MDS Podcast

In this engaging discussion, Professor Tom Foltynie from University College London delves into a recent phase 3 clinical trial of exenatide for Parkinson’s disease. Despite disappointment in the results, he examines potential reasons behind the discrepancies from earlier studies. Foltynie explores how GLP-1 agonists could still play a vital role in early-stage Parkinson’s treatment and details advancements in clinical trial designs, which may pave the way for more effective therapies. Tune in for insights into the future of Parkinson’s research!

Prof. Sarah Camargos interviews Prof. Sun Ju Chung about his recent paper in the Movement Disorders Journal investigating diagnostic and prognostic capabilities of measuring blood mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) for Parkinson’s disease. Journal CME is available until March 3, 2026 Read the article.

Dr. Sara Schaefer and Dr. Davide Martino discuss his recent paper exploring the use of transcranial direct current stimulation over the supplementary motor area for the suppression of tics in patients with Tourette Syndrome. Read the article.

There is an important role for cost-effective clinical biomarkers in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández and Dr. Cecilia Tremblay discuss how accurate hyposmia and REM sleep behavior disorder can predict Lewy pathology in a non-selected population using data from the Arizona clinicopathological study on Aging and Neurodegeneration. Read the article.

Dr. Jennifer Eisenhauer joins Dr. Sara Schaefer to discuss her recent article describing a combined therapy approach for adult patient with tics: habit reversal therapy (HRT) + acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). They further discuss what these therapies are, their effect in tics, what is gratifying about working with patients with tics, and next steps to determine efficacy of this approach. Read the article.

Tommaso Schirinzi, a neurologist at Tor Vergata University of Rome, discusses groundbreaking research on immune and metabolic markers in blood cells related to progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). He reveals insights about the role of neuroinflammation in PSP and compares it with other neurodegenerative diseases. The conversation highlights elevated immune response indicators, the significance of mitochondrial bioenergetics, and the implications of phosphorylated tau proteins as potential biomarkers for treatment development. Future research directions stress the need for collaboration to explore these complex relationships further.

Dr. Shiro Horisawa discusses the latest clinical trial results on MR-guided focused ultrasound pallidothalamic tractotomy for cervical dystonia. He explores the technique's limitations, future prospects, and how it compares to existing therapeutic options. Read the article.

Dr. Hugo Morales Briceno interviews Prof. Ray Chaudhuri to discuss the real world-use of levodopa subcutaneous infusion in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Chan joins the podcast to discuss the results of their pilot study with Dr. Eduardo De Pablo-Fernández. The study uses a foot vibrotactile stimulation as an external cue for the treatment of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease. Together they discuss how vibrotactile devices can be implemented in clinical practice. Read the article.

In this episode, Prof. Alexander Münchau talks about how machine learning video-based assessments can be leveraged to quantify tics in Tourette syndrome and how this technology has the potential to assist clinicians in tic detection. Read the article.