More Than Meets the Eye: Managing the Vision Symptoms of PD

Do you or a loved one find it difficult to see in the rain, or find that colors seem less vibrant? Perhaps the eyes feel drier than usual? Dr. Daniel Gold of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine tell us that, “while we do not usually think of issues like these as part of Parkinson’s ... they can be a part of the disease.” The good news? He adds that, “most vision symptoms of PD are fairly easy to diagnose — and easy to treat.”

 

Do you or a loved one find it difficult to see in the rain, or find that colors seem less vibrant? Perhaps the eyes feel drier than usual? Dr. Daniel Gold of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine tell us that, “while we do not usually think of issues like these as part of Parkinson’s ... they can be a part of the disease.” The good news? He adds that, “most vision symptoms of PD are fairly easy to diagnose — and easy to treat.”

By Daniel Gold, D.O.

Do you, or does a person you know who lives with Parkinson’s disease (PD), experience problems with vision? Maybe it is difficult to see in the rain, or maybe it’s that colors seem less vibrant. Perhaps the eyes feel drier than usual. We do not usually think of issues like these as part of Parkinson’s, which is known primarily as a movement disorder. However, the fact is that they can be a part of the disease, and can affect everyday activities like driving and reading. Fortunately, most vision symptoms of PD are fairly easy to diagnose — and easy to treat.

The Eye-Brain Connection in PD 

How does a neurological disease like Parkinson’s affect vision? The front of the eye is only the beginning of the complex system that allows us to see. After light enters the front of the eye, images are focused onto the back — that is, the retina. From there, the optic nerve carries visual information to the brain. In PD, changes in the eyeball itself, as well as changes in its connections to the brain, can lead to vision issues. For a person with PD to maintain healthy vision, it is important to undergo an annual eye exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist to catch issues early on.

Common Vision Issues in PD

Most people with PD have normal or near-normal vision. However, they may experience a variety of bothersome issues which, together, can impact visual function. Here are some of the common ones.

Central and Color Vision

As we age, our ability to perceive contrast diminishes, and this impairment can be more severe in people who have PD. Many people with PD may have trouble seeing fine details — for example, seeing signs when driving, or while reading or watching TV. These complaints can be present even for people whose vision tests are normal during a routine eye exam.

Examples of contrast vision impairment include blurring of the edges of objects such as stairs, which can lead to a missed step or a fall, or difficulty seeing clearly at night. In addition, a person with PD may find that colors seem less vibrant. It turns out that some cells in the retina rely on levodopa, the precursor to dopamine that gets depleted in PD. When this occurs, the results can include dullness of color vision and poor contrast vision.

Unfortunately, there is no good treatment for color vision issues. To address contrast vision impairment, first take care of any other eye health issues, and then ensure that the prescription for eyeglasses is correct. People with PD who experience balance problems should avoid using progressive, bifocal and trifocal lenses. People with poor balance rely heavily on vision and tend to look down while walking. If they are wearing progressives or bi/trifocals, and use the reading (bottom) portion of their glasses to follow their feet, the visual correction at that distance will be incorrect. This can lead to disorientation and aggravate balance issues, leading to falls.

Eye Movement

In daily life, when we need to keep our eyes focused on an object as it moves closer to us, we use a process known as convergence. It is common for people with PD to have trouble doing so because of “convergence insufficiency.” They may experience double vision, headaches, eyestrain or blurred vision. While reading, they may lose their place, feel tired, or find that words appear to move on the page. Or they may need to constantly adjust the distance of reading material from the eyes.

A neurologist, ophthalmologist or neuro-ophthalmologist can diagnose convergence insufficiency and other eye movement disorders, and prescribe a therapy. One such therapy consists of home exercises known as “pencil push-ups” — holding a pencil at arm’s length and bringing it to the nose, while trying to keep the tip in focus.

A quick fix for convergence issues experienced with reading is to cover one eye, or to put Scotch tape over one lens of reading glasses, so only one eye is used at a time. Another option involves the use of prisms placed in reading glasses (not distance glasses).

People with PD may receive a recommendation for vision therapy for ocular motor dysfunction. While evidence supports its efficacy for convergence insufficiency, there is no evidence it helps other eye issues. It can be expensive and is sometimes not covered by insurance; so be wary of what is being treated and covered.

