CDI ditches move to Verona

 JUDY NEWMAN    Jul 27, 2017

Cellular Dynamics International, the stem cell company founded by UW-Madison stem cell pioneer James Thomson, is backing off on moving its headquarters to a big, new building in Verona and will stay in Madison, at least for now, as it prepares to push forward with its first potential stem cell-based treatment in early 2018.

CDI president Kaz Hirao said Thursday the company is shelving plans to shift operations to a $40 million, 133,700-square-foot building that was to be built for CDI on Kettle Moraine Trail in Verona. The building was expected to house 280 employees, with so-called “clean rooms,” quality-control labs, processing rooms and offices.

Instead, CDI’s main offices and labs will remain at 525 Science Drive in University Research Park and the company will remodel an existing building — whose site has not yet been determined — to house several clean rooms that will meet government standards for manufacturing stem cells for use in clinical drug trials.

“Fujifilm (CDI’s parent company) has a very strong commitment and wants to see (the) Madison (site) grow in the future. Strategy-wise, that has not changed,” Hirao said. “Madison has a great ecosystem for our businesses.”

He said the National Eye Institute plans to submit an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2018 for a retinal cell therapy it has been developing with CDI for age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease that can lead to blindness. The National Eye Institute has conducted animal studies on the drug, Hirao said.

It is the first of a series of stem cell-based drugs the company is working on. CDI expects to file “investigational new drug” applications for treating Parkinson’s disease and for cardiac disease in 2019, he said.

In order to make stem cells that meet government standards for use in human clinical trials, Hirao said the company will establish clean rooms that meet regulations for “current good manufacturing practices.” He said he expects to designate a location in the next month or two, within about a 15-minute drive of CDI headquarters, to handle the company’s stem cell manufacturing needs for the immediate future.

Next year, CDI will review its plans again, Hirao said, and will again consider a move to a larger, consolidated building. If it decides to go ahead with that, Verona “would be one of the preferred options,” he said.

CDI gets Verona City Council approval for new $40M headquarters building

The company founded by stem cell pioneer James Thomson will move from Madison's University Research Park when the new building is ready.

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CDI had obtained up to $6 million in financial incentives from the city of Verona for the building that was to be built and owned by developer John K. Livesey.

Verona planning and development director Adam Sayre called CDI’s decision to pull back on the plans “unfortunate,” but said city officials will keep in contact with Cellular Dynamics over the coming months.

“The city would continue to welcome them with open arms,” Sayre said. “We’ll see what the next year brings.”

At University Research Park, CDI occupies about 55,000 square feet, director Aaron Olver said. “We’ve recently provided CDI with some additional space to help them grow,” he said.

“CDI is one of the true gems among companies powered by UW-Madison research, and we would certainly do anything we could to help them find clean room space to continue their work,” Olver said.

Founded in 2004, CDI was acquired by Fujifilm Holdings Corp. for $307 million in April 2015.

The company has 165 employees, including about 125 in Madison. Hirao said he expects to add employees, but said it’s too soon to estimate how many, or how quickly the company will grow.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/cdi-ditches-move-to-verona/article_cb913fa6-693c-55dd-8a2b-10c426f81114.html

Dogs are being trained to sniff out Parkinson's

July 28, 2017

SAN JUAN ISLANDS, Wash. (KING) - Rowan, a 5-year-old Goldendoodle, doesn't know it, but she's on the trail of groundbreaking field work that could change the lives of countless people around the world.

Her owner, Carolyn Haugen, couldn't be more proud.

"It's very heartwarming," Haugen told NBC station KING-TV. "I'm happy she can be a part of it."

Inside a small trailer at Washington's San Juan County Fairgrounds in Friday Harbor, Rowan and eight other dogs are learning to do things doctors can't even do right now.

They're learning to sniff out and detect Parkinson's disease. It's a sort of med school for mutts.

"I could actually start crying when I think about it," said Lisa Holt, founder of Parkinson's Alert Dogs (PADs). "It's amazing to us. It's just amazing."

Holt is a dog trainer and certified instructor who specializes in teaching dogs to follow scents.

She is leading what is believed to be the only training of this kind in the United States. Dogs are being taught to smell otherwise undetectable traces of Parkinson's disease.

It's done essentially the same way experts teach dogs to detect drugs and other diseases.

"They're proven to detect insulin levels, three to four different kinds of cancers. It's not crazy stuff at all," said Holt.

