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Brain Sciences
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Advances in Parkinson’s Disease
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Advances in Parkinson’s Disease

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurodegenerative Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2027 | Viewed by 1472

Editor

Dr. Osmar Pinto Neto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Biomedical Engineering and Kinesiology, California State University San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd., San Marcos, CA 92096, USA
Interests: applied mathematics; neuroscience; motor control; heart–brain and brain–muscle coherence; transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS neuromodulation)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most challenging neurodegenerative disorders, marked by a complex interplay of motor, cognitive, and autonomic impairments that evolve over years. Since its earliest clinical descriptions, research on PD has expanded from characterizing motor symptoms to mapping the neural circuits, biochemical pathways, and systemic alterations that drive disease progression. In recent decades, transformative developments have occurred in high-resolution neural recording, wearable sensing, advanced neuroimaging, and computational tools capable of identifying subtle physiological signatures long before overt symptoms emerge.

This Special Issue, titled “Advances in Parkinson’s Disease”, aims to bring together cutting-edge research spanning basic mechanisms, translational discoveries, and emerging therapeutic strategies. We seek contributions that deepen our mechanistic understanding, ranging from synaptic dysfunction and network-level changes to alterations in motor variability, neuromuscular synchronization, and sensorimotor integration. Studies employing machine learning, quantitative signal analysis, digital biomarkers, neuromodulation, and innovative clinical trial designs are particularly encouraged.

We invite original research, comprehensive reviews, and methodological advances that move the field toward earlier diagnosis, individualized treatment, and improved quality of life for individuals with PD. By assembling diverse perspectives from neuroscience, engineering, rehabilitation, and clinical practice, this Special Issue aims to highlight the most promising avenues shaping the future of PD research and care.

Dr. Osmar Pinto Neto
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Parkinson’s disease
  • neurodegeneration
  • motor control
  • digital biomarkers
  • sensorimotor integration
  • neuromuscular physiology
  • machine learning and signal analysis
  • early diagnosis
  • neuromodulation
  • translational neuroscience

