The progressive loss of neurons in the brain of Parkinson’s patients is slow yet inexorable. So far, there are no drugs that can halt this insidious process. Researchers at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University of Luxembourg have now managed to grow the types of neurons affected starting from neuronal stem… Continue reading Drug Discovery for Parkinson’s Disease
Tag: Auto-Immune Diseases
Study Upends Long-Held Belief About “Self-Reactive” Immune Cells
Decades’ worth of textbook precepts about how our immune systems manage to avoid attacking our own tissues may be wrong, according to researchers at the Stanford University Medical Center. The study was published in May 2015 in the journal Immunity. A release from Stanford reports that the results contradict a long-held belief that self-reactive immune… Continue reading Study Upends Long-Held Belief About “Self-Reactive” Immune Cells
Tango Dancing Benefits Parkinson’s Patients
Dancing the Argentine tango could have potential benefits for people at certain stages in the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to findings in a new study by researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital -The Neuro, McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. The study looked at changes… Continue reading Tango Dancing Benefits Parkinson’s Patients
16 Ways to Stay Positive While Living with Parkinson’s Disease
This article originally appeared on DemosHealth.com and was adapted from Parkinson’s Disease http://www.demoshealth.com/store/parkinson-s-disease-2024.html 1. Learn about your illness. Don’t be afraid to read about Parkinson’s disease (PD) or talk to others who have it. Remember that no two cases are exactly alike, and no one can predict exactly how the disease will progress or… Continue reading 16 Ways to Stay Positive While Living with Parkinson’s Disease
Chemical Compound Decreases Effects of Multiple Sclerosis
A team of researchers led by biomedical scientist Seema K. Tiwari-Woodruff, an associate professor at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine has identified a drug called indazole chloride (Ind-Cl) that could stimulate “remyelination,” the re-sheathing of the axons, restoring fast and uninterrupted flow of nerve impulses for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This… Continue reading Chemical Compound Decreases Effects of Multiple Sclerosis
Breakthrough in Understanding Parkinson’s Disease
Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have made an important breakthrough in the understanding of Parkin, a protein that regulates the repair and replacement of nerve cells within the brain. The discovery generates a new perspective on how nerve cells die in Parkinson’s disease. The Trinity research group, led by Seamus Martin,Smurfit Professor of Medical Genetics,… Continue reading Breakthrough in Understanding Parkinson’s Disease
Nanobodies: A Smaller Weapon in Fighting Disease
A new system developed by researchers at Rockefeller University promises to make nanobodies, proteins that flag diseased cells for destruction, more accessible for various kinds of research. Nanobodies are “cousins” to antibodies and can perform similar tasks such as marking molecules for research or discovering diseased cells. They are much simpler to produce than antibodies,… Continue reading Nanobodies: A Smaller Weapon in Fighting Disease
Drug for a Genetic Disease Slows Parkinson’s
Research done at the University of California, Los Angeles discovered that a drug being evaluated to Gaucher disease, a rare genetic disorder, helped slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease in mice. The study was published in the October 2014 edition of the journal Neurotherapeutics. A release from the university explains that that a drug called… Continue reading Drug for a Genetic Disease Slows Parkinson’s
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: For a Good Cause…or Foolishness?
It all began quite simply. A novel idea to raise awareness about a lesser-known terminal disease. The idea: Dump a bucket of ice water over your head and donate $10.00. Choose against dunking and instead donate $100.00 (or whatever you are able). An idea that took on a life of its own and catapulted awareness… Continue reading The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: For a Good Cause…or Foolishness?
Wii Balance Board Helps MS patients
The Nintendo Wii Balance Board video game console can help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) reduce their risk of accidental falls, according to research done at Sapienza University in Rome and published online August 26th 2014 in the journal Radiology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed that use of the balance board system appears to induce favorable changes in brain connections associated with balance and movement.
Deep Brain Stim OK for Older PD Patients
Older patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) appear to have a 90-day complication risk similar to younger patients, suggesting that age alone should not be a primary factor for excluding patients as DBS candidates. That’s the finding of research done by Michael R. DeLong, B.A., of the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. and colleagues and published online August 25th 2014 inJAMA Neurology.
Anti-Inflammatory Drug for Parkinson’s
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.
When a Loved One Is Diagnosed With Parkinson’s Disease
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.
Transplanted Neurons Last Many Years in PD Brains
Neurons transplanted into Parkinson’s-affected brains appear healthy after 14 years, according to research done at Harvard University and McLean Hospital and published June 5th 2014 in the journal Cell Reports.
New Gene Involved in Parkinson’s Disease
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have identified a new gene involved in Parkinson’s disease, a finding that may one day provide a target for a new drug to prevent and potentially even cure the debilitating neurological disorder. The five-year study appears June 4th , 2014 in eLife, a new, open access scientific journal for groundbreaking biomedical and life research sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (United States), the Wellcome Trust (United Kingdom) and Max Plank Institutes (Germany).
Debunking the “Link” Between MS and CCVI
In 2009, an Italian doctor named Paolo Zamboni postulated that a condition he dubbed “chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency” (CCVI) is a cause of multiple sclerosis (MS). CCVI refers to compromised blood flow in the veins that drain the central nervous system. However, no one has been able replicate Zamboni’s findings.
Partners in Parkinson’s
The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) and the AbbVie pharmaceutical company announced on May 27th 2014 the launch of Partners in Parkinson’s, a new strategic health initiative offering comprehensive support to help people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) optimize their care at every stage of the disease.
“No two cases of Parkinson’s disease are alike.
New Tx to Protect Brain Cells in PD
April was Parkinson's Awarness Month, but here at ThirdAge we want to promote PD awarness all year long. To that end, here's a fascintating and encouraging new study about PD.