"Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. It is characterized by misfolded alpha-synuclein deposits and dopaminergic neuron death, which lead to progressive motor impairment and disability. Despite extensive efforts, there are no disease-modifying therapies available for Parkinson’s disease or related alpha-synucleinopathies."
Abby Olsen, MD, PhD, Associate Neurologist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Instructor in Neurology, Harvard Medical School.
Parkinson's linked to overabundance of opportunistic gut pathogens
By Nick Lavars
June 21, 2020
The idea that the onset of Parkinson’s disease is related to the gut dates back to the early 2000s, when German scientist Heiko Braak published a string of studies proposing that pathogens in gut make their way to the brain via the nervous system. The theory has since been gathering some steam, particularly of late, with a number of recent studies uncovering some interesting connections between the brains of sufferers and their bacteria in their bellies.
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Nasal spray gel directly delivers Parkinson's drugs to the brain
By Michael Irving May 24, 2021
Parkinson’s disease is characterized by a deficiency of dopamine in the brain, so the most common treatment involves reducing the symptoms with drugs that boost dopamine levels. Levodopa, or L-DOPA, is one of the most commonly used of these, but when taken orally relatively low amounts of the drug actually make it to the brain. This is because much of it gets metabolized in the liver first, or filtered out by the blood-brain barrier.
Past studies have shown that drugs delivered through the nose can bypass these checkpoints on their way to the brain, with experimental nasal sprays in development for conditions such as depression, heroin overdoses or even peanut allergies. And now, researchers from York University and King’s College London have added Parkinson’s to the list.
The team developed a levodopa nasal spray that allowed the drug to pass into the fine blood vessels in the nasal cavity, where it’s fast-tracked to the brain. Since a liquid mist wouldn’t linger long enough for much of the drug to soak in, the researchers embedded levodopa into a hydrogel that coats the tissue.
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SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
Even in people with Parkinson's gene, coffee may be protective
by American Academy of Neurology
Even for people with a gene mutation tied to Parkinson's disease, coffee consumption may be associated with a lower risk of actually developing the disease, according to a new study published in the September 30, 2020, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"These results are promising and encourage future research exploring caffeine and caffeine-related therapies to lessen the chance that people with this gene develop Parkinson's," said study author Grace Crotty, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "It's also possible that caffeine levels in the blood could be used as a biomarker to help identify which people with this gene will develop the disease, assuming caffeine levels remain relatively stable."
Earlier studies have shown that coffee consumption may protect against the development of Parkinson's disease in people who have no genetic risk factors for the disease.
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New molecule shows promise for Parkinson’s treatment
Recent research in mouse models suggests that a new molecule might be able to tap into key neurochemical mechanisms and help treat Parkinson’s disease.
The team from the University of Helsinki conducted experiments in cell lines and mouse models to see whether a newly discovered molecule that is similar to GDNF could be more effective.
They found that the molecule — BT13 — was indeed able to boost dopamine in the brains of mice. It also appeared to protect the brain cells tasked with dopamine production from dying off and, unlike GDNF, it was able to bypass the blood-brain barrier.
“One of the biggest challenges for Parkinson’s research is how to get drugs past the blood-brain barrier, so the exciting discovery of BT13 has opened up a new avenue for research to explore, and the molecule holds great promise as a way to slow or stop Parkinson’s,” comments Prof. Dexter, who was not involved in the current research.
Still, the specialist affiliated with Parkinson’s UK points out, there is much work ahead of the researchers before they can confirm that the new approach works in humans. “More research is needed to turn BT13 into a treatment to be tested in clinical trials, to see if it really could transform the lives of people living with Parkinson’s,” he acknowledges.
Yulia Sidorova, Ph.D. — the study’s co-lead researcher — agrees, noting that she and colleagues are already hard at work toward this end. “We are constantly working on improving the effectiveness of BT13. We are now testing a series of similar BT13 compounds, which were predicted by a computer program to have even better characteristics,” she says.
“Our ultimate goal is to progress these compounds to clinical trials in a few coming years.”
– Yulia Sidorova, Ph.D. Written by Maria Cohut on February 18, 2020 - Fact checked by Gianna D'Emilio NewLatest news
How Is Pain Treated in Patients With Parkinson Disease?
June 24, 2020 Matthew Gavidia
Pain serves as 1 of the most frequent nonmotor complaints in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), affecting 68% to 95% of patients across all clinical stages. Published in the Journal of Parkinson Disease, researchers highlight that similar to PD, pain is complex and even has different classifications of subtypes within the disease.
While prominent, real-life pain data in PD remains scarce. Researchers sought to provide an overview on pain in PD, including classification, assessment, presentation, and the existing therapy landscape.
As researchers highlighted, today’s classifications of pain in PD include musculoskeletal, radicular/neuropathic, dystonia-related, akathic discomfort/pain, and central pain. Notably, the difference in pain directly related to PD and central pain, which is attributed to “objective pain—processing and pain-perception disturbance within ascending and descending pathways,” was referenced. Most frequently, pain presents as musculoskeletal/nociceptive pain in PD patients, but in nearly half of the PD population, comorbid conditions, such as spine and joint arthrosis, serve as contributors.
In examining how pain is presented and assessed in PD, only 1 questionnaire exists that is specifically calibrated and validated for PD. The questionnaire, called The King’s Parkinson disease pain scale, qualitatively and quantitatively assesses pain, and categorizes pain into 7 different domains, with 14 different subcategories. While promising, researchers say that the lack of awareness on differentiating pain causes many patients to not report symptoms. “Such awareness for pain (which might not be communicated verbally) needs guidelines for the complete team of health care professionals involved,” explained researchers.
When it comes to treating pain in PD, interventions remain a major unmet need as only approximately 50% of those with the disease receive at least some type of pain therapy. In managing pain, researchers recommend that therapy should be optimized to address dopaminergic issues, which has been shown to be effective in 30% of patients with PD.
“Optimized dopaminergic treatment can improve pain related to insufficient dopaminergic supply such as akinesia and/or rigidity, pain due to dopaminergic over-supply such as dyskinesia and/or dystonia, or central pain that is dopamine-sensitive,” wrote the researchers.
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Scientists Identify New Way to Control Alpha-Synuclein,
Potential Improvement in Parkinson's Therapies
MedicalXpress March 09, 2020
For the first time, researchers have discovered a master control region of alpha-synuclein, a protein linked to Parkinson's. Through their finding, the scientists from the University of Leeds' Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology provide a new target for the development of therapies to try and slow down or even prevent the condition.
Precision Medicine Treatments for Parkinson's Closer to Reality
Medical Xpress
Crucially, the study found that the abnormal mechanisms were still present in nerve cells transformed by Parkinson's, so promising neuroprotective compounds, or brain rescue drugs, could be tested directly in patient tissue. "The results of this study will help scientists to understand how to develop new personalized drug therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and develop effective drugs to rescue the function of the cells affected and help the brain recover for the first time."
Using Antibodies for Parkinson's Research
News-Medical
Very recently, new studies have come to light that have looked into the possibility of developing a vaccine for Parkinson’s based on activating the immune system to target and destroy the harmful alpha-synuclein protein that accumulates in the brains of those with Parkinson's.
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Can the Flu and Other Viruses Cause Neurodegeneration? Scientists may need to seriously reconsider the cast-aside hypothesis that pathogens can play a part in diseases such as Alzhiemer's and Parkinson's.Ashley Yeager Feb 28, 2019
A little more than 10 years ago, when neurobiologist Richard Smeyne was working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, he saw a video of a duck acting strangely. The white-feathered, orange-billed bird was standing slightly apart from its flock on a farm in Laos. It walked in circles and flipped up a wing, then lost its balance and fell over. It got up, tried to flap both wings, and fell over again.
