Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

A study group at the Medical University of Vienna's Centre for Brain Research has investigated the function of an intracellular dopamine pump in Parkinson's patients compared to a healthy test group. It turned out that this pump is less effective at pumping out dopamine and storing it in the brain cells of Parkinson's sufferers. If dopamine is not stored correctly, however, it can cause self-destruction of the affected nerve cells. In the brain, dopamine mediates the exchange of information between different neurons and, to help it do this, it is continuously reformed at the contact points between the corresponding nerve cells. It is stored in structures known as vesicles (intracellular bubbles) and it is released when required. In people with Parkinson's disease, the death of these nerve cells causes a lack of dopamine, and this in turn causes the familiar movement problems such as motor retardation, stiffness of the muscles and tremors. More than 50 years ago, in the Institute of Pharmacology at the University of Vienna (now the MedUni Vienna), Herbert Ehringer and Oleh Hornykiewicz discovered that Parkinson's disease is caused by a lack of dopamine in certain regions of the brain. This discovery enabled Hornykiewicz to introduce the … Continue reading →

WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to which drug works best for patients with newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease, older may still be better, a new study finds. Research published June 10 in The Lancet finds that the dopamine drug levodopa still outperforms newer medications for the long-term care of people newly diagnosed with Parkinson's. "This study lays to rest lingering questions among both people with Parkinson's disease and their doctors about which drug is most beneficial when first beginning treatment for the disease," said James Beck, vice president of scientific affairs at the Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF). In the largest-ever trial of Parkinson's disease treatment, levodopa offered patients better mobility and a higher quality of life than the two main alternatives -- drugs called dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) inhibitors. The study included more than 1,600 newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease patients who were randomly selected to take either levodopa or one of the other two treatments. They were followed for up to seven years. "Although the differences in favor of levodopa are small, when you consider the short- and long-term benefits, side effects, quality of life for patients, and costs, the old drug … Continue reading →

By Judy Santamaria MSPH The incidence of Parkinson's disease, which is common in people over the age of 60, is expected to rise with the aging of our populations. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that mainly affects movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinson's disease are tremor, rigidity or stiffness of the muscles, slow movement, loss of movement, and balance and walking problems. When a sufferer first hears a Parkinson's diagnosis, the person may still be experiencing few physical symptoms. The good news is that the progression rate for the vast majority of individuals with PD is rather slow -- "measured in multiple decades for most," according to the National Parkinson Foundation. But for both the patient and their family, there can be significant emotional issues surrounding that early diagnosis, mainly fear of what the future will bring. Patients dread losing their independence and family caregivers panic, envisioning how they will be needed over time. While these emotions are common, caregivers should keep in mind that this is not an emergency. They should take time to learn about how the disease progresses and remember: in most cases it will be many years before intensive assistance … Continue reading →

Background Whether initial treatment for Parkinson's disease should consist of levodopa, dopamine agonists, or monoamine oxidase type B inhibitors (MAOBI) is uncertain. We aimed to establish which of these three classes of drug, as initial treatment, provides the most effective long-term control of symptoms and best quality of life for people with early Parkinson's disease. In this pragmatic, open-label randomised trial, patients newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease were randomly assigned (by telephone call to a central office; 1:1:1) between levodopa-sparing therapy (dopamine agonists or MAOBI) and levodopa alone. Patients and investigators were not masked to group assignment. Primary outcomes were the mobility dimension on the 39-item patient-rated Parkinson's disease questionnaire (PDQ-39) quality-of-life scale (range 0100 with six points defined as the minimally important difference) and cost-effectiveness. Analysis was intention to treat. This trial is registered, number ISRCTN69812316. Between Nov 9, 2000, and Dec 22, 2009, 1620 patients were assigned to study groups (528 to levodopa, 632 to dopamine agonist, 460 to MAOBI). With 3-year median follow-up, PDQ-39 mobility scores averaged 18 points (95% CI 0530, p=0005) better in patients randomly assigned to levodopa than those assigned to levodopa-sparing therapy, with no increase or attrition of benefit during 7 years' observation. … Continue reading →

