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Parkinson's Disease Blog

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Genes Might Be Key to Parkinson's Spread

Posted 13 days ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 15 – Researchers have identified gene variants that speed the progression of Parkinson's disease, and they say their findings could help identify patients who would benefit most from early treatment. The researchers, from the University of California-Los Angeles, say their findings also may help efforts to develop new therapies. Parkinson's disease is a progressive movement disorder marked by tremor, slowness and rigidity. The researchers followed 233 patients for an average of about five years after they were diagnosed with the disorder. They focused on two variants of the SNCA gene, which is known to play a role in a person's risk for Parkinson's disease. The study found that patients with the "Rep1 263bp" variant of the SNCA gene had a fourfold faster decline in their ability to move. The decline was even more rapid in patients with both the "Rep1 263bp" and "rs356165" ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease

Experimental Gel May Help Those With Advanced Parkinson's

Posted 18 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, April 18 – A gel form of two common Parkinson's drugs delivered via a feeding tube-like device may help people with advanced disease reduce medication side effects and possibly avoid brain surgery. That's the report from researchers who found the experimental levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel works better than a standard pill regimen in reducing "off" time in people with advanced Parkinson's disease. About 1 million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's disease, a progressive movement disorder marked by tremor, slowness and/or rigidity. The disease slowly destroys the nerve cells in the brain that produce the chemical dopamine, which controls muscle movement. Treatment with oral levodopa-carbidopa – brand names include Sinemet, Sinemet CR and Parcopa – helps replace dopamine levels, but higher doses and long-term use of the oral drugs can cause ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease, Sinemet, Sinemet CR, Carbidopa/Levodopa, Parcopa, Atamet

Newer Antidepressants May Be Safe for Parkinson's Patients

Posted 11 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, April 11 – Some of the newer antidepressants can help treat depression in people with Parkinson's disease without aggravating other disease symptoms such as tremor or rigidity, researchers have found. Nearly 1 million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's disease, a progressive movement disorder marked by tremor, slowness and/or rigidity. Parkinson's disease and depression tend to travel together, and there has been concern that some of the medications used to treat depression may worsen motor symptoms. A new study published online April 11 and in the April 17 print issue of Neurology shows that this is not the case, at least when it comes to the antidepressants Paxil (paroxetine) and Effexor (venlafaxine). Paxil is in the class of drugs known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) while Effexor is an SNRI (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake ... Read more

Related support groups: Depression, Lexapro, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Effexor, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, Pristiq, Citalopram, Savella, Effexor XR, Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Venlafaxine

Eye Tremors May Aid Early Diagnosis of Parkinson's: Study

Posted 9 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 9 – Persistent eye tremors appear to be common in people with Parkinson's disease. The tremors affect a person's eye stability while tracking moving objects, a new study finds. The findings suggest that testing eyeball movement – "oculomotor testing" – could help provide an early marker for diagnosing the nervous-system disease, the researchers said. For the study, published online April 9 in the journal Archives of Neurology, researchers tested oculomotor function in 112 Parkinson's disease patients and a group of 60 healthy people by having them track a moving target on a computer screen. All 112 Parkinson's patients, whether on medication or not, had persistent eye tremors that prevented them from keeping their eyes stable while following the target. The problem was observed in only two of the people in the "healthy" group, the investigators found. That eye tremors ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease

Berries, Tea May Cut Men's Odds for Parkinson's: Study

Posted 4 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, April 4 – Regularly consumption of food and drink rich in substances called flavonoids, such as berries, apples, tea and red wine, can lower a man's risk of developing Parkinson's disease by 40 percent, new research suggests. For women, however, a reduction in risk was only seen when they ate at least several servings of berries a week, according to the study. Men also had a risk reduction from frequently eating berries. "For total flavonoids, the beneficial result was only in men. But, berries are protective in both men and women," said the study's lead author, Dr. Xiang Gao, a research scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health and an associate epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Berries could be a neuroprotective agent. People can include berries in their regular diet. There are no harmful effects from berry ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease

Drug Patch Approved for Advanced Parkinson's and Restless Leg Syndrome

Posted 3 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, April 3 – The Neupro (rotigotine) transdermal system has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat advanced Parkinson's disease and moderate-to-severe restless leg syndrome, the Belgian drug maker UCB said Tuesday in a news release. The continuous drug delivery patch was first approved by the FDA in 2007 to treat early-stage Parkinson's. The dopamine agonist skin patch is believed to work by stimulating dopamine receptors within the caudate-putamen, the portion of the brain that regulates movement, the company said. In clinical testing, observed side effects of Neupro included nausea, vomiting, skin site reactions, dizziness, insomnia and headache. Neupro contains sodium metabisulfite, which could cause deadly allergic-like reactions in certain susceptible people. Also, the drug should not be used by pregnant women, UCB warned. More information To learn ... Read more

Related support groups: Restless Legs Syndrome, Parkinson's Disease, Neupro, Rotigotine

Can Statins Prevent Parkinson's Disease?