Smeyne saw the video while attending a seminar being given by then-postdoc David Boltz and Boltz’s advisor, a “flu hunter” named Robert Webster, who headed the influenza research program at the hospital. The duck, Boltz and Webster explained, was infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus that had sickened thousands of birds and killed hundreds of people in 2006 and 2007. Smeyne, who had been studying the neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease in mice, recognized the animal’s motor issues. That duck has Parkinson’s, he thought.
DISEASED DUCK: Infected with H5N1, this duck is showing some symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
COURTESY OF RICHARD SMEYNE He told Webster this after the seminar, and Webster laughed, Smeyne recalls. “He said, ‘Well, it’s a sick bird.’” But Smeyne was curious about the neural mechanisms underlying the duck’s abnormal behavior. He wondered if healthy ducks infected with H5N1 in the lab would show Parkinson’s-like neurodegeneration. In St. Jude’s biosafety level 3 lab, he and his colleagues infected ducks with the virus, then sacrificed the birds and removed their brains, storing them in formaldehyde for three weeks to kill the active virus.
When Smeyne began to dissect the once-infected duck brains, he focused on a region called the substantia nigra, which is often damaged in Parkinson’s patients. “When I opened it up, when I cut the brain, the substantia nigra was devastated. All the neurons were completely gone,” Smeyne says. He went back to Webster, he recalls, and said, “I wasn’t wrong. Your duck does have Parkinson’s disease.”
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-discovery-parkinson-disease.html
JANUARY 28, 2020
Discovery could help slow down progression of Parkinson's disease
by Jillian Prior, Rutgers University
A collaboration between scientists at Rutgers University and Scripps Research led to the discovery of a small molecule that may slow down or stop the progression of Parkinson's disease.
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Written by Maria Cohut, Ph.D. on January 13, 2020 - Fact checked by Isabel Godfrey
A new study may now overturn existing notions regarding the cause of motor symptoms. Lead researchers C. Justin Lee, Ph.D., Hoon Ryu, Ph.D., and Sang Ryong Jeon worked with colleagues from the Institute for Basic Science in Daejeon and both the Korea Institute of Science and Technology and the Asan Medical Center in Seoul — all in South Korea.
The research, which appears in the journal Current Biology, found that symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear before the premature death of dopaminergic neurons.
The hallmark symptoms of Parkinson's disease are motor symptoms that include shaking hands and slowness of movement, but specialists still do not entirely understand what causes this disease. Newly published research may now overturn prevailing notions about key Parkinson's mechanisms.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327470.php#3
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New evidence points to a waste-clearing problem in patients’ cells, rather than the accumulation of protein tangles, as the root cause of the neurodegenerative disease.
October 1, 2019 ASHLEY YEAGER “We were originally looking for fibrils,” Shahmoradian says, “but unexpectedly, we found an abundance of . . . mitochondria, other organelles, and lipid membranes [in the Lewy bodies].” The researchers also found evidence of lysosomes, organelles that facilitate cellular waste removal. They did see α-synuclein in the Lewy bodies, as well, but the cores of the structures weren’t composed of twisted and tangled fibrils as researchers had thought. Instead, the protein was intermingled with other cellular material.
The study is one of many that raise questions about the prevailing idea that α-synuclein accumulation is the underlying cause of the neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease.
https://www.the-scientist.com/features/is-it-time-to-rethink-parkinsons-pathology-66449
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RBD may be earliest marker of the movement disorder
A relatively rare sleep disorder characterized by acting out dreams during REM sleep -- often violently -- is closely linked to the movement disorder Parkinson's disease and may warn of Parkinson's decades before diagnosis.
People with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) do not have normal muscle paralysis during the dream phase of sleep. The loss of motor inhibition is generally accompanied by often frightening dreams, which are "acted out" with arm flailing, kicking, punching, and sometimes, screaming and shouting.
"If patients are running in their dream, they 'run' in their beds. If they are fighting with someone in their dream, their arms may flail wildly. This can be dangerous for the patient and the patient's bed partner," Marina Romero-Ramos, PhD, of Aarhus University in Denmark, told MedPage Today.
The prevalence of RBD has been estimated to be from 0.38% to 1% in the general population, but the sleep disorder is much more common in patients with Parkinson's disease.
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New guideline on Parkinson's disease aimed at physicians and people with Parkinson's
by Canadian Medical Association Journal
09 September 2019
"The guideline provides evidence-based recommendations to improve the overall standard of care of individuals with Parkinson disease in Canada, not only for health care professionals, but also for policy-makers, patients themselves and their caregivers," writes Dr. Veronica Bruno, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Movement Disorders Program and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, and coauthor in a related commentary. "Managing the complexity of Parkinson disease requires clear, standardized procedures that can be used by all actors involved."
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Rigorous study explains how a single gut bacteria species can eat Parkinson’s disease drug
By Rich Haridy June 14, 2019
https://newatlas.com/gut-bacteria-microbiome-parkinsons-disease-levodopa/60131/
One of the most compelling, and burgeoning, areas in medical research today is the influence of our gut microbiome on a whole host of mechanisms in our body. A Yale University study just last week catalogued how 76 kinds of gut bacteria can negatively affect 176 commonly prescribed medicines. Ultimately this new research paints the most complete picture to date of how a specific bacterial species can disrupt the metabolism of a commonly used drug.
Following on from an incredible Yale University study examining the metabolic relationship between common medications and different gut bacterial species, a new study has offered the first rigorous description of how a single bacterial species can specifically disrupt the efficacy of a drug used to treat Parkinson's disease.
For decades Levodopa (L-dopa) has been the only effective drug treatment for Parkinson's disease sufferers. However, the efficacy of the drug is known to vary dramatically from patient to patient. Clinicians have long been aware that some of these variances can be explained by certain enzymes that metabolize the drug before it can travel to the brain, and secondary medications have been developed to help stifle this unwanted metabolism. But still, major variations in efficacy from person to person remain.
It has previously been found that heavy doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics can enhance a patient's response to L-dopa, implying certain gut bacteria could be responsible for metabolizing the drug. Investigating this hypothesis, a team of researchers from Harvard University and the University of California San Francisco set out to discover whether a single bacterial species could be responsible.
The researchers first hunted down what specific gut bacteria species had the ability to produce enzymes known to metabolize amino acids similar to L-dopa. Several species fit the bill, but one bacteria metabolized L-dopa consistently across every strain tested: Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis).
The researchers discovered that E. faecalis effectively converts L-dopa into dopamine before the drug can reach the brain. Following that, it was discovered that a molecule called tyrosine can block the enzyme produced by E. faecalis that metabolizes L-dopa.
"The molecule turns off this unwanted bacterial metabolism without killing the bacteria; it's just targeting a non-essential enzyme," explains first author on the new research, Maini Rekdal.
While this mechanism explains how L-dopa's pathway to the brain can be disrupted, further study revealed a second microbial process that may underpin many negative side effects suffered by some Parkinson's patients when taking the drug.
The researchers discovered another bacterial species, called Eggerthella lenta (E. lenta), takes the excess dopamine created and converts it into meta-tyramine. This particular microbial action surprised the researchers, and it's hypothesized this secondary mechanism could modulate many side effects commonly known to relate to L-dopa.
"All of this suggests that gut microbes may contribute to the dramatic variability that is observed in side effects and efficacy between different patients taking L-dopa," says Emily Balkus, corresponding author on the new study.