Other common eye movement abnormalities in PD include impairments in processes known as saccades and smooth pursuit. Saccades are the quick eye movements a person makes, for example, to switch focus from one bird in the sky to another. In PD, saccades tend to undershoot the intended target. Smooth pursuit refers to slow eye movements involved in tracking objects, for example, following a bird as it flies across the sky, and in PD it may be more choppy than smooth. There are no good treatments for these issues, but they are usually very subtle.

Blinking and Dry Eye

Keeping the front of the eye moist is essential for good vision. Tears help the eye to see clearly, stay protected and move freely. Blinking helps squeeze out tears and distribute them in a moist layer on the eye.

With PD, people tend to produce fewer tears and blink less often. Some of the medications that are used to treat PD — for example, trihexyphenidyl (Artane®) — can contribute to dry eye. The problem may be exacerbated further by health issues, such as menopause or autoimmune disease. Other culprits include contact lenses, effects of eye surgeries and allergies. The result is that people with PD often have symptoms of irritation on the surface of the eye — dry eyes, a gritty or sandy feeling, burning, redness or crusting on the lashes.

These problems can be diagnosed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. The first line of treatment is to use artificial tears (eye drops — preferably, preservative free) three or four times a day and more in addition as needed (e.g., while reading or watching television). If the problem is serious, the eye care professional may advise a prescription medication. For inflamed eyelids known as blepharitis, your doctor may recommend using hot compresses or lid scrubs (a liquid or pre-packaged pad that you place on the eye) to ease discomfort and keep the eye clear.

Less Common Vision Changes in PD

Some people with PD experience visual hallucinations as part of the disease. Usually hallucinations are not threatening; for example, a person might see a cat out of the corner of the eye. They occur more often in people with PD who experience daytime sleepiness, insomnia or cognitive difficulties, and among those whose PD is advanced. Almost all PD medications are able to produce or exacerbate hallucinations, although amantadine, pramipexole (Mirapex®), rotigotine (Neupro®) and ropinirole (Requip®) are the biggest culprits. People with mild hallucinations can often be helped with reassurance. If hallucinations are moderate to severe, medications should be evaluated and people with PD and their doctors can consider adding a medication to ease hallucinations.

Lastly, there is literature to suggest that people with PD may be at higher risk for certain non-neurologic eye diseases — a type of cataract called “posterior subcapsular cataract,” and primary open-angle glaucoma. An ophthalmologist or optometrist can detect these conditions.

Keeping the Vision Clear

What can a person with PD do to maintain good vision and ease the symptoms discussed above? The most important thing is to have an annual eye exam and follow any tips that are suggested by the doctor. This means that symptoms will be addressed early on to ensure the best quality of life. Good vision is essential to doing the things we want and need to do and luckily, most vision difficulties in PD can be easily diagnosed and treated.

Daniel Gold, D.O., is Assistant Professor of Neurology, Ophthalmology, Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He presented this topic as a PD ExpertBriefing, which is available online at www.pdf.org/parkinsononline.

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Vision Care Professionals

An ophthalmologist or optometrist can diagnose and treat most vision difficulties that affect people with PD, and refer you to a neuro-ophthalmologist if further evaluation is needed.

• Optician: Not a doctor; makes glasses.


• Optometrist (O.D.): four years of optometry school after college; examines eyes, does vision tests, prescribes glasses and certain medications.


• Ophthalmologist (M.D. or D.O.): a doctor with four years of medical school, plus four additional years of ophthalmology training; diagnoses and treats eye diseases, prescribes and fits glasses.


• Neuro-ophthalmologist (M.D. or D.O.): a neurologist or ophthalmologist (training in either neurology or ophthalmology and then fellowship training in neuro-ophthalmology) who specializes in diseases that affect the visual pathways connecting the eyes to the brain, disorders of the eye muscles or nerves that can cause double vision or other symptoms, eyelid issues, jumping vision or nystagmus, pupillary abnormalities, among others.
• http://www.pdf.org/summer15_managing_the_vision_symptoms?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=general

How Cannabis works with Dystonia

Dystonia is a rare, barely understood neurological movement disorder.  It can be caused by physical trauma, particularly to the brain, as well as by certain classes of drugs, known as antipsychotics, used to treat certain kinds of severe mental illness.  Other neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s, which cause brain deterioration, can also create what are called “dystonic effects,” – also known as extreme rigidity of muscles.

There were almost no formal studies about the impact of medical marijuana on Dystonia before 2000, and as of now, there are very few published academic or medical reports that either users or their caregivers can access easily.  Furthermore, conventionally used, widely administered drugs to treat the condition, including Baclafen, as well as Botox injections, often do not work, are highly expensive, and many patients report severe allergic reactions to the same.

