What Genes Are Linked To Parkinsons Disease
Several genes have been definitively linked to PD:
- SNCA. This gene, which makes the protein alpha-synuclein, was the first gene identified to be associated with Parkinsons. Research findings by the National Institutes of Health and other institutions prompted studies of the role of alpha-synuclein in PD, which led to the discovery that Lewy bodies seen in all cases of PD contain clumps of alpha-synuclein. This discovery revealed the link between hereditary and sporadic forms of the disease.
- LRRK2. Mutations in LRRK2 were originally identified in several English and Basque families as a cause of a late-onset PD. Subsequent studies have identified mutations of this gene in other families with PD as well as in a small percentage of people with apparently sporadic PD. LRRK2 mutations are a major cause of PD in North Africa and the Middle East.
- DJ-1. This gene normally helps regulate gene activity and protect cells from oxidative stress and can cause rare, early forms of PD.
- PRKN . The parkin gene is translated into a protein that normally helps cells break down and recycle proteins.
- PINK1. PINK1 codes for a protein active in mitochondria. Mutations in this gene appear to increase susceptibility to cellular stress. PINK1 has been linked to early forms of PD.
- GBA . Mutations in GBA cause Gaucher disease , but different changes in this gene are associated with an increased risk for Parkinsons disease as well.
Molecule Offers Hope For Halting Parkinson’s
- Date:
- Parkinson’s UK
- Summary:
- A promising molecule has offered hope for a new treatment that could stop or slow Parkinson’s, something no treatment can currently do.
A promising molecule has offered hope for a new treatment that could stop or slow Parkinson’s, something no treatment can currently do.
Researchers from the University of Helsinki found that molecule BT13 has the potential to both boost levels of dopamine, the chemical that is lost in Parkinson’s, as well as protect the dopamine-producing brain cells from dying.
The results from the study, co-funded by Parkinson’s UK and published online today in the journal Movement Disorders, showed an increase in dopamine levels in the brains of mice following the injection of the molecule. BT13 also activated a specific receptor in the mouse brains to protect the cells.
Typically, by the time people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s, they have already lost 70-80 per cent of their dopamine-producing cells, which are involved in coordinating movement.
While current treatments mask the symptoms, there is nothing that can slow down its progression or prevent more brain cells from being lost, and as dopamine levels continue to fall, symptoms get worse and new symptoms can appear.
Researchers are now working on improving the properties of BT13 to make it more effective as a potential treatment which, if successful, could benefit the 145,000 people living with Parkinson’s in the UK.
Story Source:
If Replacing Dopamine In The Brain Via Carbidopa/levodopa Helps Reduce And Sometimes Completely Eliminate Parkinsons Symptoms Why Arent We Closer To Finding A Cure Is Parkinsons Truly Caused By A Lack Of Dopamine
Heres what he said:
In 1817, James Parkinson wrote the article that first described the disease, called An Essay on the Shaking Palsy. This essay, and our understanding of the disease from the earliest days until the 1970s, focused on the major clinical symptoms of Parkinsons that emerge from how the disease impacts the dopamine system, notably the dopamine-producing neurons of the part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which basically means, black stuff, named in the days when anatomists just cut up corpses and named what they saw with little insight.
In the late 1960s and 1970s, clinical researchers figured out that they could treat Parkinsons with dopamine replacement therapy. Parkinsons was thus a disease of dopamine and therefore, we could focus on the dopamine system in treatments of Parkinsons. End of story, right?
Wrong.
Focusing on dopamine for Parkinsons is like saying that global warming is a problem of temperature. Cooling the air wouldnt solve the problem of climate change and replacing dopamine doesnt cure Parkinsons. Parkinsons is largely a disease of neurons, and to stop/fix/cure Parkinsons, we need to stop that disease from making neurons sick.
The neurons are being made sick by being polluted with too much of a protein called alpha-synuclein. This protein seems to principally affect dopamine neurons in Parkinsons, but as the disease advances, it can harm other neurons, too.