One of the most compelling, and burgeoning, areas in medical research today is the influence of our gut microbiome on a whole host of mechanisms in our body. A Yale University study just last week catalogued how 76 kinds of gut bacteria can negatively affect 176 commonly prescribed medicines. Ultimately this new research paints the most complete picture to date of how a specific bacterial species can disrupt the metabolism of a commonly used drug.
The striking study offers a new insight into why medicines do not work the same way in every person, and better understanding these mechanisms may suggest ways to significantly improve the efficacy drugs we have already developed, instead of producing entirely new ones.
The new research was published in the journal Science.
Source: Harvard University
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Parkinson's disease may originate in the intestines
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190903105221.htm
Date: September 3, 2019
Source: Aarhus University
A theory that Parkinson's disease can arise in the intestinal system and from there migrate to the brain has now gained support from new research.
In 2003, a German neuropathologist proposed that Parkinson's disease, which attacks the brain, actually might originate from the gut of the patients. Researchers from Aarhus have now delivered decisive supportive evidence after seeing the disease migrate from the gut to the brain and heart of laboratory rats. The scientific journal Acta Neuropathologica has just published the results, which have grabbed the attention of neuroscientific researchers and doctors internationally.
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Our resident bacteria can affect the activity of immunotherapies and other medicines in the body.
15 July, 2019 SHAWNA WILLIAMS https://www.the-scientist.com/infographics/infographic--gut-microbes-change-how-well-drugs-work-66148
Gut bacteria harbor enzymes and pump out other molecules that can influence how medications are activated or broken down. One example is the Parkinson’s drug levodopa (L-dopa), for which studies have suggested these interactions help explain differences in efficacy among individuals.
INTESTINE
Researchers found that some gut bacteria produce an enzyme called tyrosine decarboxylase that can convert L-dopa into dopamine as the drug passes through the small intestine, before it can reach the brain. Testing the stool of patients with Parkinson’s, the team discovered that the abundance of the bacterial gene for tyrosine decarboxylase correlated with a need for a higher dose of L-dopa to control their symptoms (Nat Commun, 10:310, 2019). Another team identified a small-molecule inhibitor that appears to block the enzyme’s action in mice (Science, 364:eaau6323, 2019).
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Antioxidant Precursor Molecule Could Improve Parkinson’s
https://www.newswise.com/articles/antioxidant-precursor-molecule-could-improve-parkinson-s
The naturally occurring molecule N-acetylcysteine (NAC) shows benefit in a clinical trial for Parkinson’s Disease.
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a naturally occurring molecule that replenishes one of the body’s antioxidants and now shows potential benefit as part of a standard course of treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the journal, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. The study found improvements in dopamine levels, the primary neurotransmitter that is specifically decreased in Parkinson’s disease, as well as improvements in clinical evaluations of the patients’ mental and physical abilities. The Thomas Jefferson University 16 July 2019
The theory that Parkinson's disease can start in the gut has gained further support in a recent study in mice. Scientists prompted toxic protein to form in the gut and tracked each step of its journey to the brain via the vagus nerve.
Scientists track Parkinson's journey from gut to brain in mice Published Wednesday 26 June 2019
An analysis of the health system records of more than 62 million people in the United States has found a link between appendix removal and raised risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325152.php?iacp Friday 10th May 2019
The analysis showed that those who had undergone an appendectomy were more than three times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease later on.
The findings are further evidence of a connection between the gut and the brain in Parkinson's disease.
Previous studies that have focused on the role of the appendix have drawn conflicting conclusions about whether having an appendectomy might raise or lower a person's risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
For example, a 2016 Movement Disorders study of about 1.5 million people in Denmark found that people who had had an appendectomy were at slightly higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease in the future.
Parkinson's results beyond researchers' wildest dreams
By Pallab GhoshScience correspondent, BBC News
22 April 2019
A treatment that has restored the movement of patients with chronic Parkinson's disease has been developed by Canadian researchers.
Previously housebound patients are now able to walk more freely as a result of electrical stimulation to their spines.
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Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease that causes muscles to stop functioning properly. There are no known cures.
New research conducted in some of Washington’s most productive agricultural regions suggests glyphosate, the active ingredient in the popular herbicide Roundup, could be linked to more people dying from Parkinson’s disease before they turn 75. One of the most heavily relied on herbicides in the nation could be linked to an increase in early deaths Parkinson’s Disease for people who live nearby, according to new research on farmlands in Washington.
“I remember sitting in the office, and I think we were all looking at each other and thinking, ‘Wow, that’s serious,’” said Mariah Caballero, the study’s lead author. The research team studied land-use maps from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that showed agricultural chemical applications and death data from the Washington Department of Health. In some cases, the researchers found that people living within 1 kilometer of an area that had sprayed glyphosate were nearly one-third more likely to die from Parkinson’s disease before reaching the age of 75.
Caballero, a senior at Vassar College, conducted the research at Washington State University’s Community Health and Spatial Epidemiology Lab. The study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
12 March 2019
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In the past 25 years it has become clear that some symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) occur decades before the development of motor symptoms and clinical diagnosis, and that monitoring these emerging symptoms may provide important insights into the origin and development of the disease. Understanding this "prodromal" phase, along with the development of new treatments, may enable earlier treatment to prevent the disease from developing, according to experts writing in a supplement to the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.
05 February 2019
Government funds Parkinson’s research, specialised care
February 04, 2019
https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2019/02/government-funds-parkinsons-research-specialised-care/
The federal government has committed more than $36 million to improve the lives of Australians with Parkinson’s disease and help find a cure for the neurological disease. Health Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday said $30 million will be provided over five years to the Garvan Institute of Medical Research to trial drugs to reduce the progression of the disease. The investment will mean up to 1000 Australians will be able to test the effectiveness of four repurposed drugs which Hunt hopes will identify new treatment targets and medication.
A further $6.8 million over four years will go to Primary Health Networks to improve access to specialised nursing care for people living with the disease.
The nurses will provide clinical care to patients and will co-ordinate access to community based care to manage acute and chronic health problems.
“Many of us have watched Parkinson’s disease wreak its havoc on our loved ones,” Hunt said in a statement. “We know first-hand how critical the search for a breakthrough cure or treatment is and that’s why research is so important.”
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in Australia with more than 100,000 Australians living with its progressive symptoms.
THE FDA APPROVE THEIR FIRST INHALED L-DOPA
31st December 2018 - News report
The FDA have approved INBRIJA, which is the first and only FDA approved L-dopa inhaler for intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in people with Parkinson's Disease taking carbidopa/levodopa. It is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2019. It is based on ARCUS® Technology Platform for Inhaled Drug Delivery. For more information go to : http://ir.acorda.com/investors/investor-news/investor-news-details/2018/Acorda-Therapeutic s-Announces-FDA-Approval-of-INBRIJA-levodopa-inhalation-powder/default.aspx
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http://viartis.net/parkinsons.disease/news.htm
Keep Up-to-date with Parkinson's disease News
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ARDSLEY, NY–(Business Wire) December 21, 2018 — Acorda Therapeutics, Inc today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration approved Inbrija™ for the intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in people with Parkinson’s disease treated with carbidopa/levodopa.
OFF episodes, also known as OFF periods, are defined as the return of Parkinson’s symptoms that result from low levels of dopamine between doses of oral carbidopa/levodopa, the standard oral baseline Parkinson’s treatment.