That is the bad news.  The good news is that medical marijuana (with the THC attached) works, like a dream, for many if not most Dystonia patients, if they can get it.  It is perhaps the most effective and therefore important pharmacological tool available for managing the condition in any effective, long term manner.

Dystonia is characterized not only by constant spasming and contorting muscles, but also neuropathic pain that accompanies the same.  It can appear in just about any extremity, including hands.  Painful and disabling dystonias can occur in the neck, shoulder and facial areas – preventing those who suffer untreated of the ability to walk, speak or move.  Medical pot cannot “cure” this condition or its downside effects.  That said, in many cases, it can almost completely remove the pain, and in many cases, literally cause the muscles themselves to relax and unclench to the point that even severely disabled patients are able to move and function normally.

Finding doctors who are informed enough about this condition, not to mention who will help desperate patients obtain the drug in the UK is not an easy task.  The best thing to do is contact a legal cannabinoid maker (such as GW Pharmaceuticals) and try to obtain Sativex – the mouth spray made from the whole cannabis plant.  Marinol, a generic drug made from synthetic THC also works but it is hard to find and expensive in the UK.  CBD seems to provide some relief from some of the muscle spasming that is characteristic of the condition, although not as much as when combined with high levels of THC.   CBD also does not provide relief from the pain that still seems to be residual in many patients after treatment with cannabinoids that exclude THC.

http://www.medicalmarijuana.co.uk/how-cannabis-works-with-dystonia/

Nature Walks May Be Good for Your Brain, Study Finds

FoxFeed Blog

Posted by  Nancy Ryerson, July 07, 2015

Picture yourself taking a leisurely walk along a wooded path, sun peeking through the trees. Feel relaxed already? Several recent studies suggest that spending time outdoors has both mental and physical benefits. The latest one takes that research a step further: it used a brain scan to capture nature's effect on how we think.

In the study, researchers asked 38 residents of an urban area to take a walk. Half strolled through a natural area, while the other half walked along a busy road.

Before and after the study, participants filled out a survey that aimed to capture their thinking patterns. In particular, the surveys measured participants' tendency toward rumination. That style of often negative, inward-looking thinking is linked with a higher depression risk.

Participants also had their brains scanned before and after the walk.

The results? Questionnaires revealed that the participants who took a nature walk changed their thinking pattern. Brain scans matched those improved moods.

“This provides robust results for us that nature experience, even of a short duration, can decrease this pattern of thinking that is associated with the onset, in some cases, of mental illnesses like depression,” Gregory Bratman, the lead author of the study, told The Washington Post.

More research is needed to learn more about the link between nature walks and improved mental health. Exercise already provides a health boost, though, so there's already a strong case for taking your walk through the park.

Want to enjoy the benefits of a nature walk while meeting members of the Parkinson's community and supporting critical research? Meet up with Sam Fox (no relation to Michael) and fellow supporters as Tour de Fox makes its way across the country this summer. Many of the hikes require no hiking experience -- just a good pair of a shoes and love of the outdoors.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?nature-walks-may-be-good-for-your-brain-study-finds

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Nature Walks May Help Reduce Stress and Depression

By Jesse Singal

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This is not one of those counterintuitive, huh-that-doesn't-make-sense studies: New research in the journal Ecopsychology suggests that group nature walks may be an effective means of cheering people up and reducing their stress levels.

The University of Michigan press release accompanying the study explains that researchers "evaluated 1,991 participants from the Walking for Health program in England, which helps facilitate nearly 3,000 weekly walks and draws more than 70,000 regular walkers a year."

Here's what they found:

People who had recently experienced stressful life events like a serious illness, death of a loved one, marital separation or unemployment especially saw a mood boost after outdoor group walks.

“We hear people say they feel better after a walk or going outside but there haven’t been many studies of this large size to support the conclusion that these behaviors actually improve your mental health and well-being,” says senior author Sara Warber, M.D., associate professor of family medicine at the U-M Medical School and member of the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.

Given that exercise and social interaction are both natural mood-boosters, it shouldn't come as a shock that combining the two is effective as well. But this is still a useful reminder that how we plan our cities can have psychological consequences (when you live in megasprawl, it's not easy to get to nature), and that while severe depression or anxiety can't simply be walked away, there are basic everyday things that most people can do to feel a little bit happier.

http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/09/nature-walks-as-antidepressants.html

These photos could change the way the world sees Parkinson’s forever

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 17 April 2015

Anders M. Leines is on a mission to give Parkinson’s a ‘total makeover’ – one image at a time

Anders M. Leines – a video journalist by profession – has turned to the art of the still image to capture younger, ‘early-onset’ Parkinson’s patients in a series of portraits that are at once poignant and celebratory. As his exhibition This is Parkinson’s tours his home country of Norway, ahead of a visit to the US – and then hopefully more countries around the world – Parkinson’s Life speaks to him about his own experience of the disease, and why he’s so intent on changing the perception of Parkinson’s.

