Freezing of gait is a common Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptom where a person experiences the temporary, involuntary inability to move. This can make simple activities, like walking across a room, incredibly challenging and dangerous due to the risk of falls. Unfortunately, common Parkinson’s medications often don’t alleviate these freezing episodes. This has led researchers like Amitabh Bhattacharya, PhD, from the University Health Network (UHN) in Canada, to explore new treatments. 

Dr. Bhattacharya is a recipient of a 2024 Parkinson’s Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, and will use this support to study how TUS can be utilized to help people with PD create personalized non-invasive treatments that targets freezing of gait. 

“We will apply focused ultrasound waves to a specific part of the brain known as the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), a key region that helps control movement,” he said. “By precisely stimulating the PPN, we hope to make walking easier for people with Parkinson’s.” 

Participants, recruited with help from the Toronto Western Hospital Movement Disorders Clinic, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, will first undergo a high-resolution brain scan to create a detailed map of their brain, focusing on the PPN. This personalized brain map will guide the ultrasound device to ensure that the sound waves are precisely directed to the right spot.  

Each participant will receive three personalized TUS treatments, using different stimulation protocols to determine the most effective approach. To evaluate how well each protocol works, participants will be assessed before and after each session using tests that measure their walking ability, mental function, and brain activity. 

Finally, Dr. Bhattacharya will have enough scientific evidence to determine the ability of TUS in improving freezing of gait, as well as how to keep improving the technique to make it even safer and more effective. 

Dr. Bhattacharya is confident in this treatment’s potential to improve the lives of those experiencing PD-associated freezing of gait. “Targeting the PPN through non-invasive means such as TUS holds immense promise,” he said. “The ability of PPN-TUS to modulate these essential neural circuits could help restore a degree of normal motor function, thereby mitigating symptoms such as freezing of gait in PD.”  

The goal of this study is to explore TUS as a practical and effective treatment for freezing of gait in Parkinson’s Disease. TUS is a non-invasive approach that could offer a quicker, more accessible, and cost-effective option for patients. By avoiding the complexities and recovery time associated with surgical procedures like deep-brain stimulation (DBS), TUS has the potential to enhance mobility and improve quality of life. The accessibility of this new potential treatment is top-of-mind for Dr. Bhattacharya.  

“PPN-TUS offers a non-invasive, cost-effective alternative with fewer potential complications compared to PPN-DBS,” he said. “This study could transform the way we help Parkinson's patients regain their mobility. If successful, this non-invasive method may eventually become a standard treatment, offering improved quality of life for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.” 

Meet more Parkinson’s researchers! Explore our My PD Stories featuring PD researchers.

Each year, the Parkinson’s Foundation funds the most innovative and promising ideas in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. Recognizing that breakthroughs can emerge from any corner of the globe and at any moment, we provide funding to researchers worldwide, from early career scientists to doctors who treat patients every day.

In this Neuro Talk, Chief Scientific Officer James Beck, PhD, spotlights three researchers whose research is funded by the Parkinson’s Foundation. Dr. Beck highlights how these studies can impact the future of PD treatments.

New Parkinson’s Foundation research has found that genetic variants associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are more common than researchers previously believed.

Investigators in the Parkinson’s Foundation PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease study found that 13% of participants have a genetic form of PD — a significant observation compared to long-standing estimates. Results from the first 3.5 years of the study, which examined a broad North American cohort, was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Brain.

PD GENEration reached its goal of 15,000 participants this spring, ahead of schedule. Through the study, the Parkinson’s Foundation offers genetic testing for PD-related genes to any person with a confirmed PD diagnosis.

PD GENEration is the first of its kind to return results via live genetic counseling in English or Spanish. This enables participants and physicians to make more informed decisions about their care, including enrollment in gene-specific clinical trials.

Key PD GENEration findings published in Brain include:

• 7.7% of participants carried a GBA1 genetic mutation, 2.1% of participants carried a PRKN genetic mutation, and 2.4% of participants carried a LRRK2 genetic mutation. All participants were informed about their genetic status through the genetic counseling component of the program. 

