Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

Current ratings for: Stimulating spinal cord protects against Parkinson's symptoms Public / Patient: 5 (2 votes) Health Professionals: 0 (0 votes) Long-term treatment that involves electrically stimulating the spinal cord has improved symptoms of Parkinson's disease in rats. Publishing the results of their study in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers from Duke Medicine are hopeful their findings could help human Parkinson's patients. The team, led by Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, professor of neurobiology at Duke University, built on their own previous research, which showed that stimulating rats' spinal cords with electrical signals temporarily eased symptoms of the disease. Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological condition, which is caused by the loss of neurons that produce dopamine in the brain. It affects movement, control of muscles and balance, and it can also cause stiffness, eye problems and sleep problems, among many other symptoms. "Finding novel treatments that address both the symptoms and progressive nature of Parkinson's disease is a major priority," says Dr. Nicolelis. The current treatment for Parkinson's is a drug called L-dopa, and it works by replacing dopamine. However, the researchers say it can cause side effects and, over time, lose its effectiveness. Read more here: Stimulating spinal cord protects … Continue reading →

Released: 1/22/2014 12:00 PM EST Embargo expired: 1/23/2014 5:00 AM EST Source Newsroom: Duke Medicine Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise DURHAM, N.C. -- Researchers at Duke Medicine have shown that continuing spinal cord stimulation appears to produce improvements in symptoms of Parkinsons disease, and may protect critical neurons from injury or deterioration. The study, performed in rats, is published online Jan. 23, 2014, in the journal Scientific Reports. It builds on earlier findings from the Duke team that stimulating the spinal cord with electrical signals temporarily eased symptoms of the neurological disorder in rodents. Finding novel treatments that address both the symptoms and progressive nature of Parkinsons disease is a major priority, said the studys senior author Miguel Nicolelis, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurobiology at Duke University School of Medicine. We need options that are safe, affordable, effective and can last a long time. Spinal cord stimulation has the potential to do this for people with Parkinsons disease. Parkinsons disease is caused by the progressive loss of neurons that produce dopamine, an essential molecule in the brain, and affects movement, muscle control and balance. L-dopa, the standard drug treatment for Parkinsons disease, works by replacing dopamine. While … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 21-Jan-2014 Contact: Quinn Eastman qeastma@emory.edu 404-727-7829 Emory Health Sciences Dopamine-restoring drugs already used to treat Parkinson's disease may also be beneficial for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness in adults, researchers have discovered. The results were published in the Jan. 15 issue of Journal of Neuroscience. Diabetic retinopathy affects more than a quarter of adults with diabetes and threatening the vision of more than 600,000 people in the United States. Doctors had previously thought most of the impairment of vision in diabetic retinopathy came from damage to the blood vessels induced by high blood sugar, but had known that dopamine, a vital neurotransmitter in the brain, was also important in the retina. "There was some evidence already that dopamine levels were reduced in diabetic retinopathy, but what's new here is: we can restore dopamine levels and improve visual function in an animal model of diabetes," says Machelle Pardue, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology at Emory University School of Medicine and research career scientist at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. The first author of the paper is MD/PhD student Moe Aung. Senior authors are Pardue and P. Michael Iuvone, PhD, professor of ophthalmology and … Continue reading →

Parkinson's Disease sufferer from York pressing ahead with trip to Kiev for pioneering treatment, despite political turmoil 2:49pm Monday 20th January 2014 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter A PARKINSONS Disease sufferer from York is pressing ahead with a trip to Ukraine for pioneering stem cell treatment - despite growing political turmoil and personal difficulties in getting insurance. The Press reported earlier this month how James DeLittle, 49, of Broadway West, Fulford, was hoping the two-day course in the capital Kiev will tackle his worsening condition, lessening symptoms such as poor balance, tremor, difficulties controlling his limbs and slurred speech. The treatment, which involves foetal stem cells being injected into his stomach and arms, will cost about 7,000. The former St Peters School pupil believes he will be the first person from the UK to receive it. His mother Rosemary revealed yesterday (mon) that after reading the newspapers report, several relatives and friends of the family had made additional donations towards the bill, including one man who had known James late father when he was a child and had sent a cheque for 100. I was very touched, she said. She said she had been worried about the impact … Continue reading →

Monday 20 January 2014 22.32 A 65-year-old Wicklow farmer with dementia and Parkinson's disease has been deemed unfit to stand trial for the murder of his older brother in 2010. Cecil Tomkins is charged with murdering 66-year-old Walter Tomkins at their home in Cronlea, Shillelagh on 1 July of that year. When his case was called before the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Mr Justice Paul Carney heard there was an issue about his fitness to stand trial. His barrister, John O'Kelly SC, said his client had been suffering from advanced and aggressive Parkinson's disease for a number of years and was currently an inpatient in Bloomfield Hospital in Dublin. He said Mr Tomkins also had depression and dementia, lacked the capacity to make any decision and was unable to direct his solicitor. He handed the court a report prepared by an interdisciplinary team and called a consultant psychiatrist from Bloomfield Hospital to give evidence on the issue. Dr John Tobin said that Mr Tomkins had advanced dementia and very advanced Parkinson's disease, the latter since 2006. "It's been very, very progressive," he explained. The doctor also said that Mr Tomkins had a history of seizures secondary to loss of brain … Continue reading →

