Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

LAKEPORT, Calif. Phil Myers, a Lakeport resident, carried the recommendation of Dr. Jay Nutt, a world-leading neurologist in Parkinsons disease research, into his membership in the Parkinsons Disease Foundation. Based on what can be immediately surmised it was because Myers has an upbeat personality, excellent communications skills, a good comprehension of the disease and Parkinsons. The recommendation by Dr. Nutt, who is associated with the Oregon Health and Science University, was proffered two years ago in the wake of the death of Myers wife, Jackie. Jackie Myers was the victim of a very rare Parkinsons-like condition referred to as PSP progressive supranuclear palsy. We went to Oregon because other neurologists including the Mayo Clinic could not diagnose it, said Phil Myers. Its like Parkinsons, but its not. It usually takes people within six to eight years. Dr. Nutt diagnosed it in five minutes. The Oregon doctor apparently also saw something in Phil Myers that could turn the mans tragedy into something far more positive. He felt that I was the kind of person who could work with individuals with Parkinsons, recalled Myers, who, at age 70, is a retired electrical engineer. He put the recommendation in (to the PDF) and … Continue reading →

CARDIFF, Calif., May 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- NI Research, the leading publisher of independent research on the neurotherapeutics industry, has released the May issue of NeuroPerspective, which reviews the status and prospects of therapeutics for Parkinson's. "The current therapeutic options for PD are limited in scope and duration of utility. Motoric symptoms can be attenuated, but over time, there is a price to be paid, as L-dopa related dyskinesias eventually emerge for many patients," said Harry Tracy, Ph.D., publisher of NeuroPerspective, the authoritative, independent, monthly review of the neurotherapeutics area, providing critical analysis of therapeutics-in-development. Drugs under development include a number that are aimed at improving the profile of symptom reduction (e.g. Newron, Cynapsus, Addex, Psychogenics, and Santhera),and those targeting ancillary symptoms of PD and its treatment. The most recently successful example of the latter category is Acadia Pharmaceuticals' pimavanserin, which provides a novel approach to Parkinsonian psychosis. When it comes to the ultimate goal of disease-modification, Parkinson's is the venue where neuroscience has often focused its most daringly innovative programs, but this has been based partly on the premise that PD is an anatomically-constrained disease primarily impacting motor functions. Over time, it has become clear that it is not … Continue reading →

To view our videos, you need to enable JavaScript. Learn how. install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now. Then come back here and refresh the page. Lots of patients go through physical therapy, and then theyre done and theres nothing left for them to do, Susan Stahl with Power for Parkinsons said. Stahl and Dr. Nina Mosier started Power for Parkinsons in January. Both of their fathers were diagnosed with the disease. For them, the dance group is a way to help other patients get in the groove and fight the illness, one step at a time. We see them getting stronger," Mosier said. "We see their balance getting so much better, and in such a short period of time, and theyre just having fun. Pilar Reaves, 74, was diagnosed in 2009. With every move, she helps ward off the side effects of a debilitating disease. Exercise, they say, is better than medication without the side effects--only good side effects, she said. For more information on the group, click here. Read more: Your Health: Dancing for Parkinson's … Continue reading →

October 1-4, 2013 MONTREAL, April 29, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - World Parkinson Coalition and Parkinson Society Canada will co-host the next World Parkinson Congress (WPC) in October 2013 in Montral. More than 3,500 delegates from over 60 countries are expected to attend this major event, which is the only global conference that brings together the entire Parkinson's community, including people with Parkinson's, those who care for them, medical professionals, policy makers and researchers working toward a cure and better treatments. During April, which is Parkinson's awareness month, Tourisme Montral wants to underscore the fact that all members of Montral's tourism industry are getting ready to welcome these worldwide delegates, many of whom view coming to the Congress as a life-changing experience and a dream fulfilled. "Welcoming the third World Parkinson Congress to Montral is a unique opportunity for the country and for the Qubec Parkinson's community. Being part of this global family and having access to leading researchers and the latest treatment innovations and knowledge will leave a lasting impression for people with Parkinson's. Individuals will share their experiences with those who live similar realities, all contributing to making this an exceptional event not to be missed. We are pleased … Continue reading →

(Reuters) - Impax Laboratories Inc said partner GlaxoSmithKline Plc ended their collaboration on Impax's experimental Parkinson's disease drug due to regulatory and launch delays in the countries in which GSK has rights to market the drug. Impax shares fell 2 percent to $17.32 in premarket trade after closing at $17.62 on Friday on the Nasdaq. Under a deal, GlaxoSmithKline had the right to develop and market the drug, IPX066, outside the United States and Taiwan. Rights to the drug, which is known as Rytary in the United States, will transfer back to Impax at the end of July 2013. Impax did not disclose the financial impact of the deal termination, if any. It said it plans to find a partner or partners for markets outside the United States. Rytary is an extended-release capsule being developed for the symptomatic treatment of adult patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. (Reporting by Esha Dey in Bangalore; Editing by Sreejiraj Eluvangal) See the article here: Impax, GSK end Parkinson's disease partnership … Continue reading →