When were you diagnosed with Parkinson’s?

Six years ago, I just ran out of energy at work. My colleagues could tell I was struggling. After some months they asked our work doctor to examine me because I was no longer the same. He referred me to a neurologist. My wife had seen how my right arm was no longer swinging as it should, so I was more surprised than her to receive the diagnosis. I thought it would pass. But Parkinson’s doesn’t pass. That’s where the big challenge lies.

Has it affected your work as a cameraman?

I work at my own pace, more independently than before, with longer deadlines and less stress – and that’s important when you have Parkinson’s.

How important have your family and friends been in supporting you?

Enormously important. Annika, my wife, grew up with her father struggling with both multiple sclerosis and cancer, so unlike me she knows from experience what chronic disease can do to a family. Her father died when she was 17. Her experience with life’s challenges is of great value to our family now. The disease has brought so many wonderful people into my life. The people I photographed for This is Parkinson’s were, or have since become, close friends.

“Sometimes he cannot even eat, but other times he can do anything. He’s almost like Superman and Clark Kent” – Tommy, 47

Why did you decide to embark on the photography project?

The idea is to give the image of Parkinson’s disease a ‘total makeover’. There is huge potential for better and more powerful storytelling within the Parkinson’s community. In medical textbooks, as well as in the media, people with Parkinson’s (PwPs) are traditionally depicted as tiptoeing, shaking and stooping seniors with whispering voices and a staring glare, imparting the impression of an apathetic or asocial person who lacks empathy and is uninterested in taking part in normal social interplay. This image is of no help to the patient as it fosters prejudice.

How does your exhibition challenge the stereotype?

This exhibition showcases proud people with their emotions and abilities, including self-respect and humour, intact. They are different from each other just like everyone else. Some have little children. They are young. They are vulnerable. They have dreams. They want action and they are willing to contribute.

“People don´t understand my speech. I’ve been thrown out of the store because they thought I was drunk” – Heidi, 40

Why did you decide to focus on those with early-onset Parkinson’s?

Firstly, it is something not many are aware of. Secondly, I myself am ‘young’. And thirdly their story is more powerful: they are only at the start of a long journey. These people and their families could have had such a different future if better treatment was available.

How did you choose your subjects – and how easy was it to find people who were willing to be photographed?

Finding the people was surprisingly easy. Especially the boys! The Norges Parkinsonforbund (the Norwegian Parkinson’s Disease Association) helped a lot. I was looking for people under 50. But ‘Mr Tattoo boy’ (Eivind, below) was just too good looking to be excluded!

“It’s like with the bullfighter and the bull. When the bull came into the arena, it was him and I. The battle is lifelong and the outcome fair. I know I cannot kill him” – Eivind, 56

What would you like to see happen as a result of the exhibition?

I hope to give courage to the patients and their families, to have an influence on the priorities of politicians, scientists and the medical community. I also hope that this campaign or similar campaigns will spread to other countries.

Why is it so important to you to show the exhibition outside of Norway?

I think the need for patients to stand up and give Parkinson’s a face is perhaps even more urgent elsewhere. Last year, I went on the Unity Walk in Luxembourg. Speaking to a representative from the Spanish Parkinson’s Association about my project she said, “We have no celebrities in Spain that we can use to create awareness.” I said: “But these are ordinary PwPs!” She replied, “Yes, but normal people in Spain don’t want to display their disease.”

Is there not so much stigma attached to Parkinson’s in Norway?

In Norway displaying illness is not so stigmatised as in many other countries, but I believe the international Parkinson’s community should be doing something similar to the exhibition. It’s about bettering the quality of life for people with disabilities in general. Changing attitudes. And that was one of the reasons why the (Norwegian) Ministry of Health decided to support this project.

What is the Parkinson’s community like in Norway in comparison to other places around the world?

We have a long tradition of promoting individual rights and values. The Parkinson’s patient community here has a stronger focus on young PwPs than what is common in most other countries and it’s paying off by benefiting the entire community.