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Identification of Molecule Capable of Halting and Reverting Neurodegeneration Caused by Parkinson's
MedicalXpress 25 September 2018
Led by researchers at the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (IBB) of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, a molecule has been identified to halt and revert the neurodegeneration of alpha-synuclein amyloid fibers in animal models with Parkinson's. After analyzing over 14,000 molecules, they found the SynuClean-D molecule, which inhibits the aggregation of the alpha-synuclein protein and breaks the already formed amyloid fibers, thus preventing the initiation of the process that causes the onset of neurodegenerative Parkinson's.
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The eyes may be a window to the brain for people with early Parkinson's disease. People with the disease gradually lose brain cells that produce dopamine, a substance that helps control movement. Now a new study has found that the thinning of the retina, the lining of nerve cells in the back of the eye, is linked to the loss of such brain cells. The study is published in the August 15, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
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Parkinson's gene initiates disease outside of the brain
March 21, 2018, Thomas Jefferson University
Until very recently, Parkinson's had been thought a disease that starts in the brain, destroying motion centers and resulting in the tremors and loss of movement. New research published this week in the journal Brain, shows the most common Parkinson's gene mutation may change how immune cells react to generic infections like colds, which in turn trigger the inflammatory reaction in the brain that causes Parkinson's. The research offers a new understanding of Parkinson's disease.
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Big pharma calls it quits on Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s research
Criticisms are flowing from national and international peak bodies as they come to terms with the recent announcement by one of the world’s leading drug makers, Pfizer, to end their research into discovering new medications for Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s. January 2018
Dementia Australia voice concerns 7 February 2018
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“Advancing treatments for Parkinson’s disease is hampered by insufficient understanding of biological networks; drugs aimed at seemingly promising therapeutic targets fail in clinical trials,” NIH Director Francis Collins said. “By combining our expertise and resources, AMP PD partners hope to increase our collective odds of success in accelerating the development of effective treatments for a million Americans who suffer from this debilitating disease.”
1 Feb 2018.
If you have Parkinson’s disease or care for someone who does, you need information. And you might just find answers in the PD Library. The free online resource — maintained by the Parkinson’s Foundation — is a gold mine for anyone with an interest in the disease.
The library includes PSAs, podcasts and pamphlets about such things as hallucinations, medication adherence and nutrition.
April 2018
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Blood test offers hope for for Alzheimer's
AAP in News, February 1, 2018
Scientists are closer to rolling out a revolutionary blood test for Alzheimer’s after discovering a new way of detecting one of the earliest signs of the brain disease. For decades scientists worldwide have tried to develop blood tests to predict Alzheimer’s in the hope of replacing the expensive and often invasive brain scans and lumbar punctures currently used to diagnose the most common form of dementia.
A team of Australian and Japanese scientists now claim they have the most accurate test yet for the earliest indicator of Alzheimer’s – a build-up of an abnormal protein in the brain known as beta-amyloid.
Read more: https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2018/02/blood-test-offers-hope-for-alzheimers/
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An Absolute Must Read. From one who Actually Has Dementia...
Time To Tell The Truth About Dementia….From Someone Living With Dementia
By Norrms McNamara. Jan 22, 2018
Things YOU always wanted to know, or SHOULD know about dementia, but THEY were too AFRAID to TELL YOU, and I am sure many others were horrified around the world to learn that THIS information is not being given out, this is “MY ANSWER TO THEM”.
These are just 15 points of what you MAY come to expect after a diagnosis of dementia, WHY don’t they tell you this? and WHY has it taken so long to be told this? especially by a person who is LIVING with this disease ?? I have NO IDEA !!
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You've just been diagnosed. What do you do NOW?
Look here for some clues -
https://www.seniorhomes.com/w/7-key-steps-to-take-after-a-parkinsons-diagnosis/
Bare Essentials on Parkinson's:
The three main symptoms of Parkinson's are tremor, rigidity (or stiffness), and bradykinesia (difficulty and/or slowness of movement).
Symptoms vary from patient to patient - there is no set treatment - each patient has medication and therapy tailored to suit their needs and changed as required. Medication and therapy help control symptoms.
Parkinson's symptoms are the result of a deficiency of the chemical transmitter, dopamine, in the brain. Due to reasons unknown, nerve cells in the brain no longer produce dopamine and nerve impulse transmission to the body is therefore affected.
Parkinson's may affect physical movement, posture, balance, thought and emotion. It is not fatal and not contagious. Anyone can get it although it is more prevalent between the ages of 50 to 75 years. Parkinson's is slowly progressive.
And don't forget that when your loved one returns home, that YOU are the one who will be doing most of the 24/7 care. So do ask the visiting Nurse or Allied Health Worker to teach you how to lift them up and make them comfortable in their bed. You need to be particularly aware of bedsores if they cannot move in bed themselves.
Have a look here so that you know how you can help them feel comfortable when you are re-positioning and lifting them in their bed.
POSITIONING AND LIFTING PATIENTS-Title2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H68Sa04s_1s
Maintaining as active and useful a life as possible is recommended.
Looking to learn more? Wondering what to expect?
Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS): Scale presentation and clinimetric testing results.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.22340/full
The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was originally developed in the 1980s, and has become the most widely used clinical rating scale for Parkinson's disease.
You are looking specifically at:
Table 1 Conceptual mapping of items
Table 2 Non-motor aspects of experiences of daily living and
Motor aspects of experiences of daily living
Motor examination
Motor complications
Do continue down the page to the Appendix where you will find the very specific questions your Doctor/Specialist/other Health professional may ask. Well worth the look through the full 31 Illustrations as it will give you a Much Greater understanding of what conditions and complications your loved one may face as the disease progresses. Bear in mind too, that not all Parkinson's people will have all or most of the symptoms. This disease can be very specific to each person.
The MDS-UPDRS has four parts, namely,
I: Non-motor Experiences of Daily Living;
II: Motor Experiences of Daily Living;
III: Motor Examination;
IV: Motor Complications.
Twenty questions are completed by the patient/caregiver. Item-specific instructions and an appendix of complementary additional scales are provided. This report presents the MDS-UPDRS for the first time in published form and the clinimetric testing results of this large-scale program among native English speaking PD patients.
with many grateful thanks to the Wiley Online library for such an in-depth look at what is Very Scary for the person who has just been diagnosed with Parkinson disease and particularly for their Carer, who may feel Totally Overwhelmed by the possible future yet to reveal itself. As a Carer you are extradorinarily resilient, but sometimes, just sometimes, it is 'all too much'. YOU need all the help and reassurance you can get. And I do mean this Seriously! Reading through the Appendix illustrations gives you a handle on some of the questions that may be asked. Not that this makes them any less scary, but it helps to give you that reassurance that YOU are doing all you can by helping prepare in advance so that you and your loved one can ask questions and have a more in-depth understanding of the explanations.
Many thanks
Browse by subject:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/browse/subjects
Ultrasound holds promise for Alzheimer's - Ultrasound can improve the delivery of a therapeutic antibody that targets Alzheimer's disease and could also help treat Parkinson's and motor neuron disease.
Source: AAP April 2017
Australian researchers say they have made a promising step in the future treatment of Alzheimer’s disease after discovering ultrasound can effectively and safely deliver drugs to the damaged brain. Scientists at the Queensland Brain Institute found the non-invasive technique successfully penetrated the blood-brain barrier to deliver a therapeutic antibody to the brain. This then slowed the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in mice, according to a study published in journal Brain.
One of the major challenges inhibiting the treatment of Alzheimer’s is that the majority of drugs designed to treat the brain disease don’t make it into the brain. “Ultrasound safely opens up the blood-brain barrier just a tiny bit and just for short time to let the antibody into the brain and importantly into the nerve cells where the damage occurs,” said professor Jurgen Gotz lead researcher at the QBI.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, with the number of dementia cases in Australia expected to rise to 900,000 by 2050.
