Research
Category
RESEARCH
NEWS BRIEFS
FOCUSED ULTRASOUND
APPROVED TO TREAT
PARKINSON’S TREMOR
In December 2018, the
U.S. Food and Drug
Administration approved
focused ultrasound for
Parkinson’s tremor that
doesn’t respond well to
medication. In focused
ultrasound, doctors use
ultrasound waves to destroy
brain cells that cause
movement problems. Learn
more about this treatment
and a surgical option,
deep brain stimulation, in
a recent MJFF webinar at
michaeljfox.org/webinars.
— MK
NEW PROJECTS
TESTING TECHNOLOGY
TO HELP WALKING
AND BALANCE
PARKINSON’S BRAIN
SCAN NOW IN
HUMAN TRIALS
MJFF is granting $3 million
to eight projects testing
innovative approaches to
improve walking and prevent
freezing and falls. Many of the
projects are uniting academic
researchers with technology
companies, such as Honda
and Microsoft, to test new
tools (a wearable robotic
device and a mixed-reality
headset, respectively). Read
more about gait and balance
issues and creative solutions
on page 14. A first-of-its-kind tool that
may help diagnose and track
Parkinson’s, and evaluate new
therapies is testing in human
volunteers. MJFF is funding the
study from AC Immune testing
a tracer of the protein alpha-
synuclein, which clumps in brain
cells in Parkinson’s disease. To
spur momentum toward this
game-changing tool, we are also
offering a $2 million prize for
the first successful alpha-
synuclein imaging agent. Visit
michaeljfox.org/alpha-synuclein
to learn more.
— MK — MK
5
Spring/Summer
The Fox Focus
2019