Parkinson's Research

[Gregory Matthews]

SDA, Dr. Ann Liebert has won an award for her research into Parkinson’s Disease, see:

https://record.adventistchurch.com/2022/08/29/sydney-adventist-hospital-researcher-wins-prestigious-award/

[phkrause]

Breaking News: Parkinson's Disease Biomarker Found

In an enormous leap forward in the understanding of Parkinson’s disease (PD), researchers have discovered a new tool that can reveal a key pathology of the disease: abnormal alpha-synuclein — known as the “Parkinson’s protein” — in brain and body cells. The breakthrough, announced last night as it was published in the scientific journal The Lancet Neurology, opens a new chapter for research, with the promise of a future where every person living with Parkinson’s can expect improved care and treatments — and newly diagnosed individuals may never advance to full-blown symptoms.   

https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/breaking-news-parkinsons-disease-biomarker-found?

[phkrause]

Playing football linked with higher odds of Parkinson's disease

Men who play organized football have higher odds of developing Parkinson's disease or Parkinson's-like symptoms, researchers wrote Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open.

https://www.axios.com/2023/08/11/football-risk-parkinsons-disease?

[phkrause]

A man with Parkinson's who was unable to walk without falling is enjoying Sunday strolls again thanks to a spine implant

A man diagnosed with Parkinson's disease almost 30 years ago who could barely walk on his own can now climb stairs and go out independently again thanks to a potentially revolutionary device implanted in his spinal cord.

https://www.insider.com/spine-stimulator-implant-helps-parkinsons-disease-walk-2023-11

Spinal implant helps man with advanced Parkinson’s to walk without falling

Electrical stimulation improved his mobility, although researchers say that a larger study is needed to assess the device.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03452-1

Parkinson's 101

There is no simple way to deal with the life-changing event of a Parkinson’s diagnosis. The good news: Most people find acceptance and quality of life after the initial adjustment period.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/parkinsons-101

Understanding Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a neurological condition that affects the brain and other parts of the nervous system. The gradual loss of nerve cells leads to a suite of characteristic motor and non-motor symptoms. What causes these cells to die and how the pathology develops in the nervous system are not yet clear but multiple lines of investigation are being pursued to answer these questions. In this animation, we explore some of the latest in Parkinson's disease research.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

[phkrause]

🧠 Brain pacemaker for Parkinson's

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

An implant that responds to brain signals in real time was shown to ease symptoms of Parkinson's disease instantaneously in a limited trial of whether the technology can help patients as they go about their daily lives, Axios' Maya Goldman writes. Why it matters: It's an example of how deep brain stimulation combined with artificial intelligence can track a patient's brain activity for tremors, limb stiffness and other features of a condition diagnosed in almost 90,000 people in the U.S. each year. How it works: The approach developed by UC San Francisco researchers differs from conventional deep brain stimulation treatments that deliver constant electric currents and can lead to unwanted side effects. It uses algorithms that sense motor symptoms and produce a personally tailored level of brain stimulation to prevent them. The new technology reduced involuntary movements and other symptoms by 50% in four patients who had Parkinson's for at least 10 years, researchers wrote yesterday in Nature. Reality check: The technology doesn't change the trajectory of the underlying disease.

[phkrause]

Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre says he has Parkinson’s disease

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he told a congressional committee Tuesday.

https://apnews.com/article/brett-favre-parkinsons-congress-mississippi-welfare-fraud-4d1635ac54ee5ab156fd2825fcd29430?

[phkrause]

Parkinson's Disease May Soon Outpace Dementia: What to Know

April 11, 2025 – Two incurable diseases loom over our aging populace: Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Right now, Alzheimer's is more common and seems a more widespread concern than the relatively narrow shadow cast by Parkinson's.

https://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/news/20250411/parkinsons-disease-may-soon-outpace-dementia-what-to-know?

[phkrause]

What to Know About Parkinson’s Symptoms in Adults

Parkinson’s disease starts in the brain. Certain nerve cells break down or die. As a result, the levels of dopamine, a chemical in your brain, begin to fall. When your dopamine levels decrease, it causes your brain to act in unusual ways and leads to impaired movement, among other things.

https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/what-to-know-about-parkinsons-symptoms-in-adults?