Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

--New Parkinson's Treatment Book Translated into 20+ Languages-- MIAMI, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Parkinson Foundation's (NPF) medical director, Michael S. Okun, M.D., has released a new book titled, "Parkinson's Treatment: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life." Published this month, in conjunction with Parkinson's Awareness Month, the book is now available in more than twenty languages to help people all over the world live their best life with Parkinson's disease. "Through my interactions with thousands of Parkinson's patients, I have come to realize you do not have to be defined by the disease," said Okun, NPF medical director and co-director of UF Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, an NPF Center of Excellence. "The purpose of this book is to provide a roadmap to health, hope and happiness for a full and meaningful life with Parkinson's." Based on Okun's experience as a movement disorders specialist, the book addresses the issues surrounding Parkinson's disease and the secrets that have helped people live well and live longer. The comprehensive book includes chapters on issues such as medication timing, deep brain stimulation surgery, depression, sleep and exercise. "Dr. Okun's book is a must-read for anyone who has recently been diagnosed with … Continue reading →

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) Hall of Famer Forrest Gregg says that while he and his neurologist blame concussions for his Parkinson's disease, he's not going to sue the NFL like thousands of other former players. The 79-year-old says he doesn't begrudge those who have joined the lawsuits but he has his pensions from his playing and coaching days and "I don't need anything from anybody but what I earned." He said he's an "independent type" and doesn't believe in holding others accountable for his well-being. "And my experience in the National Football League was good," said Gregg, who is promoting UCB, Inc.'s "Parkinson's More Than Motion" campaign during Parkinson's Awareness Month. Gregg said he's doing well 18 months after his diagnosis and credits medicine, exercise and daily phone calls from his son and former teammates to reminisce about the good ol' days, which keeps his mind sharp. The former offensive lineman known as "Iron Man" said he wants to help others recognize the signs of Parkinson's and seek treatment early enough to delay the degenerative effects of the chronic, debilitating disease on both mind and body. When Gregg was diagnosed, his neurologist, Dr. Rajeev Kumar, a Parkinson's expert and medical … Continue reading →

Maura Horton vividly recalls the day four years ago that her husband, former North Carolina State assistant football coach Don Horton, couldn't button his shirt in the locker room after a game. The effect of Parkinson's disease had impaired his dexterity to the point that he couldn't dress quickly. Embarrassed, he'd had to ask one of his players, Russell Wilson, now a Seattle Seahawks quarterback, for help. "I knew something was wrong when he came home," she said. "I thought maybe it was a bad game." After he told her what happened, she felt compelled to find a solution for her husband's challenge. "I didn't want him to feel that way ever again," she said. She began looking for dress shirts that could close more easily. Online, she saw ones with Velcro closures, but the quality seemed poor. She thought magnets might do a better job. If the approach worked, she realized she could create a line of high-end shirts that would allow others with disabling conditions such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or arthritis to dress independently. Related story: 89-year-old grandmother hits Kickstarter goal Horton, who once designed children's clothing, tore apart one of her husband's dress shirts and … Continue reading →

Maura Horton designed MagnaReady shirts to close with washable magnets so her football coach husband could dress independently. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The effect of Parkinson's disease had impaired his dexterity to the point that he couldn't dress quickly. Embarrassed, he'd had to ask one of his players, Russell Wilson, now a Seattle Seahawks quarterback, for help. "I knew something was wrong when he came home," she said. "I thought maybe it was a bad game." After he told her what happened, she felt compelled to find a solution for her husband's challenge. "I didn't want him to feel that way ever again," she said. She began looking for dress shirts that could close more easily. Online, she saw ones with Velcro closures, but the quality seemed poor. She thought magnets might do a better job. If the approach worked, she realized she could create a line of high-end shirts that would allow others with disabling conditions such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or arthritis to dress independently. Related story: 89-year-old grandmother hits Kickstarter goal Horton, who once designed children's clothing, tore apart one of her husband's dress shirts and got cracking on a prototype that would substitute magnets for the … Continue reading →

With Parkinsons, the tragedy is not so much the disease itself, but the fact that it often goes unrecognised and, therefore, untreated, which causes the disease to progress to disabling levels. Whats tricky is besides failing to recognise it early we confuse the symptoms with the normal process of ageing. In the absence of medical intervention, the disorder progresses steadily. And that is a pity, because timely treatment can slow its advance. Early diagnosis and appropriate intervention can give a person with Parkinsons many decades of healthy life, says Dr. V. Sathish Kumar, senior consultant neurophysician, Fortis Malar. If there is no intervention, he might end up bedridden 7-10 years after its onset, warns Dr. D. S. Halprashanth, consultant neurologist and specialist in Parkinsons and epilepsy, Global Health City. The disorder is more commonly seen in the 60 plus age group, though a few people show signs of it even in their fifties and forties. As per western statistics, about five in a 1000 persons in their 60s have Parkinsons, with the incidence becoming more common in older age groups. In rare cases, a head injury or brain infection can trigger symptoms of Parkinsons in the young. But they too … Continue reading →

