Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

Up to 20 percent of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and their families may confront a common but largely unrecognized challenge: the occurrence of impulse control disorders (ICDs) such as compulsive gambling, sexual behavior, eating, or spending. Yet the presence of PD in these patients can severely limit or complicate treatment options. A team of investigators from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center (PADRECC) at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center conducted a pilot study and found that the opioid antagonist naltrexone may be an effective treatment for diminishing ICD symptoms in PD patients. The results were published in the journal Neurology. Researchers believe that these issues may arise as a result of medications used to treat the disease, but also could be a result of the disease itself, or a combination of both. ICDs can create financial, personal, employment, and social problems that add to the burden on patients and caregivers whose lives are already devastated by PD. A sample of 50 PD patients, all of whom began displaying their ICD symptoms after both the onset of PD and the initiation of dopamine agonist treatment (which was … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise (PHILADELPHIA) Up to 20 percent of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and their families may confront a common but largely unrecognized challenge: the occurrence of impulse control disorders (ICDs) such as compulsive gambling, sexual behavior, eating, or spending. Yet the presence of PD in these patients can severely limit or complicate treatment options. A team of investigators from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center (PADRECC) at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center conducted a pilot study and found that the opioid antagonist naltrexone may be an effective treatment for diminishing ICD symptoms in PD patients. The results were published in the journal Neurology. Researchers believe that these issues may arise as a result of medications used to treat the disease, but also could be a result of the disease itself, or a combination of both. ICDs can create financial, personal, employment, and social problems that add to the burden on patients and caregivers whose lives are already devastated by PD. A sample of 50 PD patients, all of whom began displaying their ICD symptoms after both the onset of PD … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 30-Jul-2014 Contact: Lee-Ann Donegan leeann.donegan@uphs.upenn.edu 215-349-5660 University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (PHILADELPHIA) Up to 20 percent of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and their families may confront a common but largely unrecognized challenge: the occurrence of impulse control disorders (ICDs) such as compulsive gambling, sexual behavior, eating, or spending. Yet the presence of PD in these patients can severely limit or complicate treatment options. A team of investigators from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center (PADRECC) at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center conducted a pilot study and found that the opioid antagonist naltrexone may be an effective treatment for diminishing ICD symptoms in PD patients. The results were published in the journal Neurology. Researchers believe that these issues may arise as a result of medications used to treat the disease, but also could be a result of the disease itself, or a combination of both. ICDs can create financial, personal, employment, and social problems that add to the burden on patients and caregivers whose lives are already devastated by PD. A sample of 50 PD patients, all of whom began displaying their ICD … Continue reading →

An experimental anti-inflammatory drug can protect vulnerable neurons and reduce motor deficits in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, according to researchers at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. The results were published in July 2014 the Journal of Parkinson's Disease. A release from the university notes that the findings demonstrate that the drug, called XPro1595, can reach the brain at sufficient levels and have beneficial effects when administered by subcutaneous injection. Previous studies of XPro1595 in animals tested more invasive modes of delivery, such as direct injection into the brain. The release quotes Malu Tansey, PhD, associate professor of physiology, as saying, "This is an important step forward for anti-inflammatory therapies for Parkinson's disease. Our results provide a compelling rationale for moving toward a clinical trial in early Parkinson's disease patients." The new research on subcutaneous administration of XPro1595 was funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF). XPro1595 is licensed by FPRT Bio and is seeking funding for a clinical trial to test its efficacy in the early stages of Parkinson's disease. "We are proud to have supported this work and glad to see positive pre-clinical results," said Marco Baptista, PhD, MJFF associate director … Continue reading →

Parkinson Treatment Under Construction Michael J Fox Excessive Acetylcholine Overflow, Severe Dopamine Synthesis Malfunction, possibly damaged Dopamine receptors. In case of emergency immediate action required,... By: GaryKildall … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 24-Jul-2014 Contact: Kim Newman sciencenews@einstein.yu.edu 718-430-3101 Albert Einstein College of Medicine July 24, 2014(BRONX, NY)Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have received a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to translate a basic science finding into a treatment for Parkinson's disease. This drug discovery project will test chemical compounds on a newly identified target with the goal of developing a drug that acts on an underlying cause of the disease. "While current therapies for Parkinson's help many people manage their symptoms, we are eager to stop or even reverse the disorder itself," said Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D., professor of developmental and molecular biology, co-director of the Institute for Aging Research, and the Robert and Rene Belfer Chair for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases at Einstein and principal investigator on the grant. "The support we are receiving from The Michael J. Fox Foundation is critically important for moving our insights from the lab into a workable treatment." According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, approximately one million people in the United States have Parkinson's disease and about 60,000 people are diagnosed annually. Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder … Continue reading →

