Back to the Future Day,’ Michael J. Fox imagines a world without Parkinson’s

On ‘Back to the Future Day,’ Michael J. Fox imagines a world without Parkinson’s

10/21/15 

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On 'Back to the Future Day,' Michael J. Fox imagines a world without Parkinson's: http://on.msnbc.com/1LGary5

Thirty years ago, Michael J. Fox would never have believed you if you told him he’d be talking cell biology instead of talking on a cell phone. For the actor who played time-traveler Marty McFly in the “Back to the Future” series, a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) wasn’t something he saw coming from the driver’s seat of his DeLorean.

But on Back to the Future Day – October 21, 2015, the “future” in the 1989 hit “Back to the Future Part II” – Fox knows one thing for certain: One day, not just Parkinson’s disease but all neurological diseases will be no more than a memory. “And if we all eventually get hoverboards, well – that’s a bonus,” he quipped in an email open letter published by the White House on Wednesday morning.

With the subject line, “Today, we’re in the future,” Fox’s email boldly challenges his fellow Americans to imagine the world in which they want to live in the next three decades. While not everyone is destined to be a scientist studying the human brain, each of us can play a part, Fox asserts. 

“One reason Parkinson’s research has come so far in the past 15 years is that people and families living with the disease have stepped up as advocates and innovators themselves, working to build the future we all want,” he wrote.

In honor of Back to the Future Day, the CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Dr. Todd Sherer, spoke with MSNBC about what Fox himself described as “a future in which we can treat, cure, and even prevent brain diseases like Parkinson’s.”

MSNBC: Deep-brain stimulation, or DBS, is the only major new treatment to come along for Parkinson’s in the last two decades. Are new treatments around the corner? How is The Michael J. Fox Foundation leading the charge?

Sherer: In the nearly 200 years since Dr. James Parkinson first described this disease, patients’ greatest unmet need has remained the same: a treatment that can slow or stop the disease’s inexorable progression in the brain, not just temporarily alleviate symptoms (like levodopa, commercialized in 1967, and the gold-standard PD treatment to this day). 

Now, thanks in large part to the genetics revolution over the past 15 years, Parkinson’s researchers have seeded a rich pipeline of potentially disease-modifying drugs. Several are showing unprecedented promise and advancing through clinical trials closer to practical relevance for patients. A bevy of next-generation symptomatic therapies also are moving closer to market. 

RELATED: ‘Back to the Future’ cast reunites, remembers ‘monumental’ time together

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) drives these studies with financial support mostly from people with Parkinson’s disease and their families (over $525 million to date) and by working to solve field-wide problems that slow the pace of research. We’re sponsoring studies toward better, objective measures of disease that will allow us to identify individuals at risk and speed testing of new therapies. We’re galvanizing patients and families to greater engagement in research overall – from participating in traditional clinical studies to leveraging technology-enabled solutions to amplify the patient voice in setting research direction. 

MSNBC: Over the next 52 years, the senior population in this country is set to double. What impact will this have on Parkinson’s? Is it time to act with an increased urgency?

Sherer: The need for breakthrough Parkinson’s therapies is urgent. Age is the greatest risk factor for PD. Currently, one in 100 people over age 60 is diagnosed with PD; as our population grows older, this number will rise. Advances in PD also can have implications for other major brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s and ALS. Millions of people are counting on us to find cures, whether they know it yet or not.

RELATED: ‘Back to the Future’ Day: What the 1989 sequel got right about society

MSNBC: Today, Michael J. Fox said a cure for Parkinson’s will arrive by 2045. How do we know this is possible?

Sherer: The combination of explosive growth in our understanding of Parkinson’s disease, the development of new technologies with potential to speed drug development, and the increasing engagement of the patient community has moved us tangibly closer to our goal since the foundation opened its doors in 2000. Today, a therapy to intervene in the disease process within 30 years is a real possibility.

MSNBC: What can average Americans do to both raise awareness for and find a cure for Parkinson’s?