Frisco, Texas (PRWEB) January 15, 2014 Frisco Spine physicians are committed to providing the best care for people dealing with movement and mobility problems. We are pleased to have Dr. David Masel as part of the team. Dr. Masel performs deep brain stimulation (DBS), a therapy that has proven effective for the treatment of movement disorders. About Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Deep brain stimulation is a therapy in which electrodes are implanted within the brain to conduct electrical impulses. These electrical impulses help stimulate the brain and treat abnormal impulses. The electrodes are controlled by a small device, which is implanted in the patient's upper chest area. Conditions that Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Can Treat Deep brain stimulation is ideal for the treatment of the following movement disorders: Parkinson's disease Dystonia Essential tremor Deep brain stimulation was approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat essential tremor in 1997, to treat Parkinson's disease in 2002, and to treat dystonia in 2003. Research is currently being conducted on the effects of deep brain stimulation in people who suffer from severe or chronic depression, as well as other mood/affective disorders and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). How this Can Benefit Frisco Spine … Continue reading →

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new, preliminary treatment involving triple-gene therapy appears safe and effective in helping to control motor function in Parkinson's disease patients, according to new research. The therapy, called ProSavin, works by reprogramming brain cells to produce dopamine, the chemical essential for controlling movement, the researchers said. Lack of dopamine causes the tremors, limb stiffness and loss of balance that patients with the neurodegenerative disease suffer. "We demonstrated that we are able to safely administer genes into the brain of patients and make dopamine, the missing agent in Parkinson's patients," said researcher Kyriacos Mitrophanous, head of research at Oxford BioMedica in England, the company that developed the therapy and funded the study. ProSavin also helps to smooth out the peaks and valleys often produced by the drug levodopa, the current standard treatment, Mitrophanous said. The treatment uses a harmless virus to deliver three dopamine-making genes directly to the area of the brain that controls movement, he explained. These genes are able to convert non-dopamine-producing nerve cells into dopamine-producing cells. Although the study results are promising, the researchers suggest they should be "interpreted with caution" because the perceived benefits fall … Continue reading →

The fourth annual UNMC Skate-a-thon for Parkinsons wrapped up at noon Saturday, highlighted by four skaters making it through all 24 hours on the ice. The four skaters were Jim Hinrichs, Kevin Powers, John Seminara and Ronnie Stark. More than 500 skaters paid $10 to participate. Some friends and I go swing dancing Friday nights and a group of us came ice skating after swing dancing," said Dena Rennard. "We were there first and got here about midnight and we stayed through the skivvy skate. Its not as cold as last year so were still here, but were going to turn in pretty soon to get warmed up I think. Rennard said the temporary rink gave people a chance to help others and provided a fun, late night activity. What an effort, said Ted Wuebben, whose family started the skate-a-thon in 2008 by flooding their back yard. Its almost unimaginable what they did. They are all personal friends of our family and I couldnt be prouder of them for stepping up and making this happen. The event raised about $20,000 according to Jenny Knutson, daughter of Ted and Colleen Wuebben. This years skate-a-thon served as a memorial for Colleen, who … Continue reading →

The ProSavin treatment uses an inert virus to carry corrective genes directly into the striatum region of the brain that controls movement. It is designed to convert ordinary nerve cells into factories for making dopamine, the signalling chemical that is lost in Parkinson's patients. Loading article content Lack of dopamine activity leads to the common Parkinson's symptoms of tremor, slow movement and rigidity. The trial tested the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of three different doses of ProSavin in 15 patients aged 48 to 65 with advanced Parkinson's disease who were not responding to conventional treatments. A standard system of rating motor functions was used, covering speech, tremors, rigidity, finger taps, posture, gait, and slow movement. Lower scores indicated better muscle control and co-ordination. Significant score improvements were seen after six months and a year in all patients not taking medication. Reporting their findings in The Lancet medical journal, the researchers led by Professor Stephane Palfi, from Les Hopitaux Universitaires Henri-Mondor in Creteil, France, wrote: "ProSavin was safe and well tolerated in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. Improvement in motor behaviour was observed in all patients." They stressed that, while promising, the results at this stage were still limited and should … Continue reading →

By: Agence France-Presse January 10, 2014 8:15 AM Singer Linda Ronstadt says Parkinson's Disease stole her voice (AFP file) InterAksyon.com The online news portal of TV5 PARIS -- A closely watched prototype therapy to inject corrective genes into the brain to treat Parkinson's disease has cleared an important safety hurdle, doctors said Friday. Tested on 15 volunteers with an advanced form of the degenerative nerve disease, the technique proved safe and the results were encouraging, they said. The experiment aims to reverse the lack of a brain chemical called dopamine, which is essential for motor skills. It entails tucking three genes into a disabled horse virus of the family lentiviruses. The modified virus is then injected directly into a specialized area of the brain, where it infiltrates cells. In doing so, it delivers corrective pieces of DNA, prompting defective brain cells to once again start producing dopamine. Called ProSavin, the British-designed treatment was authorized for tests on humans after it was tried on lab monkeys. It is being closely watched by specialists to see if it works better than conventional therapies -- the veteran drug levodopa or electrical stimulation of the brain -- or another experimental gene technique, which uses … Continue reading →