17 December 2022
Abby Olsen, MD, PhD, Associate Neurologist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Instructor in Neurology, Harvard Medical School.
Parkinson's linked to overabundance of opportunistic gut pathogens
By Nick Lavars
June 21, 2020
The idea that the onset of Parkinson’s disease is related to the gut dates back to the early 2000s, when German scientist Heiko Braak published a string of studies proposing that pathogens in gut make their way to the brain via the nervous system. The theory has since been gathering some steam, particularly of late, with a number of recent studies uncovering some interesting connections between the brains of sufferers and their bacteria in their bellies.
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Nasal spray gel directly delivers Parkinson's drugs to the brain
By Michael Irving May 24, 2021
Parkinson’s disease is characterized by a deficiency of dopamine in the brain, so the most common treatment involves reducing the symptoms with drugs that boost dopamine levels. Levodopa, or L-DOPA, is one of the most commonly used of these, but when taken orally relatively low amounts of the drug actually make it to the brain. This is because much of it gets metabolized in the liver first, or filtered out by the blood-brain barrier.
Past studies have shown that drugs delivered through the nose can bypass these checkpoints on their way to the brain, with experimental nasal sprays in development for conditions such as depression, heroin overdoses or even peanut allergies. And now, researchers from York University and King’s College London have added Parkinson’s to the list.
The team developed a levodopa nasal spray that allowed the drug to pass into the fine blood vessels in the nasal cavity, where it’s fast-tracked to the brain. Since a liquid mist wouldn’t linger long enough for much of the drug to soak in, the researchers embedded levodopa into a hydrogel that coats the tissue.
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SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
Even in people with Parkinson's gene, coffee may be protective
by American Academy of Neurology
Even for people with a gene mutation tied to Parkinson's disease, coffee consumption may be associated with a lower risk of actually developing the disease, according to a new study published in the September 30, 2020, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"These results are promising and encourage future research exploring caffeine and caffeine-related therapies to lessen the chance that people with this gene develop Parkinson's," said study author Grace Crotty, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "It's also possible that caffeine levels in the blood could be used as a biomarker to help identify which people with this gene will develop the disease, assuming caffeine levels remain relatively stable."
Earlier studies have shown that coffee consumption may protect against the development of Parkinson's disease in people who have no genetic risk factors for the disease.
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New molecule shows promise for Parkinson’s treatment
Recent research in mouse models suggests that a new molecule might be able to tap into key neurochemical mechanisms and help treat Parkinson’s disease.
The team from the University of Helsinki conducted experiments in cell lines and mouse models to see whether a newly discovered molecule that is similar to GDNF could be more effective.
They found that the molecule — BT13 — was indeed able to boost dopamine in the brains of mice. It also appeared to protect the brain cells tasked with dopamine production from dying off and, unlike GDNF, it was able to bypass the blood-brain barrier.
“One of the biggest challenges for Parkinson’s research is how to get drugs past the blood-brain barrier, so the exciting discovery of BT13 has opened up a new avenue for research to explore, and the molecule holds great promise as a way to slow or stop Parkinson’s,” comments Prof. Dexter, who was not involved in the current research.
Still, the specialist affiliated with Parkinson’s UK points out, there is much work ahead of the researchers before they can confirm that the new approach works in humans. “More research is needed to turn BT13 into a treatment to be tested in clinical trials, to see if it really could transform the lives of people living with Parkinson’s,” he acknowledges.
Yulia Sidorova, Ph.D. — the study’s co-lead researcher — agrees, noting that she and colleagues are already hard at work toward this end. “We are constantly working on improving the effectiveness of BT13. We are now testing a series of similar BT13 compounds, which were predicted by a computer program to have even better characteristics,” she says.
“Our ultimate goal is to progress these compounds to clinical trials in a few coming years.”
– Yulia Sidorova, Ph.D. Written by Maria Cohut on February 18, 2020 - Fact checked by Gianna D'Emilio NewLatest news
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How Is Pain Treated in Patients With Parkinson Disease?
June 24, 2020 Matthew Gavidia
Pain serves as 1 of the most frequent nonmotor complaints in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), affecting 68% to 95% of patients across all clinical stages. Published in the Journal of Parkinson Disease, researchers highlight that similar to PD, pain is complex and even has different classifications of subtypes within the disease.
While prominent, real-life pain data in PD remains scarce. Researchers sought to provide an overview on pain in PD, including classification, assessment, presentation, and the existing therapy landscape.
As researchers highlighted, today’s classifications of pain in PD include musculoskeletal, radicular/neuropathic, dystonia-related, akathic discomfort/pain, and central pain. Notably, the difference in pain directly related to PD and central pain, which is attributed to “objective pain—processing and pain-perception disturbance within ascending and descending pathways,” was referenced. Most frequently, pain presents as musculoskeletal/nociceptive pain in PD patients, but in nearly half of the PD population, comorbid conditions, such as spine and joint arthrosis, serve as contributors.
In examining how pain is presented and assessed in PD, only 1 questionnaire exists that is specifically calibrated and validated for PD. The questionnaire, called The King’s Parkinson disease pain scale, qualitatively and quantitatively assesses pain, and categorizes pain into 7 different domains, with 14 different subcategories. While promising, researchers say that the lack of awareness on differentiating pain causes many patients to not report symptoms. “Such awareness for pain (which might not be communicated verbally) needs guidelines for the complete team of health care professionals involved,” explained researchers.
When it comes to treating pain in PD, interventions remain a major unmet need as only approximately 50% of those with the disease receive at least some type of pain therapy. In managing pain, researchers recommend that therapy should be optimized to address dopaminergic issues, which has been shown to be effective in 30% of patients with PD.
“Optimized dopaminergic treatment can improve pain related to insufficient dopaminergic supply such as akinesia and/or rigidity, pain due to dopaminergic over-supply such as dyskinesia and/or dystonia, or central pain that is dopamine-sensitive,” wrote the researchers.
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Scientists Identify New Way to Control Alpha-Synuclein,
Potential Improvement in Parkinson's Therapies
MedicalXpress March 09, 2020
For the first time, researchers have discovered a master control region of alpha-synuclein, a protein linked to Parkinson's. Through their finding, the scientists from the University of Leeds' Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology provide a new target for the development of therapies to try and slow down or even prevent the condition.
Precision Medicine Treatments for Parkinson's Closer to Reality
Medical Xpress
Crucially, the study found that the abnormal mechanisms were still present in nerve cells transformed by Parkinson's, so promising neuroprotective compounds, or brain rescue drugs, could be tested directly in patient tissue. "The results of this study will help scientists to understand how to develop new personalized drug therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and develop effective drugs to rescue the function of the cells affected and help the brain recover for the first time."
Using Antibodies for Parkinson's Research
News-Medical
Very recently, new studies have come to light that have looked into the possibility of developing a vaccine for Parkinson’s based on activating the immune system to target and destroy the harmful alpha-synuclein protein that accumulates in the brains of those with Parkinson's.
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Can the Flu and Other Viruses Cause Neurodegeneration? Scientists may need to seriously reconsider the cast-aside hypothesis that pathogens can play a part in diseases such as Alzhiemer's and Parkinson's.Ashley Yeager Feb 28, 2019
A little more than 10 years ago, when neurobiologist Richard Smeyne was working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, he saw a video of a duck acting strangely. The white-feathered, orange-billed bird was standing slightly apart from its flock on a farm in Laos. It walked in circles and flipped up a wing, then lost its balance and fell over. It got up, tried to flap both wings, and fell over again.
