Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

Good Samaritan at Vincennes is now offering a new treatment for Parkinsons disease.Physical therapistJoy Uy andoccupational therapistJames Schenk of Good Samaritan are certified providers for this Parkinsons treatment program. LSVT is a new approach to treatment of Parkinsons disease involving the concept of neuroplasticity, the brains ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. This approach aims to address the internal aspects of Parkinsons disease symptoms, leading to significant functional movements. There are two sections of LSVT, BIG and LOUD. LSVT BIG is a standardized treatment protocol, which is customized to the unique goals of each patient including both gross and fine motor skills. LSVT LOUD is customized to the unique communication goals of each person across a range of disease severity and communication impairments. Over the last 25 years, the National Institutes of Health have been researching and developing LSVT BIG and LOUD to help treat patients with symptoms associated with Parkinsons disease. Uy says she and Schenk are currently utilizing the LSVT treatment protocol to manage the symptoms of Parkinsons patients in Good Samaritans Rehabilitation Center. Here is the original post: Good Samaritan now offers new treatment for Parkinson's - Terre Haute Tribune Star … Continue reading →

NEW YORK: A single dose of a life-extending protein hormone -- naturally produced in both kidney and brain -- may lead to rapid improvement in cognitive and physical performance, indicating potential for the development of treatments for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, a study has shown. The findings showed that administering hormone klotho like a drug improved cognition, including spatial learning and working memory, as well as the ability to navigate and to learn new tasks -- deficiencies which may lead to age-related neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease -- in young, ageing or impaired mice with normal or low levels of the hormone. However, it remains unexplained how the piece of the klotho hormone that was injected into the bodies of the mice caused these effects since there is no evidence that klotho is able to enter the brain from the bloodstream, the researchers said. "It makes us wonder about the connection between the body and the brain," said Dena Dubal, Associate Professor at the University of California - San Francisco. "What we saw with acute klotho administration may be similar to what happens with exercise, which also improves cognition and brain health, although we don't know how," … Continue reading →

Over the past two decades, medical cannabis has become an alternative treatment option for many medical patients across the globe. While medical studies in this area are by no means complete, there have been many promising findings both in the medical lab and outside of it, which may be indicators of future treatments that could be based on medical cannabis. A disease called Parkinsons disease has recently moved to the forefront of medical investigation involving medical cannabis treatments. Parkinsons disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that occurs when there is a slow reduction in the amount of dopamine produced in the human brains nerve cells. Dopamine is the brain chemical that allows coordinated and smooth muscle movements in the body. Because the disease affects a persons movements and begins gradually, and because there is no laboratory test for the disease, it can be difficult to spot early on. Through a thorough examination of a patients medical history and repeated neurological exams, most cases can be diagnosed. Parkinsons disease is not generally diagnosed in younger people; age 60 is the age when it usually begins to affect a patient. For the disease to affect a patient noticeably, 60-80 percent of a … Continue reading →

Image caption Ever since Ben Parkinson was a young boy he had wanted to be a paratrooper and he realised his dream when he joined the 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery A paratrooper who survived some of the the worst-ever battlefield injuries has asked lawyers to investigate concerns over his care. Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson lost both legs and suffered more than 40 injuries in a landmine blast in Afghanistan in 2006. The 31-year-old from Doncaster and his mother are now calling on his care providers for more help. NHS England said it was working to arrange reviews of his care. Lawyers claim his care providers are in breach of the Armed Forces Covenant. More stories from around Yorkshire The covenant is a promise that those who serve, or have served, in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. L/Bombardier Parkinson was two weeks from finishing a tour of Afghanistan when his Land Rover hit a mine. Medical staff did not expect him to survive the explosion. The former paratrooper's care is provided by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), NHS England and Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) but his mother, Diane Dernie, said the organisations failed to … Continue reading →

Exenatide, a commonly prescribed drug for type 2 diabetes, could possibly be repurposed as a modifying therapy for patients diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. Injections of exenatide showed signs of improving movement in Parkinsons patients over a one year period versus those who took placebo, suggested a new study. Researchers at the University College London followed 60 people with Parkinsons disease as they self-injected either exenatide or a placebo once a week for 48 weeks in addition to regular medications. Results indicated the patients who performed the exenatide injections exhibited better motor function at 48 weeks when they came off the treatment. This effect persisted after the 12-week follow up. By contrast, the group who injected the placebo showed a decline in their motor scores at both the 48-week and 60-week tests, according to the announcement. Overall, the control group had an advantage of four points on a 132 point scale of measures like tremors and agility, which was deemed statistically significant. Exenatides mechanism of action is that it activates receptors for the GLP-1 hormone in the pancreas in order to stimulate insulin release. These receptors can also be found in the brain where prior research has shown that activating them … Continue reading →

