PARKINSON'S DISEASE FOUNDATION FUNDS ELEVEN NEW PROJECTS

11th July 2011 - News release

The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation has announced awards totalling more than $1 million for 11 novel research projects, which they claim are "designed to understand the cause(s) of and find a cure for Parkinson’s disease." The research ranges from basic science investigations to studies of potential new therapies and symptomatic relief.

The primary cause of Parkinson's Disease is the insufficient formation of dopamine in the dopaminergic neurons, which are the brain cells specialised in producing dopamine. Yet most of the projects are quite remote from this basic biochemistry of Parkinson's Disease. One of them aims at studying "the role of norepinephrine" and "the potential of norepinephrine-targeted therapies to treat" Parkinson's Disease. However, norepinephrine is not produced by the cells affected in Parkinson's Disease, and the formation or lack of formation of norepinephrine has never been shown to cause Parkinson's Disease. Another project is to assess "the role of the mitochondria in Parkinson’s" Disease using "Transparent Zebrafish". The mitochondria is the energy producing part of all brain cells. It is not directly involved in dopamine formation, and its deficiency has never been shown to cause Parkinson's Disease. Another project concerns the "Identification of Genes for Parkinson's Disease in an Isolated Greek Community". However, genetic mutations have only ever been proven to make Parkinson's Disease more likely in a small number of people. Other studies include looking at the use of "Electrical Stimulation", "Identification of Neuroprotective Factors in Tobacco", generating "interest in Parkinson’s research and patient care among basic scientists and clinicians", and "Small Aromatic Molecules as Novel Inhibitors of Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation".

A THIRD OF PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE HAVE DYSPHAGIA

14th July 2011 - New research

Dysphagia [2011] 26 (1) : 92-96 (Walker RW, Dunn JR, Gray WK.)

A third of people with Parkinson's Disease have been found to experience dysphagia. Dysphagia is difficulty with swallowing. This can cause eating and drinking problems, and more seriously causes choking, which can be fatal.  The reason why dysphagia is so common in Parkinson's Disease is that the insufficient dopamine in Parkinson's Disease can affect all muscles, including those needed for swallowing, of which there are many. In Parkinson's Disease dysphagia has been found to be unrelated to age, gender or duration of Parkinson's Disease. However, dysphagia is very common in those people with sever motor skills. Although Parkinson's Disease underlies the problem in many cases, there are practical means of dealing with dysphagia. The recently published "Swallow Safely", which is "A caregiver's guide to recognition, treatment, and prevention" deals with the problem, particularly as it relates to Parkinson's Disease.  For information about DYSPHAGIA:

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/dysph.html

DUAL LAYER L-DOPA CLINICAL TRIAL RESULTS

16th July 2011 - New research

Movement Disorders [2011] Jul 13 [Epub ahead of print] (R.A.Hauser, A.L.Ellenbogen, L.V.Metman, A.Hsu, M.J. O'Connell, N.B.Modi, H.M.Yao, S.H.Kell, S.K.Gupta)

L-dopa combined with carbidopa usually comes in two different forms : either the immediate release version (such as Regular Sinemet), which satisfies the immediate need for L-dopa, or the controlled release version (such as Sinemet CR), which avoids the excessive effects of L-dopa by spreading out the effects of the L-dopa over time.

Dual layer L-dopa combines the two types of L-dopa and carbidopa - an immediate release form and a controlled release form, all in the same tablet. Dual layer L-dopa is consequently being developed as a possible replacement for Sinemet and Sinemet CR. Dual layer L-dopa (IPX054) was shown to be slightly more effective than conventional forms of L-dopa, despite having to be taken only twice a day instead of throughout the day. Dual layer L-dopa (IPX066) increased L-dopa levels at the same rate as immediate release L-dopa and carbidopa, and also provided more sustained L-dopa concentrations. It also substantially reduced the variability in plasma concentrations of L-dopa, despite being taken less often.

NEWLY DISCOVERED FORM OF GENETIC PARKINSON'S DISEASE

19th July 2011 - New research

American Journal of Human Genetics [2011] 89 (1) : 162-167 (Vilariño-Güell C, et al) 
American Journal of Human Genetics [2011] 89 (1) : 168-175 (Zimprich A, et al)

A new form of genetic Parkinson's Disease called VPS35 has been discovered by two different lots of researchers. One of the studies concerned a Swiss family and other families who have late-onset Parkinson's Disease. The Swiss family has tremor-predominant L-dopa responsive Parkinsonism with an average of onset at 50 years old. The other study concerned an Austrian family with 16 affected individuals and others with an average of onset at 53 years old.
The VPS35 gene produces a protein called VPS35 (Vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 35). The function of VPS35 is known, but it is not explained how this function not taking place causes Parkinson's Disease symptoms. Unlike other genetic causes of Parkinson's Disease, VPS35 appears to eventually cause Parkinson's Disease symptoms rather than make them more likely.

Although Parkinson's Disease uncommonly has a genetic cause or increased likelihood, the prevalence of genetic Parkinson's Disease is not known, and may be more than is assumed. This is because there are a variety of genetic causes of Parkinson's Disease, and most people are never tested for them. Therefore, there are many people with Parkinson's Disease who have unknowingly been inclined, but not inevitably, to develop Parkinson's Disease all their life.