Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

Parkinson's Australia says it is disappointed a study with the potential to help patients may not have actually taken place. The organisation gave the University of Queensland a grant of $20,000 after positive study findings into the treatment were published. on Tuesday saying an internal investigation had revealed a study by a former staff member using a technique called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation may not have been carried out. Parkinson's Australia's John Bird said the revelations are unfortunate as patients are keen to find a cure and ease the pain and discomfort of the illness. "We are obviously disappointed," Mr Bird said. The grant money has since been returned. Professor Bruce Murdoch, a former staff member from the university's Centre for Neurogenic Communication Disorders Research, was one of the authors of the article. The ABC has learnt other research by Professor Murdoch is now being reviewed. Professor Murdoch retired six weeks ago and his profile has been removed from the university's web site. A spokesman for the Stroke Foundation said it asked the university to look into research done by Professor Murdoch with Stroke Foundation money. Continued here: Parkinson's Australia disappointed research may not have been carried out by university researchers … Continue reading →

Public release date: 3-Sep-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Amy Pullan a.l.pullan@sheffield.ac.uk 01-142-229-859 University of Sheffield New drugs which may have the potential to stop faulty brain cells dying and slow down the progression of Parkinson's, have been identified by scientists in a pioneering study which is the first of its kind. Experts from the world leading Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) conducted a large scale drugs trial in the lab using skin cells from people with this progressive neurological condition which affects one in every 500 people in the UK. The researchers tested over 2,000 compounds to find out which ones could make faulty mitochondria work normally again. Mitochondria act as the power generators in all cells of our body, including the brain. Malfunctioning mitochondria are one of the main reasons why brain cells die in Parkinson's. One of the promising medications identified though the research is a synthetic drug called ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). This licenced drug has been in clinical use for several decades to treat certain forms of liver disease which means that researchers will be able to immediately start a clinical trial to test its safety and tolerability in people with Parkinson's. This … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience Also Included In: Parkinson's Disease;Medical Devices / Diagnostics Article Date: 02 Sep 2013 - 9:00 PDT Current ratings for: What is deep brain stimulation? Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure that involves placing a neurostimulator in the brain which sends out electrical impulses to specific regions of the brain. The electrical impulses are sent out to block abnormal signals that can cause a number of different neurological disorders. DBS is commonly used to treat essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, and dystonia (a movement disorder in which the muscles contract and spasm). The procedure is also being studied as a potential form of treatment for Tourette syndrome and major depression. The DBS system is made up of three different components: The lead (also called an electrode) is a thin insulated wire which is implanted in the target region of the brain. The extension wire travels under the skin and connects the lead to the implanted pulse generator - which sends out the electrical signals. DBS alters activity in the brain in a controlled manner, as opposed to lesioning techniques its effects are completely reversible. Continued here: What is deep brain stimulation? … Continue reading →

John Watterson has suffered from tremors since he was a teenager. The tremors got worse with age, and by his early 70s, his hands trembled so badly that he had trouble feeding himself. He couldn't hit a golf ball off a tee, he lamented, without taking multiple swings. He visited the University of Virginia Medical Center in 2011 to try an experimental treatment called focused ultrasound. After an intensive, nerve-wracking four-hour treatment, the tremors on the right side of his body were gone. Two years after the procedure, he says it was worth it. "It's made me a little more confident about eating and all the fine-motor things," Watterson said. "My golf game hasn't improved but I can certainly tee up the ball." Watterson was one of 15 patients with a neurological disorder called essential tremor who received focused ultrasound treatment as part of a study spearheaded by UVa neurologists Dr. W. Jeffrey Elias and Dr. Neal Kassell. Elias said he believes he can use ultrasound - a technology usually associated with medical imaging - to "operate" on patients, removing harmful or diseased tissue without having to cut a patient open. A normal operation on essential tremor would involve drilling … Continue reading →

New York, NY (PRWEB) August 31, 2013 In his new book, Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Parkinson's Disease Dementia: Patient, Family, and Clinician Working Together for Better Outcomes (Hardcover $34.95 288 pp 9780199977567 September 26, 2013 Oxford University Press), neurologist Dr. J. Eric Ahlskog brings hope to caregivers of advanced Parkinsons disease and Lewy Body Dementia patients by guiding them through the labyrinth of symptoms, treatments, medications, and side effects of dementia caused by Lewy Bodies. Lewy Bodies are accumulations of protein in brain cells that cause dementia, which are found in both Lewy Body Dementia and advanced Parkinsons disease patients. A diagnosis of dementia can be devastating, and those caring for patients suffering from Lewy Body Dementia or Parkinsons coupled with dementia are beset by a particularly complex host of issues related to treatment and medication. All too often, caregivers of dementia patients do not know the right questions to ask or how to discuss different treatment options with their doctors. Just in time for Lewy Body Dementia awareness month this October, Dr. J. Eric Ahlskog has written Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Parkinson's Disease Dementia: Patient, Family, and Clinician Working Together for Better Outcomes. Dr. Ahlskog clearly explains … Continue reading →

