Researchers call it a step toward more personalized, responsive therapies

Written by Andrea Lobo | March 9, 2026

• A brain implant accurately detects walking in Parkinson's patients in real time.
• It records neural activity from movement-related brain regions with more than 95% accuracy.
• The technology aims to enable personalized, adaptive deep brain stimulation therapies.

A fully implanted brain device can identify when people with Parkinson’s disease are walking during their everyday lives, according to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

By recording neural activity from movement-related brain regions while patients went about their normal routines at home, researchers detected walking with more than 95% accuracy. Wearable sensors were used to verify the movements.

“This is the first demonstration that a fully implanted device can be used to detect a specific movement state in humans during real-world activity,” senior study author Doris Wang, MD, PhD, a neurosurgeon and associate professor of neurological surgery at UCSF, said in a university news story. “Our findings show that it is possible to identify meaningful neural signals outside the laboratory, which is an important step toward more personalized and responsive neuromodulation therapies.”

The results were described in the study, “At-home movement state classification using totally implantable cortical-basal ganglia neural interface,” published in Science Advances.

Implanted device recorded neural activity from 2 brain regions

Parkinson’s disease is caused by the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain. This leads to motor symptoms, including slowed movements, rigidity, and tremor. Patients often experience walking issues, such as short steps in which the feet slide rather than lifting from the ground, difficulty initiating movement, and instability during turning.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical treatment that involves implanting electrodes connected to a neurostimulator to deliver continuous stimulation to targeted brain areas, helping ease Parkinson’s motor symptoms. However, walking issues fluctuate during the day and can be unresponsive to DBS.

Because different Parkinson’s symptoms respond to different stimulation settings, doctors need reliable ways to detect what a person is doing in daily life, such as walking or standing. So far, this has not been extensively studied in real-world settings.

Medically reviewed by Shilpa Amin, M.D., CAQ, FAAFP - Written by S. Srakocic - Updated on November 7, 2025

Parkinson’s disease can lead to dysarthria (speech difficulties) and dysphagia (swallowing difficulties). Speech and swallowing therapies, as well as other medical treatments like Botox injections, may help.

It’s common for people with Parkinson’s disease to experience reduced speaking volumes and trouble expressing their thoughts. As the disease progresses, people with the condition may also have difficulty swallowing and getting enough nutrition to maintain a weight that’s healthy for them.

Speech therapy is one of the best approaches for managing these difficulties. It can help people with Parkinson’s disease manage both communication and swallowing issues.

What are the common speech and swallowing characteristics of Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson’s disease can cause voice, speech, communication, and swallowing difficulties. These difficulties can vary among individuals with the condition.

Voice and speech

Common voice and speech difficulties associated with Parkinson’s disease can include:

• reduced speaking volume
• hoarse or strained voice
• breathy-sounding voice
• monotone-sounding voice
• shaky voice or tremor in the voice
• more energy needed to form words
• difficulty with letter and word pronunciation
• slurring of certain letter combinations or sounds
• changes to how fast you speak
• changes to the pitch of your voice
• difficulty finding the right words to express your thoughts

Experts say disease progression is actually to blame

Written by Mary Beth Skylis | March 5, 2026

A few years ago, I accompanied my dad, who has Parkinson’s disease, to a neurology appointment to observe how his doctor interacted with him and assessed whether his deep brain stimulation hardware needed adjustment. The doctor asked if he was taking the recommended dosage of levodopa at the scheduled times she had suggested. He admitted he was not — he was taking less than they’d discussed, though still on a fairly regular schedule, with some exceptions.

At the time, I remember questioning his decision. Why wasn’t he giving himself the best quality of life possible? What was the benefit of keeping his medication dosage low? After talking with him, I realized he was trying to prepare for the future. He worried the medication might lose its effectiveness when he needed it most.

Dad’s mindset was actually more common than I initially realized.

Levodopa has long been considered the gold standard of Parkinson’s medications. But many people with Parkinson’s feel as if the medication loses its effectiveness over time. However, according to my dad’s neurologist and other resources, it’s actually the progression of the disease that increases the need for medication, not a loss of effectiveness.