SAN DIEGO (TheStreet) -- Acadia Pharmaceuticals (ACAD) is taking the express lane to U.S approval for its Parkinson's disease psychosis drug, lifting shares higher in early Thursday trading. After meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Acadia intends to file an approval application for pimavanserin based on data from a successful phase III study completed last year, plus other supportive data. The company will no longer conduct a confirmatory phase III study that was planned to begin later this month. The FDA approval filing for pimavanserin as a treatment for Parkinson's psychosis is expected near the end of 2014. FDA will subject the pimavanserin filing to a standard review, which suggests a review cycle of 12 months. If approved, pimavanserin could reach the U.S. market in late 2015. To order reprints of this article, click here: Reprints EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protg, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass. Read more here: Acadia Plans Early FDA Filing Of Parkinson's Drug … Continue reading →

(Reuters) - Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc said data from an initial late-stage trial would be sufficient to file for approval for its experimental antipsychotic drug for Parkinson's disease patients, and that it would not need to conduct an additional trial as planned earlier. Shares of the company jumped 47 percent to $11.74 in early trade on Thursday. The stock was the biggest percentage gainer on the Nasdaq and more than four million shares had changed hands within the first 10 minutes of trading. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration agreed with the company that data from the late-stage trial 020, along with supporting data from other studies, was sufficient to support its marketing application for the drug pimavanserin to treat Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP). Data from the trial, which was redesigned in mid-2012 after a previous trial had failed, showed that pimavanserin was significantly better than placebo at reducing psychotic effects of Parkinson's disease psychosis. The drug failed to meet the goals of a previous Phase III study in 2009 due an unusually high placebo effect, according to the company. Parkinson's disease psychosis is a debilitating disorder that develops in up to 60 percent of patients as their Parkinson's disease progresses. … Continue reading →

NEW YORK (AP) Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Thursday that it won't have to run a second late-stage trial of its drug pimavanserin, a treatment for psychosis associated with Parkinson's disease. Its shares surged in premarket trading. The San Diego company said the Food and Drug Administration agreed that results from Acadia's previous clinical trials and other clinical data are enough to support a filing for marketing approval. As a result the company said it is canceling a second late-stage study of the drug. Acadia said it expects to file for marketing approval of pimavanserin in late 2014, after it completes other forms of testing. The FDA's decision means pimavanserin could be approved sooner and saves Acadia the cost of running another trial. Acadia stock surged $3.30, or 41.4 percent, to $11.27 in premarket trading. The shares are already trading around five-year highs and were on pace to open at their highest price since January 2008. Acadia says up to 60 percent of Americans with Parkinson's disease develop psychosis and there is no approved therapy to treat the condition. The company said anti-psychotic drugs are sometimes used, but those drugs can increase the risk of death and cause side effects like … Continue reading →

11 April 2013 Last updated at 06:57 ET People with Parkinson's disease have taken to the dance floor to see if Irish set dancing can improve their symptoms. It is part of an international study being led by the University of Limerick. Results are yet to be analysed but in a previous study, patients fell less often and were more mobile after regular set dancing lessons. Benefits may be down to exercise, the strong rhythm of Irish music and the sociability of group dances. The research could potentially lead to people worldwide being offered traditional Irish set dancing as part of their Parkinson's treatment. I'm very happy that this dance can help people improve their quality of life. This is our job. Masters student Joanne Shanahan, a qualified set dance instructor, led an exercise programme twice a week for eight weeks in a pilot study. Eight patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's took part and were compared against a control group. One of them, Mary, spoke to the BBC but did not want her surname to be made public. Visit link: Irish dance for Parkinson's Disease … Continue reading →

Miami neurologist Dr. Cenk Sengun is spending three days a week in Boca Raton at his new Florida Center for Neurological practice on Ninth Court. As a Parkinson's disease and movement disorder subspecialist since 2008, and picked as a National Parkinson Foundation Superstar, Sengun was already hooked into the South Palm Beach County Chapter, said executive director Stu Perlin. The chapter's known for its Surf and Turf exercise program, support groups and living well classes at the Peter Blum Family YMCA and the Volen Center. And for National Parkinson's Awareness Month, there's a free Parkinson's Awareness Seminar at GigerMD Movement Therapy in Boca Raton at 6 p.m. April 17. Perlin said they'll also have a presence at Forum Publishing Group's Young at Heart, a free day of activities and wellness, health screenings, a continental breakfast and light lunch, and prizes and giveaways from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 18 at the South County Civic Center in Delray Beach. Sengun talked about the latest treatments and why diagnosis is often delayed. Why do so many patients wait to be diagnosed and treated? Usually that happens because mild symptoms are missed by the patient. Family and friends may notice you're walking … Continue reading →