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To see the gallery go to:

http://parkinsonslife.eu/these-photos-could-change-the-way-the-world-sees-parkinsons-forever/

Adamas Completes Recruitment of Its Phase 3 EASE LID Study

EMERYVILLE, Calif., July 9, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADMS) today announced the completion of recruitment of its Phase 3 EASE LID study. EASE LID is a confirmatory trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ADS-5102 for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), a motor complication associated with the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

"This important achievement brings us one step closer to our goal of filing a New Drug Application in 2016 for ADS-5102 for the treatment of LID," said Gregory T. Went, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "With recruitment of this Phase 3 study now complete, we are on track to announce top-line results in the first quarter of 2016."

EASE LID, which is enrolling approximately 120 individuals, is a 26-week multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessing the efficacy of a 340 mg dose of ADS-5102 administered once daily at bedtime. The primary endpoint of EASE LID is a reduction in dyskinesia assessed by change from baseline to week 12 in UDysRS (a tool that assesses the disability and impairment of LID in Parkinson's disease) with a key secondary endpoint being change in ON time without troublesome dyskinesia as measured by patient diaries. Safety and tolerability are also being assessed.

Comprehensive Registration Program

In addition to EASE LID, Adamas has two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials of ADS-5102 for the treatment of LID in individuals with Parkinson's disease. These clinical trials were initiated following the completion of a Phase 2/3 study.

Completed Phase 2/3 Trial

• EASED, a randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-center study, evaluated patients with Parkinson's disease experiencing troublesome LID. Patients were randomized to receive placebo or to one of three dose levels of ADS-5102. As previously reported, ADS-5102 at 340 mg/day significantly reduced LID as measured by change in UDysRS over eight weeks versus placebo (primary endpoint, p=0.005). In addition, ADS-5102 increased ON time without troublesome dyskinesia by 3.8 hours, with 2.7 hours coming from a reduction in ON time with troublesome dyskinesia.   Data also suggested that ADS-5102 was generally well tolerated and reported adverse events were consistent with Parkinson's disease and the known amantadine safety profile. 

Ongoing Phase 3 Studies

• EASE LID 3, which is estimated to enroll approximately 70 patients. The 13-week multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will assess the efficacy of a 340 mg dose of ADS-5102 administered once daily at bedtime. The primary endpoint of EASE LID 3 is a reduction in dyskinesia assessed by changes in UDysRS with a key secondary endpoint being change in ON time without troublesome dyskinesia as measured by patient diaries.
• EASE LID 2, an open-label safety study, which is also open to patients from EASED, EASE LID and EASE LID 3. 

Parkinson's Disease and Levodopa-induced Dyskinesia (LID)

Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive motor disorder that causes a variety of symptoms, such as tremors, rigidity, slowed movements and postural instability. The most commonly prescribed treatments for Parkinson's disease are levodopa-based therapies. In the body, levodopa is converted to dopamine to replace the dopamine loss caused by the disease. Patients initially receive relief from symptoms of Parkinson's disease for much of the day. This period of relief is known as ON time. As the effects of levodopa wear off, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease return. This is known as OFF time. 

As Parkinson's disease progresses, most patients require increasing doses of levodopa to achieve equivalent therapeutic benefit. Patients may also experience symptoms of their disease upon waking, prior to the first dose of levodopa taking effect. Over time, many patients will suffer from LID, a condition characterized by involuntary movements without purpose. LID can become severely disabling, rendering patients unable to perform routine daily tasks. As Parkinson's disease advances, the symptoms of LID worsen in frequency and severity. Eventually the total time that a patient spends ON with LID can become a majority of his or her day.

About ADS-5102 

Adamas' most advanced wholly owned product candidate is ADS-5102 (amantadine HCl), an extended-release version of amantadine that is administered once daily at bedtime.  ADS-5102 is designed to achieve higher plasma concentrations in the early morning, sustained throughout the afternoon, and lower concentrations in the evening. Adamas is currently evaluating ADS-5102 in Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) associated with Parkinson's disease and in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of major symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis in patients with walking impairment. There are currently no approved drugs in the United States or Europe for the treatment of LID.

About Adamas Pharmaceuticals

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company driven to improve the lives of those affected by chronic disorders of the central nervous system. The company achieves this by modifying the pharmacokinetic profiles of approved drugs to create novel therapeutics for use alone or in fixed-dose combination products. Adamas is currently developing ADS-5102, its lead wholly-owned product candidate, for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) associated with Parkinson's disease and for the treatment of major symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis in patients with walking impairment. The company's portfolio also includes two approved products with Forest Laboratories Holdings Limited (a subsidiary of Allergan plc), Namzaric™ and Namenda XR®. Forest is responsible for marketing both products in the United States under an exclusive license from Adamas. For more information, please visit www.adamaspharma.com.