Why?
Shocking Facts About Parkinson’s Disease:
1. In 2015, PD affected 6.2 million people and resulted in about 117,400 deaths globally.
2. There’s no known cause of PD.
3. Parkinson’s disease typically occurs in people over the age of 60, of which about one per cent are affected.
4. Males are more often affected than females at a ratio of around 3:2.
5. The disease is named after the English doctor James Parkinson, who published the first detailed description in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy, in 1817.
6. The average life expectancy following diagnosis is between 7 and 14 years.
Its Not Just One Condition There Are Multiple Types Of Parkinsons
Like cancer, we are starting to understand the importance of subtyping Parkinsons and developing tailored treatments that will be more successful than a one size fits all approach. Better understanding is coming from large scale studies that follow vast numbers of people with the condition over time. And we are starting to see how the subtypes of Parkinsons have different symptoms, progression rates and even different responses to medication.
To effectively treat Parkinsons, we probably need to tackle each of these subtypes differently, providing the right treatments and support to suit the individual and their form of Parkinsons. And this starts with understanding more about how we classify and identify these different types.
You can read more about research into personalised treatments in our recent blog Precision medicine for Parkinsons, how close are we?
What Are The Symptoms Of The Disease
The four primary symptoms of PD are:
- Tremor. Tremor often begins in a hand, although sometimes a foot or the jaw is affected first. The tremor associated with PD has a characteristic rhythmic back-and-forth motion that may involve the thumb and forefinger and appear as a pill rolling. It is most obvious when the hand is at rest or when a person is under stress. This tremor usually disappears during sleep or improves with a purposeful, intended movement.
- Rigidity. Rigidity , or a resistance to movement, affects most people with PD. The muscles remain constantly tense and contracted so that the person aches or feels stiff. The rigidity becomes obvious when another person tries to move the individuals arm, which will move only in ratchet-like or short, jerky movements known as cogwheel rigidity.
- Bradykinesia. This slowing down of spontaneous and automatic movement is particularly frustrating because it may make simple tasks difficult. The person cannot rapidly perform routine movements. Activities once performed quickly and easilysuch as washing or dressingmay take much longer. There is often a decrease in facial expressions.
- Postural instability. Impaired balance and changes in posture can increase the risk of falls.
In Summary Reduce Your Stress
The most important thing we can do for our long-term health, both physical and cognitive, is to reduce the stress in our bodies. All stress physical, emotional and chemical causes inflammation and long-term damage throughout the body.
Whether youre seeking Parkinsons prevention techniques or ways to alleviate symptoms, any of the above dietary and lifestyle practices can have long-term health benefits. Drinking green tea, eating organic, local vegetables, and regular aerobic exercise all significantly reduce the long-term cumulative damage done by stress.
Learn more about health services offered at Judson by !
Exercise And Healthy Eating
Regular exercise is particularly important in helping relieve muscle stiffness, improving your mood, and relieving stress.
There are many activities you can do to help keep yourself fit, ranging from more active sports like tennis and , to less strenuous activities such as , gardening and .
You should also try to eat a balanced diet containing all the food groups to give your body the nutrition it needs to stay healthy.
How Is Parkinsons Disease Treated
While there is no cure for Parkinsons disease yet, doctors manage a patients symptoms to help give them a better quality of living.
Some treatments include supportive therapies, such as physiotherapy, and medication, which replace dopamine in the brain, while others require surgery.
The medications used to treat PD are the following:
-
Levodopa
-
MAO B inhibitors
-
Anticholinergics
-
Amantadine
Levodopa: This is the most common drug and is mixed with Carbidopa. This drug is digested and transformed into dopamines in the brain. Side effects of this drug include dizziness, diarrhea, loss of appetite, constipation, loss of memory, confusion, or change in the sense of taste. That is the reason why Carbidopa is added to the treatment, which deals with these side effects.