• The positivity rate for a genetic variant is significantly higher for individuals with high risk. Those with young-onset PD, high-risk ancestry (such as Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish Basque, or North African Berber), or a first-degree relative affected with the disease had an 18% positivity rate. The positivity rate for individuals without one of those risk factors was nearly 10%.

• Many of these participants may qualify for precision medicine trials, showing the feasibility and importance of broadly offering genetic testing.

“We did not anticipate the high positivity rate for genetic mutations, specifically the nearly 10% having a positive result even without any known genetic risk factors,” said Roy Alcalay, MD, MS, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel, and the Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and lead principal investigator for PD GENEration. “Further, the speed at which participants enrolled in PD GENEration is a testament to the interest of people with PD to obtain data on their genetic status. Taken together, the positivity rate and the high interest in getting genotyped will hopefully translate to increased participation in observational studies and clinical trials toward therapies targeting these genes, simplifying precision medicine clinical trials in PD.”

Announcing the Next Phase

PD GENEration is moving into its next phase with support from the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2), a program of the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) initiative. ASAP's funding allows the Parkinson’s Foundation to accelerate the study’s impact by focusing on those who have been historically underrepresented in research.

Through wide-scale recruitment, the study is reaching a larger and more diverse community in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. The Parkinson’s Foundation aims to enroll an additional 8,000 participants, including 2,400 in Latin America, during the next phase of the study.

“PD GENEration is designed to be inclusive and accessible to all populations, with the goal of improving clinical outcomes for everyone. We are proud that the data we have collected through PD GENEration reflects the largest and most diverse North American cohort ever tested – and even though we reached our initial recruitment goal of 15,000 this spring, bigger things are on the horizon,” said James Beck, PhD, Parkinson’s Foundation chief scientific officer.

Read the full press release

Learn more and enroll in PD GENEration.

Across the country and beyond, Parkinson’s Foundation volunteers are going out and making a difference in the lives of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their loved ones. They help us spread awareness and resources to those who need it most.

The dedication from our volunteers is what makes the Parkinson’s Foundation what it is today. We are honored to recognize five exceptional volunteers at the national level, who each received a 2024 volunteer award.

Dr. Reversa Joseph - Great Lakes Chapter

Paul Oreffice Volunteer of the Year

“Volunteering for the Parkinson's Foundation is more than just a commitment; it’s a deeply personal mission. Each effort, whether it’s a presentation, a lecture, or a podcast, is a step towards improving the lives of those affected by Parkinson’s, honoring my father’s struggle, and ensuring that every patient receives the comprehensive, integrative care they deserve.”

Read Reversa’s full story

Esther Labib-Kiyarash – Southwest Chapter

Rising Star

“Along the way I have learned that there are many things, tips and tricks that the people who live the best with this disease share: exercise, positive thinking, being around others like themselves and giving back. The Parkinson’s Foundation is a great way to give back.”

Read Esther’s full story

Roland and Shelley Frankel – Midwest Chapter

Top Fundraiser

As the somber saying goes, a parent should never have to bury their child. But in March 2023 Roland and Shelley Frankel had to do just that. Their son Graeme had been fighting Parkinson’s for five years and passed from an asthma-related emergency. To keep Graeme’s memory alive, the family decided to start a DIY fundraiser with the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Read Roland and Shelley’s full story

Debra Flynn – Florida Chapter

Community Service Award

“I really enjoy volunteering. I see it as another way to celebrate movement. I move my brain cells around; I motivate my soul to do good things; and volunteering moves forward the search for a cure.”

Read Debra’s full story

There are many powerful ways to get involved and support the Parkinson’s Foundation and our work to make life better for people with Parkinson's. Get started with our How You Can Help page. This page will give you options for volunteering, starting your own DIY Fundraiser, or even just donating to the cause.