An experimental anti-inflammatory drug can protect vulnerable neurons and reduce motor deficits in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have shown. The results were published Thursday, July 24 in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease. The findings demonstrate that the drug, called XPro1595, can reach the brain at sufficient levels and have beneficial effects when administered by subcutaneous injection, like an insulin shot. Previous studies of XPro1595 in animals tested more invasive modes of delivery, such as direct injection into the brain. "This is an important step forward for anti-inflammatory therapies for Parkinson's disease," says Malu Tansey, PhD, associate professor of physiology at Emory University School of Medicine. "Our results provide a compelling rationale for moving toward a clinical trial in early Parkinson's disease patients." The new research on subcutaneous administration of XPro1595 was funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF). XPro1595 is licensed by FPRT Bio, and is seeking funding for a clinical trial to test its efficacy in the early stages of Parkinson's disease. "We are proud to have supported this work and glad to see positive pre-clinical results," said Marco Baptista, PhD, MJFF associate director of research … Continue reading →

Metastasis, the strategy adopted by tumor cells to transform into an aggressive form of cancer, are often associated with a gloomy prognosis. Managing to block the metastasis or, even better, prevent their formation would be a giant step towards the fight against cancer. Researchers at Universit catholique de Louvain (Belgium) successfully performed this world first on models of human tumors in mice. The results of their study are published online on 24 July in the journal Cell Reports. The work by Professor Pierre Sonveaux's team, at Universit catholique de Louvain's Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), succeeded in pinpointing a family of pharmaceutical compounds whose action prevents the appearance of tumor metastasis. The researchers achieved this tour de force by studying the mitochondria in tumor cells. These organelles are considered as the cells' power station. But when their functioning is altered, as the UCL researchers observed in tumor cells, the mitochondria can promote cell migration, thus leading to the formation of metastasis. Paolo E. Porporato, a post-doctoral researcher, and other young researchers in Professor Pierre Sonveaux's team, examined the molecular mechanism responsible for the mitochondria's ability to promote metastasis. They succeeded in showing that, under certain conditions, the mitochondria … Continue reading →

Investigators at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have utilized a new image-based strategy to identify and measure placebo effects in randomized clinical trials for brain disorders. The findings are published in the August issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the US. Those who suffer from Parkinson's disease most often experience tremors, slowness of movement (bradykinesia), rigidity, and impaired balance and coordination. Patients may have difficulty walking, talking or completing simple daily tasks. They may also experience depression and difficulty sleeping due to the disease. The current standard for diagnosis of Parkinson's disease relies on a skilled healthcare professional, usually an experienced neurologist, to determine through clinical examination that someone has it. There currently is no cure for Parkinson's disease, but medications can improve symptoms. A team of researchers at the Feinstein Institute's Center for Neurosciences, led by David Eidelberg, MD, has developed a method to identify brain patterns that are abnormal or indicate disease using imaging techniques. To date, this approach has been used successfully to identify specific networks in the brain that indicate a patient has or is at risk for Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 18-Jul-2014 Contact: Emily Ng eng3@nshs.edu 516-562-2670 North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System Manhassett, NY Investigators at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have utilized a new image-based strategy to identify and measure placebo effects in randomized clinical trials for brain disorders. The findings are published in the August issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the US. Those who suffer from Parkinson's disease most often experience tremors, slowness of movement (bradykinesia), rigidity, and impaired balance and coordination. Patients may have difficulty walking, talking or completing simple daily tasks. They may also experience depression and difficulty sleeping due to the disease. The current standard for diagnosis of Parkinson's disease relies on a skilled healthcare professional, usually an experienced neurologist, to determine through clinical examination that someone has it. There currently is no cure for Parkinson's disease, but medications can improve symptoms. A team of researchers at the Feinstein Institute's Center for Neurosciences, led by David Eidelberg, MD, has developed a method to identify brain patterns that are abnormal or indicate disease using imaging techniques. To date, this approach has been used successfully to identify specific networks in … Continue reading →