Sherer: Our foundation will fund over $70 million in research toward a cure for PD this year, but we see at least $150 million in worthwhile ideas every year. We are working hard to generate greater financial support for our mission – both from Parkinson’s families themselves and from philanthropists motivated to work with a high-impact, pioneering nonprofit. At the same time, we need to continue increasing the flow of volunteer participants, people with or without Parkinson’s, into the research process. More information on all the ways people can help is available at michaeljfox.org.

http://on.msnbc.com/1LGary5

'Nike Mag' from 'Back to the Future 2' sent to Michael J. Fox; auction will aid Parkinson's research

Nike decided that October 21, 2015, also known as "Back to the Future" Day, was the perfect time to unveil the "Nike Mag," the famous pair of Nikes -- with power laces -- that Marty McFly wore in "Back to the Future 2."

One of the company's most iconic designers, Tinker Hatfield, sent actor Michael J. Fox a pair on Wednesday. "As the first, most celebrated wearer of the Nike Mag we wanted you to be the first to receive a living pair," Hatfield, who has designed many of the company's Air Jordan sneakers, wrote. 

“We started creating something for fiction and we turned it into fact, inventing a new technology that will benefit all athletes,” Nike, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Parker posted on the company's website.

The 2015 Nike Mag is a limited edition release and will only be available via auction.  The company is planning on producing more to aid Fox's foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease.  Nike says specific details on the auctions will be posted via Twitter @Nike in spring 2016. 

Michael J. Fox models the first self-lacing @Nike Mag

http://health.einnews.com/article/292844469/U4Di-lRjLbFtENIe

Woman's 'Super Smell' Raises Parkinson's Hope

A former nurse's acute sense of smell sees the launch of a study which could ease the plight of thousands of sufferers.

A woman who can identify people with Parkinson's through her sense of smell has given rise to a study which could lead to early diagnosis of the disease and more effective treatment.

Joy Milne's own husband, Les, died earlier this year aged 65, after living with Parkinson's for more than 20 years.

Joy Milne with husband, Les, and their granddaughter. Pic: Parkinson's UK

Mrs Milne, 65, from Perth, told Sky News how up to six years before her husband was diagnosed with the disease she noticed how his smell had changed.

The former nurse said: "However, we weren't in contact with other people with Parkinson's so I didn't realise then that it was an individual smell to Parkinson's."It wasn't until we moved back to Scotland, to Perth, and we went to the Parkinson's group and when I went into the room, I thought 'Oh the smell is stronger'.

"I realised that then other people smelt."It could be strong with somebody, it could be weaker with somebody else, so that in actual fact whether they were controlled, or their disease was getting worse or their actual medication was working, I could actually identify."And as a result of Mrs Milne's super-smelling observations, new research is to be carried out aimed at identifying small molecules secreted by the skin that are believed to emit a subtle but individual odour from people in the early stages of Parkinson's.

Experts think the disease may cause a change in the sebum, an oily substance that keeps the skin supple, resulting in a unique smell.The researchers will analyse skin swabs to identify the small molecules found in people with Parkinson's, aimed at creating a diagnostic test.

The team will also use 'human detectors' - people with exceptional smelling abilities - to support the study.Professor Perdita Barran, who is leading the research at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), said: "The critical thing with what Joy did is that she noticed this smell change way before any of the motor symptoms or other symptoms associated with Parkinson's had kicked in.

"Early diagnosis is key to effective treatment, so that's going to be really useful for us."

One in 500 people in the UK have Parkinson's - which can leave people struggling to walk, speak and sleep - and has no cure or definitive diagnostic test.

Some 127,000 people in the UK live with the condition and 7.5 million worldwide.

Dr Arthur Roach, director of research at Parkinson's UK, which is funding the study, said: "Funding pioneering studies like this has the potential to throw Parkinson's into a completely new light."It's very early days in the research, but if it's proved there is a unique odour associated with Parkinson's, particularly early on in the condition, it could have a huge impact."

http://health.einnews.com/article/292837877/SMY9WEBgXpssx3yE
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22 Oct 2015

Scientists have begun research into if a person's odour can be used to diagnose Parkinson's after a "supersmeller" detected the disease by sniffing T-shirts.