You can also fill out a volunteer interest form to chat with our volunteer engagement team about how we can best put your skills to use. Help us bring life-saving information and resources to the hands of those who need them most.

Already a volunteer? Check out our course offerings today!

Thanks to our wonderful donors and community, we are excited to announce that our Reach Further fundraising campaign exceeded its goal early. In just three years, we raised $38.4 million to accelerate progress in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research, improve care and increase access to quality-of-life programs.

“Exceeding our campaign goal is a huge milestone, and we are so grateful to every person who made this campaign a priority,” said John L. Lehr, president and CEO of the Parkinson’s Foundation. “These funds allow us to accelerate our mission and create lasting impact in the lives of people with Parkinson’s.”

Launched in 2021, the Reach Further campaign helped fund PD programs and provide resources to local communities across the nation, providing support to people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones.

Here are four of the ways your support of the Reach Further campaign helped us impact people with Parkinson’s:

1. Recruited more than 15,000 participants for PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s disease, our landmark genetics initiative. We also expanded access to the study to Black and African American communities, as well as Spanish-speaking communities in the U.S. and throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Thanks to this expansion, more people with Parkinson’s know if they have a genetic form of PD and have received genetic counseling to understand their results. So far, the study has identified that 12.7% of participants have a genetic form of PD.

Increasing the number of people participating in PD GENEration, and ensuring we are testing a diverse population, an accelerate relevant clinical trials, bringing us closer to a better understanding of PD and identifying potential new treatments.

Enroll Now

2. Launched Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech in partnership with Parkinson’s UK to build a pipeline of new drugs exclusively aimed to target Parkinson’s.

Taking a new drug from an idea to becoming an available medication can take years and upwards of one billion dollars. The Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech works to accelerate that timeline by building a pipeline of new drugs exclusively for Parkinson’s.

The Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech is directly investing in medications that either address symptoms or aim to slow, stop or prevent the disease altogether.

Discover the drugs in development right now

3. Expanded our Global Care Network, adding 18 new Center designations to provide better, more attainable care.

Finding the right care team can improve the health and quality of life of a person with Parkinson’s. Our Global Care Network aims to make high-quality care accessible to more people with Parkinson’s, while also providing health professionals the chance to advance their skills and share their knowledge.

Through expanding our Global Care Network, we are taking one step closer to our goal of ensuring all people with PD have access to the equitable and quality care they need, when and where they need it.

Find expert care near you

4. Awarded $4 million in community grants across the U.S., addressing critical needs such as exercise, mental health and care partner support.

From dance classes to Rock Steady Boxing workout classes, local PD programs empower people with Parkinson’s and help them find community support. Through our community grants, we are proud to support the dedicated professionals and volunteers offering vital programs and resources to people with Parkinson’s around the country. These programs foster local Parkinson’s communities and help people live better with PD.

Find a program in your community

THANK YOU for helping us make life better for people with Parkinson’s through your support of the Reach Further campaign. These impact-driven achievements could not have happened without your support. Your generosity continues to elevate our research, care and education programs to new heights.

Discover new ways you can help the Parkinson’s community. Learn more about the Parkinson’s Foundation at Parkinson.org or 1.800.4PD.INFO (1-800-473-4636).

Guanylyl cyclase C (GUCY2C) is protective against dopamine neuron degeneration, a hallmark of Parkinson’s, by helping the cell’s powerhouse.

A new study is the first to identify a brain receptor called GUCY2C as a potential way to fight dopamine loss.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is caused by the death of neurons that produce dopamine — a feel-good chemical related to movement, mood and more — in the brain. Dopamine neurons are involved in movement and the loss of these neurons disrupts the brain's ability to regulate movement, leading to hallmark PD symptoms, such as tremors, rigidity and slowness.

One of the reasons that dopamine neurons die is due to dysfunction of mitochondria, the small oxygen-consuming and energy-producing powerhouses inside cells. Recent research has found a receptor on the surfaces of those Parkinson’s-associated dopamine neurons that may provide therapeutic ways to protect the mitochondria and prevent the progression of the disease.