Namenda XR® is a registered trademark of Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Namzaric™ is a trademark of Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA. 

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements contained in this press release include expectations regarding the potential for ADS-5102 in levodopa-induced dyskinesia and other indications, the progress associated with our clinical trials and the potential timing of results from our EASE LID study and the filing of our New Drug Application. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions, or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in forward-looking statements, including risks relating to research, clinical and development activities of ADS-5102, challenges associated with clinical trials including delays in enrollment and completion of our studies, and failure to demonstrate safety and efficacy of ADS-5102, as well as risks relating to Adamas' business in general, see Adamas' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 13, 2015. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release.  Adamas undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement in this press release.

CONTACT: For questions, please contact:
         
         Julie Wood
         Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
         Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
         Phone: 510-450-3528

http://health.einnews.com/article/275117061/Ja5Az66BFiAO9myj

Billy Connolly talks Parkinson's, Robin Williams, and his new film

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press
Published Thursday, July 9, 2015 7:29AM EDT 

TORONTO -- Three weeks before he was to start shooting his new film, "What We Did On Our Holiday," Scottish star Billy Connolly got a wallop of bad news.

On the same day in September 2013, within a span of hours, he received two major diagnoses: that he had Parkinson's disease and early-stage prostate cancer.

Connolly underwent surgery to remove the cancer and never considered pulling out of the film. In fact, he didn't even tell writer-director duo Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin about his Parkinson's diagnosis, he said.

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• Billy Connolly discovered Parkinson's disease after fan pointed out 'strange gait'

"It didn't change anything at all," the 72-year-old comedy legend said in a recent telephone interview, noting he had very few Parkinson's symptoms at the time.

"I think they thought I was just getting old, when I sat down a lot, which is quite right. I am getting old."

Connolly even joked that his condition "was very useful" for his role as an ailing grandfather who gets a visit from his son and his fractured family to celebrate his 75th birthday in the Scottish Highlands.

Rosamund Pike and David Tennant play parents who have separated but don't want their extended family to know. Emilia Jones, Bobby Smalldridge and Harriet Turnbull are standouts as their children; Connolly said they deftly handled dialogue that involved a lot of ad-libbing.

The sweet comedy, which was inspired by the BBC show "Outnumbered," opens at Toronto's Cineplex Varsity Cinemas and Vancouver's Cineplex Fifth Avenue Cinemas on Friday.

Connolly's character has an attitude of acceptance and humour about his illness, which also reflects the way the actor feels.

He said he's just as enthusiastic about life as ever, noting he was once asked by a woman if he wanted to join a society supporting the right to die and his response was an emphatic "No" (preceded by an unprintable expletive).

"You must never give these things an even break, because you certainly find they overwhelm you, and it's all people want to talk about," he said from his home on the Maltese island of Gozo, where he likes to draw.

"You become defined by it. But I've had 45, 50 years without (Parkinson's), so I can get along just fine, thank you very much. And I find it very interesting, especially in my comedy life, because my mind works differently. It works at a different speed and I find it very exciting."

The late comedy star Robin Williams, who was Connolly's good friend, was said to be suffering from the early stages of Parkinson's disease -- as well as depression and anxiety -- before he committed suicide in August 2014.

Connolly said he spoke with Williams shortly before his death and he "knew there was something wrong."

"He kept saying that he loved me and asking if I believed him and I said, 'Of course I believe you. Don't be daft,"' said Connolly.

"My wife's a psychologist and afterward she said, 'I think that was him saying goodbye."'

Connolly said he met Williams in Canada in the 1970s when they were in the studio at the same time for tapings of a talk show.

"He's got me going to church, the bugger," said Connolly of Williams.

"Well, I don't go and pray, I go and light a candle for him. And my sister died a couple of weeks ago, so I light two candles.

"It really appeals to me, the flame burning when you leave the building, you know?"

In October, Connolly will take his ad-libbed standup comedy High Horse Tour to Canada.

He said his memory isn't as good as it used to be, so he doesn't reminisce onstage as much anymore. He also asks audience members to remind him of stuff.

"Sometimes I pick people, individuals, and I say, 'You, you're my memory tonight,"' said Connolly. "They love it."

http://health.einnews.com/article/275033512/XsqB4Cll8VMAX8CQ