those who started rehabilitation one to two years after diagnosis had a 28% higher risk of death than those who began within the first year. Waiting at least two years was associated with a 44% higher risk.

The association persisted across disability levels, including among people without functional impairment. The researchers said the findings support incorporating rehabilitation referrals into routine care at diagnosis rather than waiting for disability to emerge, concluding that “systematic efforts to facilitate early rehabilitation referral” are warranted.

Click here to read the study, “Timing of rehabilitation therapy initiation and all-cause mortality in Parkinson’s disease: nationwide cohort study.”