Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

First Implant of Activa PC+S Deep Brain Stimulation System Initiates Research That Could One Day Significantly Change How Neurological and Psychological Diseases are Treated MINNEAPOLIS AND MUNICH - August 7, 2013 - Medtronic, Inc. (MDT) today announced the first implant of a novel deep brain stimulation (DBS) system that, for the first time, enables the sensing and recording of select brain activity while simultaneously providing targeted DBS therapy. This initiates research on how the brain responds to the therapy and could yield insights that one day significantly change the way people with devastating neurological and psychological disorders, such as Parkinson`s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder, are treated. The Activa PC+S DBS system delivers proven Medtronic DBS Therapy while at the same time sensing and recording electrical activity in key areas of the brain using sensing technology and an adjustable algorithm, which enable the system to gather brain signals at various moments as selected by a physician. Initially, this new technology will be made available to a select group of physicians worldwide for use in clinical studies. These physicians will use the system to map the brain`s responses to Medtronic DBS Therapy and explore applications for the therapy … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Parkinson's Disease Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience;Men's Health Article Date: 30 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for: Parkinson's in men may be linked to testosterone decline Parkinson's disease in men may be linked to a sudden decline in testosterone, a study published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry suggests. Researchers at Rush University Medical Center analyzed a number of male mice who had been castrated, dramatically decreasing their testosterone levels, and they found that the mice showed increased symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Dr. Kalipada Pahan, professor of neurology at the university, explains, "While scientists use different toxins and a number of complex genetic approaches to model Parkinson's disease in mice, we have found that the sudden drop in the levels of testosterone following castration is sufficient to cause persistent Parkinson's-like pathology and symptoms in male mice." However, the researchers add that when the mice were given supplementation of testosterone in the form of 5-alpha dihydrotestosterone (DHT) pellets, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease were reversed. According to the researchers, in healthy males, testosterone is at its maximum levels in the mid-30s, gradually decreasing each year after then by around 1%. But they … Continue reading →

Chicago, July 27 : The results of a new study by neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center show that a sudden decrease of testosterone, the male sex hormone, may cause Parkinson's like symptoms in male mice. The findings were recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. One of the major roadblocks for discovering drugs against Parkinson's disease is the unavailability of a reliable animal model for this disease. "While scientists use different toxins and a number of complex genetic approaches to model Parkinson's disease in mice, we have found that the sudden drop in the levels of testosterone following castration is sufficient to cause persistent Parkinson's like pathology and symptoms in male mice," said Dr. Kalipada Pahan, lead author of the study and the Floyd A. Davis endowed professor of neurology at Rush. "We found that the supplementation of testosterone in the form of 5-alpha dihydrotestosterone (DHT) pellets reverses Parkinson's pathology in male mice." "In men, testosterone levels are intimately coupled to many disease processes," said Pahan. Typically, in healthy males, testosterone level is the maximum in the mid-30s, which then drop about one percent each year. However, testosterone levels may dip drastically due to stress or sudden … Continue reading →

Public release date: 26-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Deb Song deb_song@rush.edu 312-942-0588 Rush University Medical Center (CHICAGO) The results of a new study by neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center show that a sudden decrease of testosterone, the male sex hormone, may cause Parkinson's like symptoms in male mice. The findings were recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. One of the major roadblocks for discovering drugs against Parkinson's disease is the unavailability of a reliable animal model for this disease. "While scientists use different toxins and a number of complex genetic approaches to model Parkinson's disease in mice, we have found that the sudden drop in the levels of testosterone following castration is sufficient to cause persistent Parkinson's like pathology and symptoms in male mice," said Dr. Kalipada Pahan, lead author of the study and the Floyd A. Davis endowed professor of neurology at Rush. "We found that the supplementation of testosterone in the form of 5-alpha dihydrotestosterone (DHT) pellets reverses Parkinson's pathology in male mice." "In men, testosterone levels are intimately coupled to many disease processes," said Pahan. Typically, in healthy males, testosterone level is the maximum in the mid-30s, which then drop … Continue reading →

DUBLIN, Ireland, July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7xz9dc/neurodegenerative) has announced the addition of the "Neurodegenerative Diseases Market to 2018 - New product entries in both niche and broader Parkinson's disease treatment will boost market despite patent cliff" report to their offering. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769 ) Neurodegenerative Diseases Market to 2018 - New product entries in both niche and broader Parkinson's disease treatment will boost market despite patent cliff. A highly dynamic market scenario is expected in Neurodegenerative diseases in the next few years, with a number of patent expiries and anticipated new drug approvals. The market for Alzheimer's disease has not seen any recent major breakthroughs, and is expected to experience a decline due to the patent expiry of several major products. The market for Parkinson's disease, on the other hand, is expected to experience growth due to the anticipated approval of expensive products such as Duodopa in the US, in spite of the fact that it will soon hit its own patent cliff. Additionally, the overall aging of populations the developed world is expected to increase the number of patients suffering from these diseases due to their relatively high prevalence in the elderly. Scope - The report … Continue reading →