Theres a new report of progress in Parkinsons disease, and from an unexpected direction. Well, it was unexpected for me, anyway. Parkinsons is, famously, a condition that is driven by the steady deterioration of dopamine-rich neurons in the brain, most particularly in the substantia nigra region. An impressive amount of research over the years has gone into the study of this part of the brain and to dopamine handling in general. What sets off Parkinsons and how to interrupt its progress are still very much open questions. Its almost certainly a combination of genetic and environmental causes, but the details of that tangle are yet to be made clear. This latest work, though, involves dosing a known diabetes medication, the GLP-1 agonist exenatide. Thats a peptide drug, famous among those who follow these things (Im one) as having been derived from an active protein found in Gila monster saliva. Type II diabetes does seem to be a risk factor for Parkinsons (as well as for Alzheimers), and theres been a lot of work onthe gut-brain axis and whats connected to what. Exenatide has effects on appetite, crosses the blood-brain barrier to some degree, and has shown protective and growth-factor effects … Continue reading →

by Leanne Tokars, WSBT 22 Anchor There's a program happening right now in our area that's turning back the clock for some people with Parkinson's disease. It's called the LSVT program at Goshen Health, and physical therapists there say it's changing lives both for patients and their families. The LSVT program is a two-part research based therapy program. It's an intense four weeks, four days a week of work. One part focuses on getting people with Parkinson's back what they once had when it comes to movement. It uses eight repetitive exercises to help with everyday tasks. "So more or less what we're trying to do is induce a change within the brain and remap how we go about doing kind of everyday things we take for granted," Physical therapist Zak Lusk says. "It's actually unbelievable the change it makes. It's really fun to see spouses and family members that around the holidays will come in and say, 'Man, this is my old father who we haven't been able to see him get out of a couch like that - we've always had to pull him up or help him up,' - that sort of thing." Speech language pathologist Annie … Continue reading →

A drug that is primarily used by people with diabetes could possibly be the key to help the millions of people with Parkinsons disease. The drug may work as a treatment that not only stops the diseases symptoms, but could also eventually prevent the disease itself from getting worse in the long-run. Exenatide is a drug thats primarily used to treat diabetes. It is a glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP 1) receptor agonist that is used to regulate blood sugar levels in people with the disease. Now, apart from being a diabetes shot, researchers found evidence of its effectiveness in possibly treating Parkinsons disease. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, researchers from the University College London tested the drugs capability to treat Parkinsons disease. Eligible participants between the ages of 25 and 75 years were randomly given either the exenatide or a placebo drug, 32 of which were on exenatide and 30 on the placebo drug. During the duration of the study, neither participants nor the administrators knew which people were being given the placebo and which ones were taking exenatide. After 48 weeks of treatment and 12 weeks of additional study when participants were not given any injections, researchers found that the participants … Continue reading →

High dosage NeuroDerm mechanism for Parkinson's disease. .(photo credit:NEURODERM) One Israeli company may have a billion-dollar solution to making treatment regimens more convenient and effective for patients with advanced Parkinsons disease. Just two weeks ago, the Rehovot-based NeuroDerm announced that it had entered a definitive agreement to be acquired by the Japanese company Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma for $1.1 billion. While NeuroDerm has a number of technologies in its pipeline, the particular product that attracted the Japanese investment was ND0612 a liquid medication still under clinical trials that could provide patients with a continuous, less invasive treatment option. We have been able to produce a liquid formulation for the first time that can be administered inside the body directly, not through the stomach, but under the skin, Dr. Sheila Oren, NeuroDerms chief medical officer, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. Oren has two decades of international pharmaceuticals experience and has been responsible for the clinical development and marketing of several central nervous system drugs. As chief medical officer at NeuroDerm, she has been overseeing the development of ND0612 and several other medicines that could potentially provide life-changing opportunities to patients. In patients who suffer from Parkinsons disease, certain brain cells begin … Continue reading →

Here is a cause worth rallying for the 13th annual Danville Concours dElegance, benefiting Parkinsons disease research and patient care on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17. Founders Chris and Jim Edlund, owners of Christe James Fine Jewelry Works, are longtime residents of Danville. They have raised three daughters and one son and were active and supportive in the childrens school activities. They all attended Vista Grande, Los Cerros and Monte Vista. The couple are well-known as community leaders, therefore it was not surprising when they took on the daunting task of starting a new charity to benefit Parkinsons research and patient care. It was a very personal cause for the Edlunds. Four generations had Parkinsons in Jims family and Chriss aunt and grandma had the disease. It is not a popular disease so funding it doesnt get the attention that it needs and deserves. It was a natural route that led Jim to co-found the Concours dElegance with Chris, given that he is a classic car aficionado. The 2-day event starts with a Tour dElegance (rally) on Sept 16 to AXR Winery in St. Helena, and the Gala Dinner at the Blackhawk Museum with a presentation by special guest Linda … Continue reading →