Dopamine agonists: This is an alternative to levodopa-carbidopa. It tricks the mind that it is receiving dopamine. This is less potent than levodopa and is less likely to cause dyskinesias. Side effects of dopamine agonists include nausea, hallucination, and lightheadedness. This treatment must be given at a low dose and should be increased gradually to prevent these effects.
COMT inhibitors: COMT inhibitors such as entacapone and tolcapone are some of the latest technologies in PD treatment. Although it does not directly affect the symptoms, this drug blocks the metabolism of levodopa, prolonging its effect.
RELATED: Biogen to Halt Work on Opicinumab, Steer Focus Toward Parkinsons Disease
First Hints Parkinson’s Can Be Stopped
It may be possible to stop the progression of Parkinson’s disease with a drug normally used in type 2 diabetes, a clinical trial suggests.
Current drugs help manage the symptoms, but do not prevent brain cells dying.
The trial on 62 patients, published in the Lancet, hints the medicine halted the progression of the disease.
The University College London team is “excited”, but it urges caution as any long-term benefit is uncertain and the drug needs more testing.
“There’s absolutely no doubt the most important unmet need in Parkinson’s is a drug to slow down disease progression, it’s unarguable,” Prof Tom Foltynie, one of the researchers, told the BBC.
In Parkinson’s, the brain is progressively damaged and the cells that produce the hormone dopamine are lost.
It leads to a tremor, difficulty moving and eventually memory problems.
Therapies help manage symptoms by boosting dopamine levels, but the death of the brain continues and the disease gets worse.
No drug stops that happening.
Five Steps To Recovery
Natural Remedies And Treatments For Parkinsons Disease That Get Powerful Results
To successfully treat the symptoms of Parkinsons, andeven reverse this disorder, there are 4 things you must do
a) Increase your natural dopamine levels
b) Detox your body of all heavy metals andpollutants
c) Reduce all inflammation in the body,especially the brain
d) Repair the neuro pathways
These 10 natural treatments and remedies do all four. Solets not waste any more time then. Here they are in order of importance
What Are Scientists Aiming To Achieve In The Near Future Through Research
This is an unbelievably robust time for Parkinsons research in that drug development and the therapeutic development pipeline is incredibly varied. I think thats whats really exciting.
At the Michael J Fox Foundation, we always say that the more shots on goal that you have, the greater the likelihood that something is going to get into that goal. Whats particularly interesting now is that all of those shots on goal are not the same approach and theyre not the same type of therapy.
The experience patients have with the disease is so variable. So the fact that we have all of these different approaches to trying to develop therapies gives a greater likelihood that we are going to come up with interventions to tackle these different parts of patient experiences. Its incredibly exciting to see not just researchers, but the biopharma sector and the investor community put resources into exploring all of these different approaches. Its not like everybody has their eggs in one basket were seeing a lot of different baskets, and thats potentially really beneficial for the patient community.
Sohini Chowdhury is deputy CEO at the Michael J Fox Foundation.
Current Treatment Of Parkinsons Disease
There is no cure for Parkinsons disease, but there are medications that can help alleviate symptoms. The first and still best medication is a drug called levodopa, which nerve cells turn into dopamine, though other complementary treatments have come onto the market in recent years. However, the National Institutes of Health noted that none significantly slows the underlying neurodegeneration.
A scientific review published last December appearing in the same issue of the Journal of Parkinsons Disease as the pandemic study struck a more hopeful note. It reviewed some of the most promising therapies for slowing, stopping, or reversing Parkinsons disease. For example, the discovery of the genetic risk factors associated with Parkinsons may help advance certain gene therapies. Theres even some suggestion that the gut microbiome may be a relevant target due to its role in modulating the immune system.
Other research is focused on leveraging existing drugs for diseases as diverse as type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis, and leukemia, according to the paper. We believe we can be optimistic that the next 20 years will be a time for major breakthroughs towards the discovery of therapies that may slow, stop, or reverse , the researchers wrote.