Here's a roundup of five medical studies published this week that can give you new insights into your health, mind and body. Remember, correlation is not causation -- so if a study finds a connection between two things, it doesn't mean that one causes the other. Hope for people with Parkinson's Journal: Cell Reports Scientists at Harvard University say they see promising signs from their study on an experimental treatment for Parkinson's disease. The researchers transplanted tissue from fetal dopamine cells into the brains of patients with Parkinson's in Canada. Patients with severe symptoms experienced 50% fewer symptoms in the years after surgery. People who had been taking medication to control their Parkinson's but found that the medicine no longer worked also saw significant improvements after surgery. Looking at the brains of five patients after they died from non-Parkinson's related illnesses, the scientists found that the transplanted cells stayed healthy. Earlier research led scientists to hypothesize that the cells would become corrupted, but the cells remained functional for at least 14 years after the patients got them. This is the first proof that this kind of transplant method could work. "Though it is encouraging and even exciting to see some … Continue reading →

Dr. Michael Okun: Parkinson's Treatment: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life Internationally renowned as both a neurologist and a leading researcher, Dr. Okun has been referred to as, "the voice of the Parkinson's disease patient." He has an international following... By: TheIHMC … Continue reading →

Stockholm (PRWEB) June 04, 2014 The worlds leading experts in Parkinsons disease and Movement Disorders will present the latest research findings and state-of-the-art treatment options at the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Societys 18th International Congress of Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorders in Stockholm, June 8-12, 2014. The 18th International Congress, held at Stockholmsmssan, will be attended by over 4,000 international physicians, researchers and other healthcare professionals. Attendees will be able to view over 1,600 scientific abstracts submitted by clinicians from over 80 countries. The International Congress Scientific Program consists of Plenary, Parallel, and Video Sessions, as well as Skills Workshops, Teaching Courses, and Guided Poster Tours. Registration Members of the media receive complimentary full-access registration to the Congress. For information on how to register, please contact Elizabeth Clausen at eclausen(at)movementdisorders(dot)org. News Releases News releases highlighting significant abstracts and late-breaking research being presented at the International Congress can be found on the MDS Congress website: http://www.mdscongress2014.org/press/news-releases.htm. 18th International Congress Information The MDS Congress website contains all the information you need to prepare for the meeting. We look forward to seeing you in Stockholm! About the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society: The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS), an … Continue reading →

Parkinson's Disease: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life - 2014 UF Health Parkinson Symposium Dr. Michael Okun discusses several of the "secrets" passed along in his book "Parkinson's Treatment: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life ". Our website: http://move... By: UF Health Center for Movement Disorders Neurorestoration … Continue reading →

PITTSBURGH (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease has been a successful treatment option for more than a decade, but only for some patients. Now a new technique is changing the game and helping thousands of more people get the treatment they so desperately need. Toni Pais is 59 years old. He's a hands-on restaurant owner who is often prepping for the dinner crowd by himself. However, tremors from Parkinson's disease almost forced him to quit. "It's very dangerous because you are dealing with fire with hot pans, sometimes you try to shake the pan, your brain wants to move, but your muscles don't," Pais told Ivanhoe. Medication was losing its affect. Pais couldn't tolerate the traditional surgical method for implantation of deep brain stimulators, which would require him to be awake during surgery. During DBS, surgeons implant thin electrodes at very specific targets in the brain to deliver electrical pulses. Doctors interact with the patient to ensure the electrodes are in the correct place. "The problem is, there is a significant population of patients with Parkinson's who are too anxious, or too symptomatic, or both to undergo awake surgery in the frame," Mark Richardson, MD, PhD, Director … Continue reading →

Former Budgie rocker Pete Boot is winning his battle with Parkinson's disease thanks to risky new treatment that appears to have slowed down his condition. The Welsh drummer was diagnosed with the disease over 20 years ago, but last year (Feb13), he underwent an operation that planted electrodes in his brain. Boot, 64, claims the ground-breaking procedure has helped improve his mobility by up to 90 per cent. He tells Wales Online, "The operation should give me another 10 years of continued mobility. It's worth the risk because I have had it so long. "My choices were pretty limited. I could have had the deep brain stimulation or I could have had something put into my stomach, which they put gel in, but that did not sound nice. The other option was huge injections that I would have had to give myself every day. I didn't fancy that, so I took the deep brain stimulation. They drilled two holes in my head and passed four electrodes through my brain, out the side of my head and back down my neck and into my chest. Embedded in my chest, a bit like a pacemaker, is a stimulator." Go here to read … Continue reading →