The receptor, called guanylyl cyclase C (GUCY2C), was first discovered on the surfaces of cells in the intestine, but was recently found in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). This area of the brain is affected in PD.

A new study led by Scott Waldman, MD, PhD, and funded by the Parkinson’s Foundation 2023 Impact Award, gives a clearer picture of how GUCY2C signaling can provide protection against mitochondrial dysregulation and dopamine neuron degeneration that leads to PD. According to the study, in people with Parkinson’s, dopamine neurons make extra GUCY2C receptors.

About the Study & Results

Dr. Waldman and his team studied mice with and without the GUCY2C receptor. They found that loss of GUCY2C led to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and cell death within the part of the brain impacted by PD, suggesting a protective nature of GUCY2C.

When the researchers gave the two groups of mice a toxin that induces PD symptoms by targeting mitochondria in dopamine neurons, only mice that did not have GUCY2C receptors had higher rates of dopamine neuron death. In contrast, mice with GUCY2C increased their production of the protein upon treatment with the toxin, further indicating a protective role.

The researchers also found that cyclic GMP (cGMP), a byproduct of GUCY2C activation, protected dopamine neurons from oxidative stress. In neurons grown in a petri dish, adding a molecule that increases cGMP protected dopamine neurons from oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction when they added the PD-inducing toxin.

These results indicate that in Parkinson’s disease, the increase in GUCY2C might be the body's attempt to protect dopamine neurons from damage. It may be possible to develop a molecule that targets GUCY2C or use existing drugs that increase cGMP to protect dopamine neurons from damage.

Highlights

• Loss of the receptor GUCY2C led to dopamine neuron degeneration in mice — in other words, not having the GUCY2C receptor led to neuronal dysfunction in brain regions implicated in PD.
• A molecule that increases cGMP (a byproduct of GUCY2C activation) protected neurons grown in a petri dish from mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death when the researchers added a toxin that induces neurodegeneration.
• Because GUCY2C is increased in people with Parkinson’s, the study results suggest that the increase in GUCY2C may be the body's attempt to protect dopamine neurons from damage.

What does this mean?

This study is the first to identify the receptor GUCY2C as a possible defense mechanism against dopamine loss. This research marks the beginning of what can be a new way to significantly slow down the progression of Parkinson’s.

Since GUCY2C appears to protect dopamine neurons in the brain, researchers could explore the possibility of stimulating GUCY2C as a treatment for PD. They could also try increasing cGMP, a byproduct of GUCY2C activation. This could potentially prevent the degeneration of dopamine neurons, a hallmark of the disease.

The study also found that people with PD have high levels of GUCY2C, which may also serve as an early indicator of Parkinson’s.

What do these findings mean to the people with PD right now?

With more research, GUCY2C could be a potential biomarker doctors can use to detect PD earlier. Having access to early biomarkers are critical for early therapeutic interventions for people with PD.

In addition, GUCY2C is a promising therapeutic target to prevent or treat PD. While developing a treatment that targets GUCY2C or its byproducts could take time, it remains important for researchers to identify as many potential treatments as possible. People who are currently experiencing Parkinson’s symptoms should talk to a healthcare provider.

Learn More

The Parkinson’s Foundation believes in empowering the Parkinson’s community through education. Learn more about PD and the topics in this article through our below resources, or by calling our free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for answers to your Parkinson’s questions.

• My PD Story: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD – learn more about this study and Dr. Waldman
• Neuro Talk: PD Progression
• Getting Diagnosed

What can you expect as Parkinson’s disease (PD) progresses? What are the signs and symptoms of each stage? Although the loss of dopamine is universal for people with PD,  each person experiences a unique combination of movement and non-movement symptoms and disease progression. 

In our latest Neuro Talk, Chief Scientific Officer James Beck, PhD, discusses the different stages of Parkinson’s disease progression and strategies for living well.