Researchers from the University of Manchester will analyse skin swabs taken to discover if the debilitating disease changes chemicals found in the skin, according to Parkinson's UK.

The study was launched after a Scottish woman, Joy Milne, successfully identified sufferers by smelling T-shirts they had slept in. She could even detect subtle changes in smell in people who had not yet developed the condition.

Parkinson's - a disease of the central nervous system - causes progressive tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement. Currently there is no cure.

Coronal view of a patient brain suffering from Parkinson's disease

Sufferers include comedian Billy Connolly, 72, who was diagnosed in 2012.

Mrs Milne's husband Les died in June at the age of 65 after living with Parkinson's for 20 years.

Mrs Milne, 65, from Perth, said: "I've always had a keen sense of smell and I detected very early on that there was a very subtle change in how Les smelled. It's hard to describe but it was a heavy, slightly musky aroma. I had no idea that this was unusual and hadn't been recognised before.

"It's hard to describe but it was a heavy, slightly musky aroma. I had no idea that this was unusual and hadn't been recognised before"

- Joy Milne

"I watched with interest how research had uncovered distinctive smells associated with certain diagnoses and when I was attending a Parkinson's UK research lecture at the University of Edinburgh a few years ago I mentioned it to the researcher, Dr Tilo Kunath.

"Tilo was interested and together we worked out ways to see if I could detect it from other people with Parkinson's and not just Les. It turned out I could."

She made the link with Parkinson's only after meeting other sufferers and happened to mention it to a scientist at a talk, prompting tests which found her sense of smell was accurate.

Parkinson's UK, which is funding the research, hope to find a link which could lead to earlier diagnosis. The charity estimates there are around 127,000 people with the disease in the UK.

AT A GLANCE

Parkinson's disease

Symptoms

The three main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are:

         tremor (involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body)

         slow movement

         stiff and inflexible muscles

A person with Parkinson's disease can also experience a wide range of other physical and psychological symptoms, including depression, constipation, problems sleeping (insomnia), loss of sense of smell (anosmia) and memory problems

What causes it?

Parkinson's disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This leads to a reduction in the amount of a chemical called dopamine in the brain

Dopamine plays a vital role in regulating the movement of the body and a reduction in dopamine is responsible for many of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Exactly what causes the loss of nerve cells is unclear. Most experts think that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible

Who is affected?

It's thought that around one in 500 people are affected by Parkinson's disease, which means there are an estimated 127,000 people in the UK with the condition

Most people with Parkinson's start to develop symptoms when they are over 50, although around one in 20 people with the condition first experience symptoms when they are under 40. Men are more likely to get Parkinson's disease than women

How is it treated?

There is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease, although treatments are available to help reduce the main symptoms and maintain your quality of life for as long as possible

These include supportive treatments (such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy), medication and, in some cases, surgery

You may not need any treatment during the early stages of Parkinson's disease as symptoms are usually mild. However, you may need regular appointments with your specialist so that your condition can be monitored

Dr Arthur Roach, director of research at the charity, said: "Funding pioneering studies like this has the potential to throw Parkinson's into a completely new light.

"It's very early days in the research, but if it's proved there is a unique odour associated with Parkinson's, particularly early on in the condition, it could have a huge impact.

"Not just on early diagnosis, but it would also make it a lot easier to identify people to test drugs that may have the potential to slow, or even stop Parkinson's, something no current drug can achieve."

• Six hours of activity a week could protect against Parkinson's

• Changing how you walk could be key to Parkinson's diagnosis

Professor Perdita Barran of the University of Manchester will lead a team trying to identify differences in chemicals present on the skin surface of people with Parkinson's.

Scientists believe that Parkinson's may cause changes in the sebum - an oily substance in the skin - that results in a unique and subtle odour on the skin only detectable by people with a keen sense of smell.