Medically reviewed by Susan W. Lee, DO — Written by Traci Pedersen — Updated on February 19, 2026

Key takeaways

• Research on the connection between alcohol and Parkinson’s disease is varied, with some studies suggesting moderate consumption might lower risk, while others link heavy or prolonged use to increased risk.
• Small amounts of alcohol may temporarily ease motor issues by increasing dopamine, while long-term or heavy use can worsen symptoms by depleting dopamine levels.
• If you have Parkinson’s disease, it’s important to discuss alcohol consumption with a healthcare professional, as excessive drinking can interfere with medications and exacerbate symptoms, but moderate intake may be tolerated by some individuals.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects movement and is caused by a loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain.

Alcohol also affects dopamine. So, is it safe to drink alcohol if you have Parkinson’s disease? The answer isn’t so simple.

Does alcohol consumption increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s?

For decades, researchers have been investigating the link between Parkinson’s disease (PD) and alcohol consumption, with complex and often conflicting results.

Some studies have shown no link between the two, while others suggest that moderate alcohol consumption (5 to 29.9 grams [g] per day) may actually reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Other evidence suggests that heavy (more than 30 g per day) or prolonged alcohol use increases the risk.

A large European study from 2020 found that men with moderate lifetime alcohol consumption had a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s compared to light drinkers. Still, the results didn’t establish a significant link between alcohol consumption and the risk of Parkinson’s.

An analysis of 11 studies found that alcohol consumption was linked to a slightly reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease. And different types of alcohol may cause different effects.

For instance, two studies in the analysis found that beer consumption, in particular, was associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease, while wine or liquor were linked to an increased risk. However, some of these results weren’t statistically significant. In four other studies, no difference was found between beer, wine, and liquor.

Overall, the authors found that a decreased Parkinson’s disease risk was only associated with beer consumption but not liquor and wine. This may be because beer has a much lower ethanol content but higher antioxidant levels, such as folic acid, niacin, purine, and other phenolics believed to mediate the neuroprotective effects of alcohol.

Beer is also associated with a high concentration of uric acid, which has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in animal studies.

Further, a 2026 meta-analysis suggests that light to moderate alcohol consumption — particularly wine and liquor — may have a protective effect against Parkinson’s disease.

Read more here: Is Alcohol a Risk Factor for Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s Foundation names 4 piorities with 'practical, actionable steps'

Written by Andrea Lobo | March 4, 2026

• A new national strategy from the Parkinson's Foundation aims to improve patient-centered care in the US.
• Key priorities include expanding clinician expertise, developing integrated care models, defining clinical data, and using new technologies.
• This strategy will help guide federal policy for the National Plan to End Parkinson's Act.

The Parkinson’s Foundation has released its new national strategy dedicated to improving care for people with Parkinson’s disease by focusing on practical, patient-centered solutions that the nonprofit says will address the real challenges now facing the U.S. community.

The new strategy, dubbed Parkinson’s Care and Innovation: A Patient-Centered Agenda for Change, reflects the outcome of the National Roundtable on Parkinson’s Care and Innovation, held last fall, which brought together healthcare providers, policy leaders, advocacy organizations, caregivers, and patients.

It outlines four major care priorities, centered on delivering high-quality, integrated, and coordinated care for people with the progressive disease.

“The four care priorities … reflect the nuances of living with [Parkinson’s disease],“ Sneha Mantri, MD, the foundation’s chief medical officer, said in a press release from the organization that outlines its new blueprint for change.

“[These] priorities require practical, actionable steps to strengthen Parkinson’s care, improve coordination among providers, and ensure that people with Parkinson’s receive the support they need to live well,” Mantri said.

According to the foundation, its strategy addresses what it says is a current lack of specialized healthcare providers, as well as a dearth of coordinated technology for improving Parkinson’s care. The nonprofit also wants more care coordination overall, and is seeking to develop a clinical data set that can be used nationwide.

Read more here: New national strategy urges patient-centered Parkinson’s care in US