Published: Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 4:51 p.m. Last Modified: Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 4:51 p.m. In the narrow, dimly lit room, the cyclers seem intent on a bright screen before them that looks like something from a TV game show, with colored squares that display their first names and their real-time heart rates. Each square is green, yellow or red depending on how close that participant is to an individual, pre-set goal for sustained high-energy exercise. When the session ends, the riders dismount, beaming with exhilaration from their efforts, softly chatting and laughing with each other. Some show the off-kilter posture or slightly fluttering hand that is a hallmark of the Parkinson's disease they have in common. Others may sway their hips from side to side as they speak about the class. But all of them at an average age of 71 and 12 weeks into their experimental cycling program believe they are better off than when they started. The 17 participants, from age 60 to 78, are local patients diagnosed with Parkinson's an age-related progressive neurological disorder that limits movements, balance and the ability to have a normal life. They volunteered for a study conducted by the … Continue reading →

TOLEDO -- The University of Toledo Medical Center on Friday celebrated the opening of the Gardner-McMaster Parkinson Center and a new medical pavilion. The nearly 6,000-square-foot Parkinson Center was named after the family of Findlay businessman Philip Gardner for their donations to the project. The Harold and Helen McMaster Foundation also contributed. The Parkinson's Foundation of Northwest Ohio raised more than $160,000 to help offset the approximately $1.35 million in renovation costs. "This new center increases accessibility for patients, optimizes and maximizes the care provided to our patients and their families, and places them in close proximity to physical and occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and other health care professionals who are also experts in Parkinson's care," said Dr. Lawrence Elmer, professor of neurology and medical director of the Center for Neurological Health, and a specialist in the treatment and research of Parkinson's disease. The medical pavilion houses the new Parkinson Center as well as several relocated outpatient clinics. View post: UT's Parkinson Center named for Findlay family … Continue reading →

Apr. 25, 2013 Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have described a missing link in understanding how damage to the body's cellular power plants leads to Parkinson's disease and, perhaps surprisingly, to some forms of heart failure. These cellular power plants are called mitochondria. They manufacture the energy the cell requires to perform its many duties. And while heart and brain tissue may seem entirely different in form and function, one vital characteristic they share is a massive need for fuel. Working in mouse and fruit fly hearts, the researchers found that a protein known as mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) is the long-sought missing link in the chain of events that control mitochondrial quality. The findings are reported April 26 in the journal Science. The new discovery in heart cells provides some explanation for the long known epidemiologic link between Parkinson's disease and heart failure. "If you have Parkinson's disease, you have a more than two-fold increased risk of developing heart failure and a 50 percent higher risk of dying from heart failure," says senior author Gerald W. Dorn II, MD, the Philip and Sima K. Needleman Professor of Medicine. "This suggested they are somehow related, and … Continue reading →

Apr. 25, 2013 A protein known to be a key player in the development of Parkinson's disease is able to enter and harm cells in the same way that viruses do, according to a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine study. The protein is called alpha-synuclein. The study shows how, once inside a neuron, alpha synuclein breaks out of lysosomes, the digestive compartments of the cell. This is similar to how a cold virus enters a cell during infection. The finding eventually could lead to the development of new therapies to delay the onset of Parkinson's disease or halt or slow its progression, researchers said. The study by virologist Edward Campbell, PhD, and colleagues, was published April 25, 2013 in the journal PLOS ONE. Alpha-synuclein plays a role in the normal functioning of healthy neurons. But in Parkinson's disease patients, the protein turns bad, aggregating into clumps that lead to the death of neurons in the area of the brain responsible for motor control. Previous studies have shown that these protein aggregates can enter and harm cells. Campbell and colleagues showed how alpha synuclein can bust out of lysosomes, small structures that collectively serve as the cell's digestive system. … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Researchers from LIONsolver, Inc. have won first prize in The Michael J. Fox Foundation's $10,000 Parkinson's Data Challenge, a contest leveraging "the wisdom of the crowd" to benefit people with Parkinson's disease (PD). The contest received an enthusiastic response from the scientific community the winning entry was chosen following more than 630 downloads of the dataset from teams in 21 countries. The LIONsolver team's winning entry provided proof of concept for a "machine learning approach" that could unveil clues to PD onset and progression embedded in data collected on smartphones. LIONsolver's project proved the feasibility and value of gathering mobile data for monitoring PD, while laying the groundwork for further analysis of larger, and potentially more powerful, datasets using LIONsolver's machine learning platform. Moving forward, this approach has the potential to contribute to technology-enabled strategies to improve feedback between doctors and Parkinson's patients, ultimately helping to increase patient well-being and lower long-term costs of care. "Our team is concerned about the quality and affordability of healthcare," says LIONsolver founder and CEO Drake Pruitt. "As problem-solvers, we continually look for ways to attack these challenges. We believe we can offer a state-of-the-art platform for monitoring … Continue reading →