Popular Statin Linked To Dementia
Dear?Turapür?Today?Reader, Cholesterol-lowering statins may be the greatest and most dangerous medical FLEECING ever. Both Big Pharma and mainstream doctors have promised us that statins are safe crowning them as a magic pill that will instantly lower your cholesterol. In fact, statins are the most commonly used drugs in the world and nearly 50%…
Naturalremedy For Parkinsons #7 Omega
Animal based omega-3 fatty acids are a powerful weapon inthe fight against Parkinsons disease. One of the main fatty acids, DHA, is oneof the essential building blocks for the human brain. Half of your brain andeyes are made up of fat and a large proportion of this is DHA fat.
Omega-3 fatty acids have the unique ability to cross theblood-brain barrier, something most conventional drugs cannot do. They helpincrease dopamine levels and reduce neuroinflammation in the brain, while atthe same time, stimulating neuron growth. So basically, EPA and DHA help preventbrain cell damage and keep the nervous system in tip top working order!
Best sources of animal based omega-3s are either fishoil, cod liver oil or krill oil. High strength krill oil is the preferred option as thiscontains a substance called Astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a potent brain food nutrientthat has been shown to prevent neurodegeneration and inflammation of the brain.For dosages, take AT LEAST the highest recommended amount listed on the bottle the same goes with fish oil or cod liver oil. You cant overdose on thesesupplements so theres nothing to be concerned about. In fact, the more omega-3syou can get into you the better the results!
In addition to this, try and eat some cold water fattyfish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines or herring 3-4 times a week foran extra supply of DHA and EPA.
What Are The Early Signs And Symptoms Of Parkinsons
Since it is a slow-developing condition, it may be difficult to catch and confirm if a person is suffering from PD.
However, there are signs that a person should look after, which may lead to an early onset of the disease.
1. Tremor
Fingers, hands, or faces that are trembling without the influence of any physical stress or muscle injury can be an early sign that a person has PD.
2. Loss of Smell
Although this early sign can be confused with other conditions such as a cold or flu, having a permanent loss in smell could signify PD.
3. Restlessness
Difficulty in sleeping or sudden movements during sleep could be an early sign of Parkinsons. This may seem normal for others, especially after having a physically draining day but experiencing this must be checked immediately.
4. Smaller Handwriting
Also known as micrographia, this condition is often related to PD and affects how a person writes as their handwriting progressively decreases in size.
5. Difficulty in Walking
Since PD directly affects the movement of a person, an early sign of having this disease is difficulty in walking or moving, especially when a person feels like their feet are stuck on the floor for no reason.
6. Hoarse voice
An early sign of PD involves having a softer voice. A person may think he/she has difficulty hearing, but it can be because the speaking voice decreases.
7. Facial Masking
8. Stooping
9. Dizziness
10. Constipation
Home Remedyfor Parkinsons #5 Vitamin D & Vitamin E:
Inflammation and low immunity are two powerful factorsthat contribute to the development and worsening of Parkinsons disease. Bothvitamin D and vitamin E are strong anti-inflammatories and immune boosters. VitaminD & E also protect our brain cells and can even help damaged neurons regenerate. A deficiency of these key vitamins has also been linked to brain difficultiessuch as poor memory and recall attainability.
In regards to PD, a study of 157 Parkinsons patientsfound that the vast majority of them had severe to chronic vitamin Ddeficiencies. The findings, published in the Archives of Neurology in March of 2011, revealed a strong linkbetween inadequate levels of vitamin D and the onset of early Parkinson’sdisease.
Back in 2002, another study was published in the Archives of Neurology which tracked themental decline of 3,000 men and women diagnosed with Parkinsons disease over a period of 7 years. The study found the participants whose supplemental vitamin E intakewas higher experienced a 36% reduction in theseverity of their symptoms compared to the rest of the group. Another study, whichappeared in the Lancet Neurology onlinemagazine in 2005, showed that vitamin E may actually prevent Parkinsonsdisease from developing in the first place!
Where to Get Your Vitamin D and Vitamin E From?
