Who Gets Parkinsons Disease
Risk factors for PD include:
- Age. The average age of onset is about 70 years, and the incidence rises significantly with advancing age. However, a small percent of people with PD have early-onset disease that begins before the age of 50.
- Sex. PD affects more men than women.
- Heredity. People with one or more close relatives who have PD have an increased risk of developing the disease themselves. An estimated 15 to 25 percent of people with PD have a known relative with the disease. Some cases of the disease can be traced to specific genetic mutations.
- Exposure to pesticides. Studies show an increased risk of PD in people who live in rural areas with increased pesticide use.
The Top 5 Pieces Of Parkinsons News
1. Making a case for quetiapine:
Many people with Parkinsons have reduced levels of an enzyme called GCase, which is involved in the waste disposal system of cells. Increasing levels of GCase activity have been shown to rescue models of Parkinsons, so researchers have been searching for activators of GCase as a therapeutic strategy for PD. A new study screening 1280 cell-permeable FDA-approved drugs and found that the antipsychotic quetiapine binds to GCase and increases its activity. This activation by quetiapine lowered -synuclein accumulation in mice and partially rescued pathology in dopaminergic neurons with LRRK2 mutations .
2. Omega+omega=a mega result?
A small randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of a nutritional formula in early Parkinsons reports significant improvement in ON state UPDRS .
3. Further fatty acid research:
Researches also reported that they may have identified the mystery neurotoxic agent that astrocytes release to kill damaged neurons: Saturated lipids contained in lipoparticles. This form of Lipoapoptosis was demonstrated in both cell culture conditions .
4. Novel deep brain stimulation findings
Researchers used optogenetics to develop a new deep brain stimulation protocol to drivepopulation-specific neuromodulation in the external globus pallidus. This stimulation corrected a model of Parkinsons and the benefits were found to last several hours after stimulation was stopped .
5. Repurposing bumetanide for Alzheimers:
What Research Is Being Done
The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use the knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health , the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world. NINDS conducts and supports three types of research: basicscientific discoveries in the lab, clinicaldeveloping and studying therapeutic approaches to Parkinsons disease, and translationalfocused on tools and resources that speed the development of therapeutics into practice. The goals of NINDS-supported research on Parkinsons disease are to better understand and diagnose PD, develop new treatments, and ultimately, prevent PD. NINDS also supports training for the next generation of PD researchers and clinicians and serves as an important source of information for people with PD and their families.
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Establishing Pd Research Priorities
The NINDS-organized Parkinsons Disease 2014: Advancing Research, Improving Lives conference brought together researchers, clinicians, patients, caregivers, and nonprofit organizations to develop 31 prioritized recommendations for research on PD. These recommendations are being implemented through investigator-initiated grants and several NINDS programs. NINDS and the NIHs National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences held the Parkinsons Disease: Understanding the Environment and Gene Connection workshop to identify priorities for advancing research on environmental contributors to PD.
Research recommendations for Lewy Body Dementia, including Parkinsons disease dementia, were updated during the NIH Alzheimers Disease-Related Dementias Summit 2019 .
Key Programs And Resources
The Parkinsons Disease Biomarkers Programs , a major NINDS initiative, is aimed at discovering ways to identify individuals at risk for developing PD and Lewy Body Dementia and to track the progression of the disease. It funds research and collects human biological samples and clinical data to identify biomarkers that will speed the development of novel therapeutics for PD. Goals are improving clinical trials and earlier diagnosis and treatment. Projects are actively recruiting volunteers at sites across the U.S. NINDS also collaborates with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research on BioFIND, a project collecting biological samples and clinical data from healthy volunteers and those with PD. For more information about the PDBP and how you can get involved, please visit the PDBP website.
The NINDS Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence for Parkinsons Disease Research program supports research centers across the country that work collaboratively to study PD disease mechanisms, the genetic contributions to PD, and potential therapeutic targets and treatment strategies.
The NINDS Intramural Research Program conducts clinical studies to better understand PD mechanisms and develop novel and improve treatments.
The NINDS Biospecimens Repositories store and distribute DNA, cells, blood samples, cerebrospinal fluid, and autopsy tissue to PD researchers around the world.
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Articles Of General Interest
- The aducanumab/Alzheimers saga rolls on: If Accelerated Approval was supposed to be a solution US FDA, why has it become a problem? Although a price cap for drugs approved through this pathway is a good idea! .
- Edinburgh Parkinsons Lecture 2021: Repairing the brain in Parkinsons Disease Is this possible? by Prof Roger Barker:
- In this Parkinsons Foundation podcast, Prof. Patrik Brundin explains the approach of the International Linked Clinical Trials program for Parkinsons. The iLCT a collaboration between Cure Parkinsons and the Van Andel Institute has become one of the most comprehensive drug repurposing programs focused on any medical condition .
- Lets talk about Parkinsons Disease a panel discussion from Bayer:
- Interesting podcast about brain stimulation and stimulating brains, hosted by Andreas Horn .