Rock and pop superstar of the 70s Linda Ronstadt says Parkinson's disease has robbed her of her ability to sing. Although Parkinson's is better known for causing tremors and trouble with movement, the disease frequently affects a person's voice as well, doctors say. The 67-year-old singer, who is known for such hits as "You're No Good," "Blue Bayou" and "Don't Know Much," told AARP The Magazine last Friday that she hadn't suspected she had the neurological disease for as many as eight years despite having a variety of symptoms, which she mistakenly attributed to other causes. Then she lost her ability to sing. "And I couldn't figure out why," she told AARP. "I knew it was mechanical. I knew it had to do with the muscles, but I thought it might have also had something to do with the tick disease that I had. And it didn't occur to me to go to a neurologist... Then I had a shoulder operation, so I thought that's why my hands were trembling." Up to 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year, according to the National Parkinson's Foundation, on top of the one million who currently have the condition. Parkinson's disease … Continue reading →

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Parkinson's Disease Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience Article Date: 29 Aug 2013 - 8:00 PDT Current ratings for: Parkinson's severity linked to brain inflammation 5 (2 votes) 5 (1 votes) A new study found markers of inflammation in the cerebrospinal fluid that protects the brain and spine from injury, linking these markers to symptoms like fatigue, depression and anxiety in patients with Parkinson's disease. Researchers say the findings may lead to new ways of treating the complex riddle of Parkinson's. Lena Brundin, now an associate professor at the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University, carried out the research as part of a team from Lund University in Sweden, Skne University Hospital in Sweden and the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida. The team measured a number of inflammatory markers in fluid samples of patients with Parkinson's and in a control group without the disease. Prof. Brundin told the press this week: "The degree of neuroinflammation was significantly associated with more severe depression, fatigue, and cognitive impairment even after controlling for factors such as age, gender and disease duration." A report on the study is available to read online in … Continue reading →

Company Establishes Relationship with Renowned Delta Institute International New Brunswick, Canada - (ACCESSWIRE) - August 26, 2013 - Affinity Medical Corp. (AFFW), (AFFW), a company focused on creating a network of treatment centers that offer patients homeopathic, alternative treatments of the BX Protocol (BX Antitoxin/Energy Catalyst), which has been a proven alternative solution to combat cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lymes, parkinson's and many other illnesses through the use of the BX Antitoxin Protocol. Affinity Medical announced today its relationship with the renowned Delta Institute International, leaders in providing remedial outcomes in cancer related pathologies. The relationship will allow Affinity to provide patient-centric treatment environments to better the fight against life-crippling diseases like cancer, arthritis, and diabetes through the use of the BX Antitoxin Protocol and make leading-edge treatments more accessible to patients worldwide. The announcement was made by Mr. Timo Strattner, CEO of Affinity Medical Corp. The mutually beneficial agreement enables the Delta Institute to be Affinity's clinical associate, providing R&D, treatment plan evaluation, and clinical supervision. The Delta Institute will work closely on active case management, in addition to providing advice and recommendations on Affinty's treatment center set-ups, patient diagnoses, and treatment plans based on their 20 years of … Continue reading →

TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2013 /CNW/ - UCB Canada Inc. announced today that NEUPRO (rotigotine) is now available in Canada for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The availability of NEUPRO in Canada follows Health Canada's approval in March, making it the first new treatment for Parkinson's disease approved in Canada in five years. NEUPRO is the first and only non-ergolinic dopamine agonist available in a patch, and provides 24-hour delivery of rotigotine through the skin into the blood stream. NEUPRO has demonstrated efficacy in managing motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. "As a company committed to bringing meaningful medications to Canadians for serious medical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, we are very pleased that NEUPRO is a new option available by prescription from physicians," says Dr. Gordana Atanackovic, Director, Medical Affairs , UCB Canada Inc. "Based on clinical evidence and patient experience from numerous countries, we are confident that NEUPRO can improve quality of life for many Canadians with Parkinson's disease which is very important for people struggling with its disruptive symptoms, such as on-off periods." About Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, degenerative neurological disease which affects approximately 100,000 Canadians. PD develops with the loss of nerve cells … Continue reading →

Aug. 23, 2013 Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a way that corrupted, disease-causing proteins spread in the brain, potentially contributing to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other brain-damaging disorders. The research identifies a specific type of receptor and suggests that blocking it may aid treatment of theses illnesses. The receptors are called heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). "Many of the enzymes that create HSPGs or otherwise help them function are good targets for drug treatments," said senior author Marc I. Diamond, MD, the David Clayson Professor of Neurology. "We ultimately should be able to hit these enzymes with drugs and potentially disrupt several neurodegenerative conditions." The study is available online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Over the last decade, Diamond has gathered evidence that Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases spread through the brain in a fashion similar to conditions such as mad cow disease, which are caused by misfolded proteins known as prions. Proteins are long chains of amino acids that perform many basic biological functions. A protein's abilities are partially determined by the way it folds into a 3-D shape. Prions are proteins that have become folded in … Continue reading →