Smeyne saw the video while attending a seminar being given by then-postdoc David Boltz and Boltz’s advisor, a “flu hunter” named Robert Webster, who headed the influenza research program at the hospital. The duck, Boltz and Webster explained, was infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus that had sickened thousands of birds and killed hundreds of people in 2006 and 2007. Smeyne, who had been studying the neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease in mice, recognized the animal’s motor issues. That duck has Parkinson’s, he thought.
DISEASED DUCK: Infected with H5N1, this duck is showing some symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
COURTESY OF RICHARD SMEYNE He told Webster this after the seminar, and Webster laughed, Smeyne recalls. “He said, ‘Well, it’s a sick bird.’” But Smeyne was curious about the neural mechanisms underlying the duck’s abnormal behavior. He wondered if healthy ducks infected with H5N1 in the lab would show Parkinson’s-like neurodegeneration. In St. Jude’s biosafety level 3 lab, he and his colleagues infected ducks with the virus, then sacrificed the birds and removed their brains, storing them in formaldehyde for three weeks to kill the active virus.
When Smeyne began to dissect the once-infected duck brains, he focused on a region called the substantia nigra, which is often damaged in Parkinson’s patients. “When I opened it up, when I cut the brain, the substantia nigra was devastated. All the neurons were completely gone,” Smeyne says. He went back to Webster, he recalls, and said, “I wasn’t wrong. Your duck does have Parkinson’s disease.”
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-discovery-parkinson-disease.html
JANUARY 28, 2020
Discovery could help slow down progression of Parkinson's disease
by Jillian Prior, Rutgers University
A collaboration between scientists at Rutgers University and Scripps Research led to the discovery of a small molecule that may slow down or stop the progression of Parkinson's disease.
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Written by Maria Cohut, Ph.D. on January 13, 2020 - Fact checked by Isabel Godfrey
A new study may now overturn existing notions regarding the cause of motor symptoms. Lead researchers C. Justin Lee, Ph.D., Hoon Ryu, Ph.D., and Sang Ryong Jeon worked with colleagues from the Institute for Basic Science in Daejeon and both the Korea Institute of Science and Technology and the Asan Medical Center in Seoul — all in South Korea.
The research, which appears in the journal Current Biology, found that symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear before the premature death of dopaminergic neurons.
The hallmark symptoms of Parkinson's disease are motor symptoms that include shaking hands and slowness of movement, but specialists still do not entirely understand what causes this disease. Newly published research may now overturn prevailing notions about key Parkinson's mechanisms.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327470.php#3
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New evidence points to a waste-clearing problem in patients’ cells, rather than the accumulation of protein tangles, as the root cause of the neurodegenerative disease.
October 1, 2019 ASHLEY YEAGER “We were originally looking for fibrils,” Shahmoradian says, “but unexpectedly, we found an abundance of . . . mitochondria, other organelles, and lipid membranes [in the Lewy bodies].” The researchers also found evidence of lysosomes, organelles that facilitate cellular waste removal. They did see α-synuclein in the Lewy bodies, as well, but the cores of the structures weren’t composed of twisted and tangled fibrils as researchers had thought. Instead, the protein was intermingled with other cellular material.
The study is one of many that raise questions about the prevailing idea that α-synuclein accumulation is the underlying cause of the neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease.
https://www.the-scientist.com/features/is-it-time-to-rethink-parkinsons-pathology-66449
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RBD may be earliest marker of the movement disorder
- by Salynn Boyles, Contributing Writer November 04, 2019
A relatively rare sleep disorder characterized by acting out dreams during REM sleep -- often violently -- is closely linked to the movement disorder Parkinson's disease and may warn of Parkinson's decades before diagnosis.
People with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) do not have normal muscle paralysis during the dream phase of sleep. The loss of motor inhibition is generally accompanied by often frightening dreams, which are "acted out" with arm flailing, kicking, punching, and sometimes, screaming and shouting.
"If patients are running in their dream, they 'run' in their beds. If they are fighting with someone in their dream, their arms may flail wildly. This can be dangerous for the patient and the patient's bed partner," Marina Romero-Ramos, PhD, of Aarhus University in Denmark, told MedPage Today.
The prevalence of RBD has been estimated to be from 0.38% to 1% in the general population, but the sleep disorder is much more common in patients with Parkinson's disease.
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New guideline on Parkinson's disease aimed at physicians and people with Parkinson's
by Canadian Medical Association Journal
09 September 2019
"The guideline provides evidence-based recommendations to improve the overall standard of care of individuals with Parkinson disease in Canada, not only for health care professionals, but also for policy-makers, patients themselves and their caregivers," writes Dr. Veronica Bruno, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Movement Disorders Program and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, and coauthor in a related commentary. "Managing the complexity of Parkinson disease requires clear, standardized procedures that can be used by all actors involved."
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Rigorous study explains how a single gut bacteria species can eat Parkinson’s disease drug
By Rich Haridy June 14, 2019
https://newatlas.com/gut-bacteria-microbiome-parkinsons-disease-levodopa/60131/
One of the most compelling, and burgeoning, areas in medical research today is the influence of our gut microbiome on a whole host of mechanisms in our body. A Yale University study just last week catalogued how 76 kinds of gut bacteria can negatively affect 176 commonly prescribed medicines. Ultimately this new research paints the most complete picture to date of how a specific bacterial species can disrupt the metabolism of a commonly used drug.
Following on from an incredible Yale University study examining the metabolic relationship between common medications and different gut bacterial species, a new study has offered the first rigorous description of how a single bacterial species can specifically disrupt the efficacy of a drug used to treat Parkinson's disease.
For decades Levodopa (L-dopa) has been the only effective drug treatment for Parkinson's disease sufferers. However, the efficacy of the drug is known to vary dramatically from patient to patient. Clinicians have long been aware that some of these variances can be explained by certain enzymes that metabolize the drug before it can travel to the brain, and secondary medications have been developed to help stifle this unwanted metabolism. But still, major variations in efficacy from person to person remain.
It has previously been found that heavy doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics can enhance a patient's response to L-dopa, implying certain gut bacteria could be responsible for metabolizing the drug. Investigating this hypothesis, a team of researchers from Harvard University and the University of California San Francisco set out to discover whether a single bacterial species could be responsible.
The researchers first hunted down what specific gut bacteria species had the ability to produce enzymes known to metabolize amino acids similar to L-dopa. Several species fit the bill, but one bacteria metabolized L-dopa consistently across every strain tested: Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis).
The researchers discovered that E. faecalis effectively converts L-dopa into dopamine before the drug can reach the brain. Following that, it was discovered that a molecule called tyrosine can block the enzyme produced by E. faecalis that metabolizes L-dopa.
"The molecule turns off this unwanted bacterial metabolism without killing the bacteria; it's just targeting a non-essential enzyme," explains first author on the new research, Maini Rekdal.
While this mechanism explains how L-dopa's pathway to the brain can be disrupted, further study revealed a second microbial process that may underpin many negative side effects suffered by some Parkinson's patients when taking the drug.
The researchers discovered another bacterial species, called Eggerthella lenta (E. lenta), takes the excess dopamine created and converts it into meta-tyramine. This particular microbial action surprised the researchers, and it's hypothesized this secondary mechanism could modulate many side effects commonly known to relate to L-dopa.
"All of this suggests that gut microbes may contribute to the dramatic variability that is observed in side effects and efficacy between different patients taking L-dopa," says Emily Balkus, corresponding author on the new study.