Breakfast Trick Stops Age
Dear?Turapür?Today?Reader, Remember years ago, when your mom said Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, she was right! Especially when it comes it comes to staying strong even well into old age. Thats because theres new research that proves eating a specific combination of foods at BREAKFAST is your best bet to…
Home Remedyfor Parkinsons #8 Green Tea:
Green tea contains theanine, a nutrient that increasesdopamine levels in the brain, and polyphenol antioxidants that help fight free radicals. Three separate studies all found that regularlydrinking tea can either delay or prevent the development of PD. A retrospectivestudy also found that drinking three or more cups of tea a day can delay the onsetof motor symptoms. And a 2007 study found that green tea polyphenols protect braincells and dopamine neurons, and this positive effect increases with the moregreen tea consumed.
The minimum amount that should be drank every day is 3cups, with 6-9 cups a day being the ideal.Matcha green tea is the most potent and beneficial so try and purchase this ifyou can. A strong cup of coffee first thing in the morning is thought tobe effective for reducing the symptoms of Parkinsons disease as well, however,we recommend you stick with green tea, or even a strong cup of black tea ifyou can for the theanine and EGCGs.
Parkinson’s ‘cure’ Gave Me Back My Life
A year ago, Roger Nelson could barely walk, had lost his sense of smell and couldn’t even smile.
Parkinson’s disease had ravaged his nervous system to the extent that, at the age of 50, the former marathon runner could no longer deal a pack of cards to play his favourite game, bridge.
Now, thanks to pioneering surgery which will give hope to millions of sufferers, the former marketing manager says he can enjoy life in a way he had not been able to for years.
Doctors at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol implanted two pumps into Mr Nelson’s abdomen which deliver a drug directly into the damaged part of his brain.
This has brought his dystonia – the involuntary writhing action which afflicts Parkinson’s sufferers – under control.
He can play cards, walk . . . and laugh again.
‘It has had a positive change in very many ways,’ Mr Nelson, who lives in Bristol, said yesterday.
‘It has been progressive little changes. One of the things that people with Parkinson’s experience is a lost sense of smell.
‘I had the operation on the Friday and by Sunday lunchtime I could smell. It was amazing.’
Four other patients who received the treatment have also shown a marked improvement, the doctors say.
They hope the procedure is a key to reversing the onset of the disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system which affects 120,000 in the UK and millions worldwide, including Muhammad Ali and Michael J Fox.
The drug, glial- derived neurotrophic growth factor , encourages brain cell growth.
Stop Fibromyalgia Pain With This Demonized Herb
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A Cure Means Different Things To Different People But What We Can Be Certain Of Is That We Dont Yet Have One For Parkinsons
Charities these days are all promising their research will lead to a cure, but while humanity has eradicated, or is on the way towards eradicating, some infectious diseases such as small pox, measles and polio it is unlikely that we will ever see a day when humans do not get cancer, heart disease or neurological conditions like Parkinsons.
To Slow Or Stop Disease Progression
The researchers found that the BMP5/7 protein hada significant protective effect against the misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins.
According to senior study author Dr. Claude Brodski, of the Israel-based Ben-Gurion University of the Negevs Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, We found that BMP5/7 treatment can, in a Parkinsons disease mouse model, efficiently prevent movement impairments caused by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein and reverse the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. He continues:
These findings are very promising, since they suggest that BMP5/7 could slow or stop Parkinsons disease progression. Currently, we are focusing all our efforts on bringing our discovery closer to clinical application.
The universitys technology transfer company, BGN Technologies, is currently looking to bring the development to the market.
Dr. Galit Mazooz-Perlmuter, the companys senior vice president of bio-pharma business development, notes that There is a vast need for new therapies to treat Parkinsons disease, especially in advanced stages of the disease.
Dr. Brodskis findings, although still in their early stages, offer a disease-modified drug target that will address this devastating condition. We are now seeking an industry partner for further development of this patent-pending invention.