- Really interesting video of Dr Camille Carroll explaining the Edmond J Safra Accelerating Clinical Trials in Parkinsons disease initiative to thePeninsula Parkinsons Research Interest Group MAMS :
- A useful article providing a practical overview for the general practitioner of the initial diagnosis & management of Parkinsons .
- Target or Decoy: Are Drug Developers Chasing the Right Thing? .
How Could Stem Cells Help People With Parkinson’s
Stem cells are the parent cells of all tissues in the body. This means they can turn into any type of cell. The hope is that they will eventually be able to make these cells into specific types of cells, like dopamine-producing neurons, that can be used to treat Parkinson’s disease. However, there are concerns that patients may have the same risk of increased involuntary movements as those who undergo fetal cell transplantation. And, like fetal cell transplantation, stem cell therapy is surrounded by moral and ethical controversy.
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Exciting New Parkinsons Research In Canada
Several new and innovative research projects are underway or recently completed. For example:
An international study led by Dr. Michael Schlossmacher, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Parkinsons disease at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, has provided the first link between the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinsons and the hallmark accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein within the brains of people with Parkinsons. This study provides important new insights into Parkinsons and paves the way for new avenues for clinical trials. Dr. Schlossmacher is a neurologist at The Ottawa Hospital and a member of the Parkinson Research Consortium. Parkinsons genes.
Recruitment is underway in Quebec City, Gatineau, Ottawa, London, Saskatoon and Edmonton, for 60 men and women between 35 and 75 years old who have been diagnosed with Parkinsons within the last two years, to participate in a phase II clinical trial to test the efficacy, safety and tolerability of CoganeTM in treating early-stage Parkinsons. Cogane is a new compound that modulates proteins in the brain that help the survival, development and function of nerve cells. The research will study whether Cogane could slow down or modify the progression of Parkinsons. If successful, Cogane could represent a new approach to treating Parkinsons. The study, sponsored by Phytopharm plc in the United Kingdom, is recruiting 400 participants worldwide.
What Is The Prognosis
The average life expectancy of a person with PD is generally the same as for people who do not have the disease. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available for people with PD. However, in the late stages, PD may no longer respond to medications and can become associated with serious complications such as choking, pneumonia, and falls.
PD is a slowly progressive disorder. It is not possible to predict what course the disease will take for an individual person.
One commonly used scale neurologists use for describing how the symptoms of PD have progressed in a patient is the Hoehn and Yahr scale.
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What Will A Cure For Parkinson’s Look Like
Because Parkinson’s varies so much from person to person, there may not be a single ‘cure’.
Instead we may need a range of different therapies to meet the needs of the individual and their specific form of the condition.
This mix may include treatments, therapies and strategies that can:
- slow or stop the progression of the condition
- replace or repair lost or damaged brain cells
- control and manage particular symptoms
- diagnose Parkinson’s at the earliest possible stage.
And this could involve medical treatments, such as drugs and surgical approaches, as well as lifestyle changes, for example to diet and exercise.
Current Parkinsons Treatments Cant Slow Down Onset Of Disease
Parkinsons is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, which mainly the area of the brain that controls movement leading to a slow onset of symptoms including tremors, rigidity and slow movement.
More than 10 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with Parkinsons disease, according to the US-based Parkinsons Foundation, with the Parkinsons News Today website saying it affects 1,900 per 100,000 among those aged over 80,
Typically, by the time people are diagnosed with the condition, they have already lost between 70% and 80% of their dopamine-producing cells, which are involved in co-ordinating movement.
While current treatments mask the symptoms, there is nothing that can slow down its progression or prevent more brain cells from being lost.
As dopamine levels continue to fall, symptoms get worse and new symptoms can appear.
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Complementary And Supportive Therapies
A wide variety of complementary and supportive therapies may be used for PD, including:
A healthy diet. At this time there are no specific vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients that have any proven therapeutic value in PD. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and other components of the National Institutes of Health are funding research to determine if caffeine, antioxidants, and other dietary factors may be beneficial for preventing or treating PD. A normal, healthy diet can promote overall well-being for people with PD just as it would for anyone else. Eating a fiber-rich diet and drinking plenty of fluids also can help alleviate constipation. A high protein diet, however, may limit levodopas absorption.
Exercise. Exercise can help people with PD improve their mobility, flexibility, and body strength. It also can improve well-being, balance, minimize gait problems, and strengthen certain muscles so that people can speak and swallow better. General physical activity, such as walking, gardening, swimming, calisthenics, and using exercise machines, can have other benefit. People with PD should always check with their doctors before beginning a new exercise program.
Alternative approaches that are used by some individuals with PD include:
What We Know So Far
- We’ve uncovered clues to the causes and genetic involvement in Parkinson’s.
- We’re figuring out the chain of events that leads to the damage and loss of brain cells.
- We’re working to advance new treatments and therapies.
- We’re exploring repurposing drugs to help manage some of the more distressing symptoms, like hallucinations and falls.