One of the most compelling, and burgeoning, areas in medical research today is the influence of our gut microbiome on a whole host of mechanisms in our body. A Yale University study just last week catalogued how 76 kinds of gut bacteria can negatively affect 176 commonly prescribed medicines. Ultimately this new research paints the most complete picture to date of how a specific bacterial species can disrupt the metabolism of a commonly used drug.
The striking study offers a new insight into why medicines do not work the same way in every person, and better understanding these mechanisms may suggest ways to significantly improve the efficacy drugs we have already developed, instead of producing entirely new ones.
The new research was published in the journal Science.
Source: Harvard University
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Parkinson's disease may originate in the intestines
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190903105221.htm
Date: September 3, 2019
Source: Aarhus University
A theory that Parkinson's disease can arise in the intestinal system and from there migrate to the brain has now gained support from new research.
In 2003, a German neuropathologist proposed that Parkinson's disease, which attacks the brain, actually might originate from the gut of the patients. Researchers from Aarhus have now delivered decisive supportive evidence after seeing the disease migrate from the gut to the brain and heart of laboratory rats. The scientific journal Acta Neuropathologica has just published the results, which have grabbed the attention of neuroscientific researchers and doctors internationally.
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Our resident bacteria can affect the activity of immunotherapies and other medicines in the body.
15 July, 2019 SHAWNA WILLIAMS https://www.the-scientist.com/infographics/infographic--gut-microbes-change-how-well-drugs-work-66148
Gut bacteria harbor enzymes and pump out other molecules that can influence how medications are activated or broken down. One example is the Parkinson’s drug levodopa (L-dopa), for which studies have suggested these interactions help explain differences in efficacy among individuals.
INTESTINE
Researchers found that some gut bacteria produce an enzyme called tyrosine decarboxylase that can convert L-dopa into dopamine as the drug passes through the small intestine, before it can reach the brain. Testing the stool of patients with Parkinson’s, the team discovered that the abundance of the bacterial gene for tyrosine decarboxylase correlated with a need for a higher dose of L-dopa to control their symptoms (Nat Commun, 10:310, 2019). Another team identified a small-molecule inhibitor that appears to block the enzyme’s action in mice (Science, 364:eaau6323, 2019).
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Antioxidant Precursor Molecule Could Improve Parkinson’s
https://www.newswise.com/articles/antioxidant-precursor-molecule-could-improve-parkinson-s
The naturally occurring molecule N-acetylcysteine (NAC) shows benefit in a clinical trial for Parkinson’s Disease.
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a naturally occurring molecule that replenishes one of the body’s antioxidants and now shows potential benefit as part of a standard course of treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the journal, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. The study found improvements in dopamine levels, the primary neurotransmitter that is specifically decreased in Parkinson’s disease, as well as improvements in clinical evaluations of the patients’ mental and physical abilities. The Thomas Jefferson University 16 July 2019
The theory that Parkinson's disease can start in the gut has gained further support in a recent study in mice. Scientists prompted toxic protein to form in the gut and tracked each step of its journey to the brain via the vagus nerve.
Scientists track Parkinson's journey from gut to brain in mice Published Wednesday 26 June 2019
An analysis of the health system records of more than 62 million people in the United States has found a link between appendix removal and raised risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325152.php?iacp Friday 10th May 2019
The analysis showed that those who had undergone an appendectomy were more than three times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease later on.
The findings are further evidence of a connection between the gut and the brain in Parkinson's disease.
Previous studies that have focused on the role of the appendix have drawn conflicting conclusions about whether having an appendectomy might raise or lower a person's risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
For example, a 2016 Movement Disorders study of about 1.5 million people in Denmark found that people who had had an appendectomy were at slightly higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease in the future.
Parkinson's results beyond researchers' wildest dreams
By Pallab GhoshScience correspondent, BBC News
22 April 2019
A treatment that has restored the movement of patients with chronic Parkinson's disease has been developed by Canadian researchers.
Previously housebound patients are now able to walk more freely as a result of electrical stimulation to their spines.
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Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease that causes muscles to stop functioning properly. There are no known cures.
New research conducted in some of Washington’s most productive agricultural regions suggests glyphosate, the active ingredient in the popular herbicide Roundup, could be linked to more people dying from Parkinson’s disease before they turn 75. One of the most heavily relied on herbicides in the nation could be linked to an increase in early deaths Parkinson’s Disease for people who live nearby, according to new research on farmlands in Washington.
“I remember sitting in the office, and I think we were all looking at each other and thinking, ‘Wow, that’s serious,’” said Mariah Caballero, the study’s lead author. The research team studied land-use maps from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that showed agricultural chemical applications and death data from the Washington Department of Health. In some cases, the researchers found that people living within 1 kilometer of an area that had sprayed glyphosate were nearly one-third more likely to die from Parkinson’s disease before reaching the age of 75.
Caballero, a senior at Vassar College, conducted the research at Washington State University’s Community Health and Spatial Epidemiology Lab. The study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
12 March 2019
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In the past 25 years it has become clear that some symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) occur decades before the development of motor symptoms and clinical diagnosis, and that monitoring these emerging symptoms may provide important insights into the origin and development of the disease. Understanding this "prodromal" phase, along with the development of new treatments, may enable earlier treatment to prevent the disease from developing, according to experts writing in a supplement to the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.
05 February 2019
Government funds Parkinson’s research, specialised care
February 04, 2019
https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2019/02/government-funds-parkinsons-research-specialised-care/
The federal government has committed more than $36 million to improve the lives of Australians with Parkinson’s disease and help find a cure for the neurological disease. Health Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday said $30 million will be provided over five years to the Garvan Institute of Medical Research to trial drugs to reduce the progression of the disease. The investment will mean up to 1000 Australians will be able to test the effectiveness of four repurposed drugs which Hunt hopes will identify new treatment targets and medication.
A further $6.8 million over four years will go to Primary Health Networks to improve access to specialised nursing care for people living with the disease.
The nurses will provide clinical care to patients and will co-ordinate access to community based care to manage acute and chronic health problems.
“Many of us have watched Parkinson’s disease wreak its havoc on our loved ones,” Hunt said in a statement. “We know first-hand how critical the search for a breakthrough cure or treatment is and that’s why research is so important.”
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in Australia with more than 100,000 Australians living with its progressive symptoms.
THE FDA APPROVE THEIR FIRST INHALED L-DOPA
31st December 2018 - News report
The FDA have approved INBRIJA, which is the first and only FDA approved L-dopa inhaler for intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in people with Parkinson's Disease taking carbidopa/levodopa. It is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2019. It is based on ARCUS® Technology Platform for Inhaled Drug Delivery. For more information go to : http://ir.acorda.com/investors/investor-news/investor-news-details/2018/Acorda-Therapeutic s-Announces-FDA-Approval-of-INBRIJA-levodopa-inhalation-powder/default.aspx
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http://viartis.net/parkinsons.disease/news.htm
Keep Up-to-date with Parkinson's disease News
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ARDSLEY, NY–(Business Wire) December 21, 2018 — Acorda Therapeutics, Inc today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration approved Inbrija™ for the intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in people with Parkinson’s disease treated with carbidopa/levodopa.
OFF episodes, also known as OFF periods, are defined as the return of Parkinson’s symptoms that result from low levels of dopamine between doses of oral carbidopa/levodopa, the standard oral baseline Parkinson’s treatment.
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Identification of Molecule Capable of Halting and Reverting Neurodegeneration Caused by Parkinson's
MedicalXpress 25 September 2018
Led by researchers at the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (IBB) of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, a molecule has been identified to halt and revert the neurodegeneration of alpha-synuclein amyloid fibers in animal models with Parkinson's. After analyzing over 14,000 molecules, they found the SynuClean-D molecule, which inhibits the aggregation of the alpha-synuclein protein and breaks the already formed amyloid fibers, thus preventing the initiation of the process that causes the onset of neurodegenerative Parkinson's.