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 968 KB  
Article
Online Comprehensive Care Therapy Complementary Program Improves Quality of Life in People with Parkinson’s Disease
by Diego Santos García, Pablo Campo Prieto, Carmen M. Breijo García, Lucía Dafonte Gil, Juan Pereiro Nogueira, Jessica Blanco López and Francisco Doblas
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(9), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16090906 - 25 Aug 2026
Abstract
Objectives: Non-pharmacological therapies are a cornerstone of Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment, but there is not enough evidence of their benefit when delivered altogether online. Our objective was to analyze the efficacy and safety of an online comprehensive care therapy program (OL-CCTP) in people [...] Read more.
Objectives: Non-pharmacological therapies are a cornerstone of Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment, but there is not enough evidence of their benefit when delivered altogether online. Our objective was to analyze the efficacy and safety of an online comprehensive care therapy program (OL-CCTP) in people with PD (PwP). Material and methods: This was a proof-of-concept experimental, prospective, 6-month interventional study comparing a PD treatment group (PwP-T) with a control group (PwP-C). The OL-CCTP included group sessions of physical therapy/therapeutic exercise, nutrition, speech therapy, cognitive stimulation, and psychological support (126 sessions over 6 months). The primary outcome was the change in quality of life at 6 months, as measured by the PDQ-39 questionnaire. Mood (Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II]), the non-motor symptom burden (Non-Motor Symptoms Scale [NMSS]), and disability (Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale [ADLS]) were also assessed. Results: Sixty patients (36 PwP-T and 24 PwP-C) completed the assessments. A reduction of 12.9% (from 78.4 ± 17.9 to 68.3 ± 18.7; p < 0.0001) was observed in the PDQ-39 total score in the PwP-T group (p < 0.0001), compared to 1.5% (from 77.8 ± 22.2 to 76.6 ± 27.9; p = 0.438) in the PwP-C group (p = 0.009). The BDI-II and NMSS scores decreased significantly by 13.1% (p = 0.001) and 20.3% (p = 0.046), respectively, in the PwP-T group but not in the PwP-C group. There were no significant changes in ADLS in either group. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions: After 6 months of OL-CCTP, an improvement of 12.9% was observed in the quality of life of patients with PD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Parkinson’s Disease)
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26 pages, 15897 KB  
Article
Duodenal α-Synuclein PFF Injection Induces Vagus-Related Gut-to-Brain Pathology in C57BL/6J and A53T Transgenic Mice
by Mengfei Wang, Guangqiang Sun, Peifeng Wan, Zitong Wang, Yali Nie, Hongchun Liu, Meiyu Geng, Ming Liu and Yu Zhang
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(8), 804; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16080804 - 30 Jul 2026
Viewed by 370
Abstract
Background: The Braak hypothesis proposes that α-synuclein (α-syn) pathology may originate in the gastrointestinal tract and propagate to the central nervous system along the gut–brain axis; however, the precise propagation routes and the factors influencing this process remain controversial. Methods: A [...] Read more.
Background: The Braak hypothesis proposes that α-synuclein (α-syn) pathology may originate in the gastrointestinal tract and propagate to the central nervous system along the gut–brain axis; however, the precise propagation routes and the factors influencing this process remain controversial. Methods: A gut-originating Parkinson’s disease model was established by injecting α-syn preformed fibrils (PFF) into the duodenal muscularis of C57BL/6J and A53T transgenic mice. Phosphorylated α-synuclein (p-α-syn) pathology, motor behavior, and gut microbiota were assessed, with truncal vagotomy included to evaluate its association with gut-to-brain propagation. Results: In C57BL/6J mice, at 4 months post-injection, p-α-syn deposition was observed in both the duodenal muscular layer and the striatum, accompanied by gut microbiota alterations and motor behavioral deficits. Truncal vagotomy was associated with reduced p-α-syn levels in the brain and alterations in the gut microbiota. In A53T transgenic mice, p-α-syn pathology and neurodegenerative changes were also observed following α-syn PFF injection, though the lack of a genetically matched wild-type control precludes definitive attribution of these phenotypes solely to the A53T transgene. Conclusions: These results align with the Braak hypothesis, showing that gut-derived p-α-syn pathology and associated functional impairments are intimately linked to vagal pathways during their propagation to the brain. Additionally, this gut-origin PD mouse model may serve as a useful tool for future mechanistic investigations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Parkinson’s Disease)
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12 pages, 1083 KB  
Article
Sex-Specific Cognitive Divergence in Parkinson’s Disease
by Julia Saltyte Benth, Gonzalo Sanchez Nido, Kenn Freddy Pedersen, Ole Bjørn Tysnes, Guido Werner Alves, Charalampos Tzoulis and Geir Olve Skeie
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(7), 764; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16070764 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 579
Abstract
Background: Sex differences in cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been reported, with several studies suggesting greater cognitive decline in males. However, evidence on long-term trajectories across specific cognitive domains is limited, as most prior work is cross-sectional. Aim: To investigate sex-specific [...] Read more.
Background: Sex differences in cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been reported, with several studies suggesting greater cognitive decline in males. However, evidence on long-term trajectories across specific cognitive domains is limited, as most prior work is cross-sectional. Aim: To investigate sex-specific longitudinal changes across multiple cognitive domains over 9 years in idiopathic PD, compared to age- and sex-matched controls. Methods: We analyzed data from the prospective ParkWest study, including n = 190 persons with PD (PwPs) and n = 202 controls. Regularly assessed cognitive domains included semantic fluency, processing speed, cognitive control, memory, and visuospatial ability. Linear mixed-effect models including a three-way interaction between time, disease status, and sex, to test whether sex-specific cognitive change in PD differed from that observed in controls, were estimated. Models were adjusted for age, years of education, baseline depression, and UPDRS part II. Results: Male PwPs showed faster decline than female PwPs in most cognitive measures, resulting in gradually increasing sex differences over 9 years. However, compared with controls, the differential sex-specific decline was statistically significant only for semantic fluency (p = 0.013) and processing speed (p = 0.027 and p = 0.035). These findings remained significant after covariate adjustment. Conclusions: PD was associated with increasing sex differences in semantic fluency and processing speed, likely driven by faster decline in males. Other domains did not show sex-specific divergence over time, suggesting that sex-specific vulnerabilities in cognitive trajectories are domain-specific rather than generalized among PwPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Parkinson’s Disease)
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