By Maureen Salamon HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- Millions of Americans take statins to lower their stroke and heart attack risks, but new research from Taiwan suggests the drug may offer another health benefit: cutting the odds of developing Parkinson's disease. Analyzing nearly 44,000 patients, scientists found that those who discontinued taking fat-soluble statins such as simvastatin (Zocor) or atorvastatin (Lipitor) were about 58 percent more likely to develop Parkinson's than those who kept taking the drugs. Fat-soluble statins are believed to cross the blood-brain barrier, unlike water-soluble statins such as rosuvastatin (Crestor) and pravastatin (Pravachol). The drugs may decrease inflammation and even modify dopamine pathways in the brain, which are linked to Parkinson's, the study authors suggested. "We are more glad than surprised to demonstrate the relationship," said study author Dr. Jou-Wei Lin, a cardiologist at National Taiwan University Hospital. "Our analysis is observational . . . and further clinical trials targeting the association between statin use and Parkinson's disease are still needed." The study is published online July 24 in the journal Neurology. One in four Americans aged 45 and older takes a statin, according to Harvard Health. The drugs are used to lower cholesterol … Continue reading →

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Parkinson's Central Provides Quick Access to Trusted Information MIAMI, July 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) launched today Parkinson's Central, a free app specifically created for people living with Parkinson's disease and their families. This is the only comprehensive app for people living with Parkinson's. The Parkinson's Central app is now available on iPhone and Android smartphones. Research has shown that the way that patients learn about Parkinson's is critical to their quality of life with the disease and also that people rarely can process or remember all the information given to them when they see their doctors. "NPF is dedicated to developing new concepts and technologies that engage people in their own care," said Joyce Oberdorf, NPF's President and CEO. "Parkinson's Central is a simple yet powerful tool that we believe will positively impact the health of people with Parkinson's, wherever they live." NPF's Parkinson's Central app features: "Easy to use and easy to read, Parkinson's Central is a veritable encyclopedia of Parkinson's issues, not only regarding the treatment of the disease, but as a guidebook for positive and high-quality living with Parkinson's," said James Morgan, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease five years ago. "The … Continue reading →

Washington, July 25 (ANI): Researchers have made a significant discovery that could pave the way for a new treatment for Parkinson's disease. The findings focus on an enzyme known as parkin, whose absence causes an early-onset form of Parkinson's disease. Precisely how the loss of this enzyme leads to the deaths of neurons has been unclear. But The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) researchers showed that parkin's loss sharply reduces the level of another protein that normally helps protect neurons from stress. "We now have a good model for how parkin loss can lead to the deaths of neurons under stress," TSRI Professor Steven I. Reed, who was senior author of the new study, said. "This also suggests a therapeutic strategy that might work against Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases," he said. Parkin belongs to a family of enzymes called ubiquitin ligases, whose main function is to regulate the levels of other proteins. They do so principally by "tagging" their protein targets with ubiquitin molecules, thus marking them for disposal by roving protein-breakers in cells known as proteasomes. Because parkin is a ubiquitin ligase, researchers have assumed that its absence allows some other protein or proteins to evade proteasomal destruction and … Continue reading →

Public release date: 24-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Rachel Seroka rseroka@aan.com 612-928-6129 American Academy of Neurology MINNEAPOLIS People who stop taking cholesterol drugs may be at an increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease, according to research that appears in the July 24, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Previous studies on the relationship between cholesterol drugs called statins and the risk of Parkinson's disease have had inconsistent results. The current study involved 43,810 people in Taiwan who were taking statins and did not have Parkinson's disease. Taiwan's compulsory national health insurance program reimbursement policy requests that doctors stop prescribing statins once the patient's cholesterol reaches the treatment goal, which is contrary to standard treatment in the United States. "This policy allowed us to see whether there was any difference in the risk of Parkinson's in people who stopped taking statins compared to the ones who kept taking them," said study author Jou-Wei Lin, MD, PhD, of National Taiwan University in Taipei. The study found a difference between two types of statins. The use of lipophilic, or fat-soluble, statins such as simvastatin and atorvastatin was associated with a reduced risk … Continue reading →