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The eyes may be a window to the brain for people with early Parkinson's disease. People with the disease gradually lose brain cells that produce dopamine, a substance that helps control movement. Now a new study has found that the thinning of the retina, the lining of nerve cells in the back of the eye, is linked to the loss of such brain cells. The study is published in the August 15, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
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Parkinson's gene initiates disease outside of the brain
March 21, 2018, Thomas Jefferson University
Until very recently, Parkinson's had been thought a disease that starts in the brain, destroying motion centers and resulting in the tremors and loss of movement. New research published this week in the journal Brain, shows the most common Parkinson's gene mutation may change how immune cells react to generic infections like colds, which in turn trigger the inflammatory reaction in the brain that causes Parkinson's. The research offers a new understanding of Parkinson's disease.
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Big pharma calls it quits on Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s research
Criticisms are flowing from national and international peak bodies as they come to terms with the recent announcement by one of the world’s leading drug makers, Pfizer, to end their research into discovering new medications for Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s. January 2018
Dementia Australia voice concerns 7 February 2018
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“Advancing treatments for Parkinson’s disease is hampered by insufficient understanding of biological networks; drugs aimed at seemingly promising therapeutic targets fail in clinical trials,” NIH Director Francis Collins said. “By combining our expertise and resources, AMP PD partners hope to increase our collective odds of success in accelerating the development of effective treatments for a million Americans who suffer from this debilitating disease.”
1 Feb 2018.
If you have Parkinson’s disease or care for someone who does, you need information. And you might just find answers in the PD Library. The free online resource — maintained by the Parkinson’s Foundation — is a gold mine for anyone with an interest in the disease.
The library includes PSAs, podcasts and pamphlets about such things as hallucinations, medication adherence and nutrition.
April 2018
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Blood test offers hope for for Alzheimer's
AAP in News, February 1, 2018
Scientists are closer to rolling out a revolutionary blood test for Alzheimer’s after discovering a new way of detecting one of the earliest signs of the brain disease. For decades scientists worldwide have tried to develop blood tests to predict Alzheimer’s in the hope of replacing the expensive and often invasive brain scans and lumbar punctures currently used to diagnose the most common form of dementia.
A team of Australian and Japanese scientists now claim they have the most accurate test yet for the earliest indicator of Alzheimer’s – a build-up of an abnormal protein in the brain known as beta-amyloid.
Read more: https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2018/02/blood-test-offers-hope-for-alzheimers/
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An Absolute Must Read. From one who Actually Has Dementia...
Time To Tell The Truth About Dementia….From Someone Living With Dementia
By Norrms McNamara. Jan 22, 2018
Things YOU always wanted to know, or SHOULD know about dementia, but THEY were too AFRAID to TELL YOU, and I am sure many others were horrified around the world to learn that THIS information is not being given out, this is “MY ANSWER TO THEM”.
These are just 15 points of what you MAY come to expect after a diagnosis of dementia, WHY don’t they tell you this? and WHY has it taken so long to be told this? especially by a person who is LIVING with this disease ?? I have NO IDEA !!
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You've just been diagnosed. What do you do NOW?
Look here for some clues -
https://www.seniorhomes.com/w/7-key-steps-to-take-after-a-parkinsons-diagnosis/
Bare Essentials on Parkinson's:
The three main symptoms of Parkinson's are tremor, rigidity (or stiffness), and bradykinesia (difficulty and/or slowness of movement).
Symptoms vary from patient to patient - there is no set treatment - each patient has medication and therapy tailored to suit their needs and changed as required. Medication and therapy help control symptoms.
Parkinson's symptoms are the result of a deficiency of the chemical transmitter, dopamine, in the brain. Due to reasons unknown, nerve cells in the brain no longer produce dopamine and nerve impulse transmission to the body is therefore affected.
Parkinson's may affect physical movement, posture, balance, thought and emotion. It is not fatal and not contagious. Anyone can get it although it is more prevalent between the ages of 50 to 75 years. Parkinson's is slowly progressive.
And don't forget that when your loved one returns home, that YOU are the one who will be doing most of the 24/7 care. So do ask the visiting Nurse or Allied Health Worker to teach you how to lift them up and make them comfortable in their bed. You need to be particularly aware of bedsores if they cannot move in bed themselves.
Have a look here so that you know how you can help them feel comfortable when you are re-positioning and lifting them in their bed.
POSITIONING AND LIFTING PATIENTS-Title2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H68Sa04s_1s
Maintaining as active and useful a life as possible is recommended.
Looking to learn more? Wondering what to expect?
Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS): Scale presentation and clinimetric testing results.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.22340/full
The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) was originally developed in the 1980s, and has become the most widely used clinical rating scale for Parkinson's disease.
You are looking specifically at:
Table 1 Conceptual mapping of items
Table 2 Non-motor aspects of experiences of daily living and
Motor aspects of experiences of daily living
Motor examination
Motor complications
Do continue down the page to the Appendix where you will find the very specific questions your Doctor/Specialist/other Health professional may ask. Well worth the look through the full 31 Illustrations as it will give you a Much Greater understanding of what conditions and complications your loved one may face as the disease progresses. Bear in mind too, that not all Parkinson's people will have all or most of the symptoms. This disease can be very specific to each person.
The MDS-UPDRS has four parts, namely,
I: Non-motor Experiences of Daily Living;
II: Motor Experiences of Daily Living;
III: Motor Examination;
IV: Motor Complications.
Twenty questions are completed by the patient/caregiver. Item-specific instructions and an appendix of complementary additional scales are provided. This report presents the MDS-UPDRS for the first time in published form and the clinimetric testing results of this large-scale program among native English speaking PD patients.
with many grateful thanks to the Wiley Online library for such an in-depth look at what is Very Scary for the person who has just been diagnosed with Parkinson disease and particularly for their Carer, who may feel Totally Overwhelmed by the possible future yet to reveal itself. As a Carer you are extradorinarily resilient, but sometimes, just sometimes, it is 'all too much'. YOU need all the help and reassurance you can get. And I do mean this Seriously! Reading through the Appendix illustrations gives you a handle on some of the questions that may be asked. Not that this makes them any less scary, but it helps to give you that reassurance that YOU are doing all you can by helping prepare in advance so that you and your loved one can ask questions and have a more in-depth understanding of the explanations.
Many thanks
Browse by subject:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/browse/subjects
Ultrasound holds promise for Alzheimer's - Ultrasound can improve the delivery of a therapeutic antibody that targets Alzheimer's disease and could also help treat Parkinson's and motor neuron disease.
Source: AAP April 2017
Australian researchers say they have made a promising step in the future treatment of Alzheimer’s disease after discovering ultrasound can effectively and safely deliver drugs to the damaged brain. Scientists at the Queensland Brain Institute found the non-invasive technique successfully penetrated the blood-brain barrier to deliver a therapeutic antibody to the brain. This then slowed the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in mice, according to a study published in journal Brain.
One of the major challenges inhibiting the treatment of Alzheimer’s is that the majority of drugs designed to treat the brain disease don’t make it into the brain. “Ultrasound safely opens up the blood-brain barrier just a tiny bit and just for short time to let the antibody into the brain and importantly into the nerve cells where the damage occurs,” said professor Jurgen Gotz lead researcher at the QBI.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, with the number of dementia cases in Australia expected to rise to 900,000 by 2050.
17 December 2022