Posted 12 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, March 12 – People taking popular cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may have a slightly lower risk than others of developing Parkinson's disease, new research suggests. This effect may be even more pronounced among people younger than 60, according to the study published in the March issue of Archives of Neurology. However, the risk reduction was modest and may have been due to chance, the authors said, noting that more research is warranted, especially because statins can cause adverse side effects. "There is no clear verdict," said Dr. Stuart Isaacson, director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center of Boca Raton, who was not involved in the study. "Right now we don't have any good evidence that there is anything we can do to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, but research is ongoing," added Isaacson, also an associate professor of ... Read more

Weight Training May Help Parkinson's Patients Retain Function

Posted 16 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 16 – When it comes to helping Parkinson's disease patients retain vital motor function, weight training may be more effective than stretching or balance exercises, a new study concludes. The findings "reconfirm our notions that exercise plays an important part in the treatment of Parkinson's disease," according to one outside expert, Dr. Nora Chan, director of the Movement Disorder Program at Winthrop-University Hospital, in Mineola, N.Y. The research involved 48 people with Parkinson's who were randomly assigned to either a weight-training program or a workout routine that included flexibility, balance and strengthening routines. Both groups exercised for one hour, twice a week for two years. The severity of the patients' motor symptoms, including tremors, was assessed after six, 12, 18, and 24 months of exercise. The symptoms were checked when the patients were not ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease

Gene Research Offers Clues to Parkinson's Disease

Posted 7 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Feb. 7 – In certain people with Parkinson's disease, mutations in the parkin gene disrupt the proper function of dopamine, the brain chemical that controls body movement. The finding could lead to new treatments and screening methods for the disease, according to the University at Buffalo researchers. Using live human neurons in the laboratory, the team found that parkin mutations hinder the actions of dopamine and produce more "free radicals," harmful molecules that destroy dopamine-laden brain cells, leading to Parkinson's disease. "Once parkin is mutated, it can no longer precisely control the action of dopamine, which supports the neural computation required for our movement," study author Jian Feng, a professor of physiology and biophysics in the university's School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said in a university news release. The parkin mutation is responsible ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease

Neurologists Should Screen Patients for Abuse: Experts

Posted 25 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 – Neurologists should screen their patients for abuse by family members, caregivers or other people, the American Academy of Neurology says in a new position statement. Problems to look for include elder, sexual, child, financial and emotional abuse; bullying, cyberbullying and violence. Certain neurologic disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease or stroke, may raise the risk for abuse and neglect, the academy said. The statement outlines 10 principles for neurologists to use when meeting with patients. These include integrating questions about abuse into a patient's medical history and routinely checking patients for past and ongoing violence. The academy is also offering free training to members interested in learning how to deal with domestic violence issues in their communities. "Neurologists see patients with neurologic disorders that may make ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease

Protein That Controls Movement Does the Opposite in Parkinson's

Posted 25 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 – Researchers who identified a protein that worsens symptoms of Parkinson's disease say their finding could eventually lead to new treatments for the neurodegenerative disease. The protein, RGS4, normally helps regulate the activity in neurons in the striatum, the part of the brain that controls movement. But in models of Parkinson's disease in mice, the researchers found that RGS4 actually contributes to problems with motor control, leading to a deterioration of movement and motor coordination. The study, published online Jan. 25 in the journal Neuron, was conducted by scientists at the Gladstone Institutes, a nonprofit biomedical research organization affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). It's long been known that decreased levels of the brain chemical dopamine are associated with Parkinson's. Patients take a drug called Levodopa to ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease

Race, Gender, Dementia May Affect Parkinson's Survival

Posted 4 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 4 – Men appear more likely to die from Parkinson's disease than women, Hispanics and Asians with the neurologic disorder, a large U.S. study reveals. The researchers also found that those patients who suffered from dementia had a higher death rate from Parkinson's disease. The findings stem from an analysis of 138,000 Parkinson's patients across the United States who were Medicare beneficiaries between 2002 and 2008. Led by Dr. Allison Willis from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the study appears in the January issue of the Archives of Neurology. During the six-year study period, overall, 64 percent of the patients died. Nearly 70 percent had developed dementia in that time. Black patients had the highest death rate, at more than 66 percent, while white patients had a slightly lower rate of almost 65 percent. By contrast, Hispanic and Asian ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease, Dementia

Exposure to Toxic Solvents Linked to Parkinson's Disease

Posted 14 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Nov. 14 – Exposure to the industrial solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) appears to greatly increase the risk of Parkinson's disease, and exposure to two other solvents also boosts the chances of developing the neurodegenerative disorder, a new study indicates. As many as 500,000 people in the United States have Parkinson's disease and more than 50,000 new cases are diagnosed in the country each year. Some research suggests that genetic and environmental factors might trigger Parkinson's, and several studies have reported that exposure to solvents may increase the risk. In this new study, U.S. researchers interviewed 99 pairs of elderly twins about their lifetime occupations and hobbies. Exposure to TCE was associated with a sixfold increased risk of Parkinson's disease. Exposure to perchloroethylene (PERC) and carbon tetrachloride (CCI4) were also associated with increased risk. ... Read more

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Bicycle May Speed Up Parkinson's Diagnosis

Posted 7 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Oct. 7 – A patient's ability to ride a bicycle can help doctors determine whether the patient has Parkinson's disease or atypical parkinsonism, regardless of the terrain or riding situation, a new study indicates. Atypical parkinsonism includes disorders that appear similar to Parkinson's disease but respond differently to treatment. It was already known that patients with atypical parkinsonism lose the ability to cycle early in their illness, while Parkinson's patients can still ride well. But it wasn't known if this "bicycle sign" was universally applicable across the varieties of riding environments or situations in different countries. In this study, Japanese researchers assessed the reliability of the "bicycle sign" in their country, which has hilly, narrow roads crowded with cars. They found that 88.9 percent of Japanese patients with atypical parkinsonism stopped cycling ... Read more

Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease, Parkinsonian Tremor, Parkinsonism

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