The team will recruit up to 200 people with and without Parkinson's to have a skin swab taken and fill in a brief questionnaire, before the samples are analysed by the "supersmeller" and experts from the food and drink industry.

http://health.einnews.com/article/292888540/9jBeGuMxY0PulJD6

A new way to treat Parkinson's disease may be through your nose

Oct 22, 2015, 6:42am EDT

Senior author Dr. Benjamin S. Bleier, of the department of otolaryngology at Mass. Eye…

The findings, published in Neurosurgery, have created a buzz among scientists and researchers who have struggled to deliver necessary drugs to the brain for decades. The brain is equipped with what is known as the blood-brain barrier, a filtering mechanism of the capillaries that carries blood to the brain, but protects the brain from foreign substances.

Yet that protective mechanism creates a barrier for up to 98 percent of promising drugs that could be used to treat neurological conditions and other problems in the central nervous system.

Boston scientists have found a way around the issue through a technique known as nasal mucosal grafting.

“We are developing a platform that may eventually be used to deliver a variety of drugs to the brain,” said senior author Dr. Benjamin Bleier, of the department of otolaryngology at Mass. Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School, in a release. “Although we are currently looking at neurodegenerative disease, there is potential for the technology to be expanded to psychiatric diseases, chronic pain, seizure disorders and many other conditions affecting the brain and nervous system down the road.”

In research funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, researchers have discovered that they can remove some layers of the blood-brain barrier through endoscopic skull base surgery, a minimally invasive procedure that involves small incisions being made through natural body openings, such as the nose.

  

A nasal mucosal graft, used from nearby nasal lining, is then placed over the

opening to permanently rebuild the hole.

While this technique is normally used by ear, nose and throat specialists for other procedures involving endoscopic skull-based surgery, such as the removal of brain tumors, researchers discovered that the mucosa membrane is 1,000 times more permeable than the blood-brain barrier.

According to the local research team, surgeons can create a “screen door” of sorts that still protects the brain, but allows for drugs to pass into the brain and central nervous system. Using this technique, researchers were able to deliver a therapeutic protein — which has shown to delay and even reverse progression of Parkinson’s in pre-clinical models — into the brains of mice.

Behavioral and histological data showed that the method was just as effective as directly injecting the drug into the brain, minus the obvious trauma and high complication rates.

“Brain diseases are notoriously difficult to treat due to the natural protections the body builds against intrusion,” said Dr. Jamie Eberling, senior associate director of the Michael J. Fox Foundation research programs. “Dr. Bleier’s group has identified a potential avenue to pass that barrier, and we look forward to the next stage of research to further test its utility in people with Parkinson’s disease.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/health-care/2015/10/a-new-way-to-treat-parkinsons-disease-may-be.html

Parkinson's UK skin odour research

Professor Perdita Barran, of the University of Manchester, aims to identify differences in chemicals present on the skin surface of people with Parkinson’s.

Watch the video of Arthur Roach, our director of research talking about the new research.

Clues on the surface of our skin    Oct.21,2015

Researchers believe that Parkinson’s may cause changes in the sebum – an oily substance in the skin – of people with the condition that results in a unique and subtle odour on the skin only detectable by people with a keen sense of smell.

This study began after a ‘super-smeller’ from Scotland was able to identify people with Parkinson’s from just the t-shirts they had slept in.

The super smeller was even able to detect smell changes in someone who had not yet developed the condition.

What the research team are doing

The team aim to recruit up to 200 people with and without Parkinson’s to have a skin swab taken and fill in a brief questionnaire.

The samples will be analysed by Perdita and her team to look for differences in the amount and type of chemicals present.

The samples, which will be anonymised, will also be assessed by the original ‘supersmeller’ who was the inspiration for the project, as well as a team of other smell experts from the food and drink industry.

Pioneering research

The team aim to recruit up to 200 people with and without Parkinson’s to have a skin swab taken and fill in a brief questionnaire.

Dr Arthur Roach, director of research at Parkinson’s UK, which is funding the study, said:

“Funding pioneering studies like this has the potential to throw Parkinson’s into a completely new light.

“It’s very early days in the research, but if it’s proved there is a unique odour associated with Parkinson’s, particularly early on in the condition, it could have a huge impact.

http://healthpassion.info/skin-odour-could-lead-to-early-diagnosis-of-parkinsons/