- And we know that, although people with Parkinson’s share symptoms, each person’s experience of the condition and response to treatment is different.
Now, the science is ready for us to develop the new treatments and cure that people with Parkinson’s so desperately need.
Research takes time. But we launched the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech to speed up the most promising potential treatments. The more we can invest, the sooner we’ll get there.
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Why Scientists Believe Theyve Made New Breakthrough In Parkinsons Disease Treatment By Building On Gdnf Research
The Finnish researchers are now working to improve the properties of BT13 to make it more effective as a potential treatment that could benefit many people living with the disease.
The study, which was published online yesterday in the journal Movement Disorders, builds on previous research on another molecule that targets the same receptors in the brain.
GDNF or glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor is an experimental treatment for Parkinsons discovered in 1993 that has been shown to bring dying brain cells back to life and particularly effective in dopamine neurons.
It was the subject of a BBC documentary in February 2019 that followed a phase two trial in Bristol involving 42 patients. While the results werent clear cut, GDNF has shown promise to restore damaged cells in people with Parkinsons.
However, the GDNF protein requires complex robot-assisted surgery to deliver the treatment to the brain because its a large molecule that cant cross the blood-brain barrier a protective wall that prevents some drugs from getting into the brain.
BT13 is a smaller molecule that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore could be more easily administered as a treatment if shown to be beneficial in further clinical trials.
Dr Yulia Sidorova, lead researcher on the study, said: We are constantly working on improving the effectiveness of BT13.
Our ultimate goal is to progress these compounds to clinical trials in a few coming years.
Related Article
Australian Parkinsons Research Receives $30 Million
Australian Parkinsons research is receiving $30 million in Federal Government Funding. Federal Minister for Health, The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, will enable the Australian Parkinsons Mission to identify desperately needed modifying drugs with the potential to slow the progression of Parkinsons.
CURTIN RESEARCH LATEST NEWS
Parkinsons WA has awarded Parkinsons Centre scientists a $70k Zrinski Research Grant to identify subtypes of Parkinsons in a first-of-its-kind study to help improve quality of life.
Using sophisticated analysis of data collected over a number of years, researchers will identify groups of people based on the pattern of their thinking skills.
Research Director, Dr Andrea Loftus, said the team would examine how participants differ in terms of their quality of life, sleep, and mood.
Using this information, we will conduct research into how the different subtypes respond to interventions such as non-invasive brain stimulation and cognitive training, Dr Loftus said.
It may be that a particular group, for example, those who have difficulties with planning, respond better to cognitive training or brain stimulation than others.
Parkinsons is an umbrella term which we think encompasses a range of different symptom groups. It is clear that no one persons Parkinsons is the same as anothers, but there are some characteristics which some people have in common.
Brains Behind Best Parkinsons Treatment
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Can Exercise Help Patients Gain Ground On Parkinsons Disease
In medicines ongoing battle with disease, technology plays a major, ever-evolving role. Advances abound in the form of new drugs, medical devices and gene therapies. But a decidedly low-tech treatment strategy for at least one disease simply requires putting one foot in front of the other literally.
The target is Parkinsons disease, a progressive movement disorder that affects around 1 million people in the United States and 10 million worldwide. While there is no cure, there are drugs to treat the symptoms of Parkinsons, including tremors, rigidity, and impairment of fine motor movements. But a growing body of evidence suggests that a powerful counter to this movement disorder may be, well, movement.
A new nationwide trial that includes the University of Colorado is putting that idea to the test. Study in Parkinson Disease of Exercise is a randomized clinical trial investigating whether regular, moderate and high-intensity exercise can slow the progression of symptoms in patients in the early stages of Parkinsons disease who have not yet begun drug treatment.
Groundwork previously laid
The study, which is underway at 29 sites in North America, builds on the findings of SPARX2. That trial concluded in 2016, with results published in 2018 in JAMA Neurology. SPARX2 was led at CU by Dr. Margaret Schenkman, then director of the Physical Therapy Program and a pioneering investigator in using physical therapy to treat Parkinsons disease.
The SPARX3 Team:
What Is Fetal Cell Transplantation
Fetal cell transplantation is a procedure in which fetal cells are implanted into the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease to replace the dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra. Although promising, this area of research is one of the most controversial. Some studies have found that fetal cell transplantation caused an increase in severe involuntary movements due to too much dopamine in the brain. There are also moral and ethical objections to the use of fetal cell implants. As a result, other methods of treatment are being explored.
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Scientists Have Made A Breakthrough In The Development Of A Nasal Spray For Parkinsons Disease Treatment
Researchers from the University of York have developed a new gel that can adhere to tissue inside the nose alongside the drug levodopa, helping deliver Parkinsons disease treatment directly to the brain.
Parkinsons disease is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years. This leads to a reduction in dopamine in the brain, which plays a vital role in regulating the movement of the body. The main symptoms include involuntary shaking, slow movement, and stiff and inflexible muscles.