One of the symptoms of Parkinson's is a secretion through the skin called sebum found around the face and neck. People can't usually smell it but dogs can, thanks to senses of smell up to 100,000 times stronger than those of humans.

By the time most people are diagnosed with Parkinson's, it's too late to turn it around. So, man's best friend might be man's best hope to detect the disease before it does too much damage.

Early detection would provide an opportunity for doctors to add years, maybe decades of quality time to patients’ lives.

“If those dogs could detect the disease long before you had a symptom it could be a miracle,” said Nancy Jones, whose husband, David, has been battling Parkinson’s for 17 years.

The Jones and many more families dealing with the disease are volunteering in Holt’s study. They swab themselves down with cotton cloths and send her the samples.

Holt puts a serum-contaminated cloth in an aluminum canister in one corner of the trailer at the fairgrounds. Three other canisters are the control group.

Holt says some 8500 tests with 9 dogs over the past 16 months resulted in a success rate of 85 to 95 percent.

“We’re basically proving to ourselves that dogs can detect Parkinson’s,” she said.

Jean Allenbach, Executive Director of the Northwest chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association, said she is “hopeful and excited” to see the results of Lisa Holt’s work.

Holt needs more funding, more dogs, and more volunteers to continue her work. And with 60,000 new Parkinson’s cases diagnosed every year, that work can’t continue quickly enough.

“Knowing we’re on the path to potentially help many thousands of people who could later on be suffering with Parkinson’s, it’s a pretty big deal,” she said.

It’s an especially big deal for Carolyn Haugen whose husband, David, died with Parkinson’s.

Now, she and Rowan vow to keep on their path so others might not know her pain.

“It can just give hope to people that something is happening,” she said. “It’s too late for us, but not for others.”

Watch video:

http://www.wthr.com/article/dogs-train-to-sniff-out-parkinsons-disease

How dance is helping people with Parkinson’s heal

BY ANA IRIZARRY    July 28, 2017

Paula Easton participates in a new class for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease as a partnership between the American Dance Festival, NC Dance for Parkinson’s and Poe Wellness Solutions, supported by a grant from the Parkinson’s Foundation, on Sunday, July 24, 2017, in Durham, NC. Casey Toth ctoth@heraldsun.com

Read more here: http://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article164155017.html#storylink=cpy

DURHAM -  Patty Meehan started dancing about 10 years ago – around age 50, after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

“It loosens you up,” she said. “Most people with Parkinson’s are very stiff.”

Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the nervous system. Nearly 1 million people in the United States are living with it, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. Its symptoms include tremors, stiffness and impaired balance. 

Last weekend Meehan attended a dance class for people with Parkinson’s, called Dance for PD, at the American Dance Festival.

She sat on a folding chair alongside about 10 other women with Parkinson’s, arms above her head, swaying from side to side with soft, instrumental music playing in the background.

THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE AIR, I DON’T KNOW – WHEN I LEFT HERE I WAS HAPPY. 

Patty Meehan 

___________________________________________________________

Dance for PD started in Brooklyn as a collaboration between the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group and has expanded to more than 120 communities, including Durham. 

ADF recieved a grant for $21,500 to offer free classes as part of their Parkinson’s Movement Initiative. The classes – which ran throughout July – end Sunday, and will resume Sept. 10. 

“The grant is for a full year, so it’s going to go through next June, which is really exciting,” said Julia Pleasants, ADF’s studio manager. “We’re excited to have feedback from the community to see where we can take this.”

‘No wrongs’

Dance for PD welcomes people with Parkinson’s, their family, friends and caretakers to all classes. The program aims to improve balance, cognition, motor skills, depression and physical confidence.

Meehan started the program in 2007 in Michigan, before she moved to Roxboro in 2015.

She knew a lot about Parkinson’s because her mother had it for nearly 30 years, but it took her about a year to accept her own 2005 diagnosis. 

She said dance made the difference for her and encourages others to participate.

“We had a couple last week that came in, and she was thinking it was going to be dance, and he’s got PD,” she said. 

“I said, you know, it’s nothing hard. There are no wrongs, and if you don’t leave here with a smile on your face, I’m buying you dinner,” Meehan said. “He had a smile on his face, so I told him he owes me.”

Making it fun

Lindsay Voorhees, an occupational therapist, and Susan Saenger, a dance therapist, teach the dance classes at ADF’s Samuel Scripps Studio on Broad Street.

Voorhees said her main goal for the class is to have fun. 

“I know that’s not necessarily the first thing people think about,” she said. “They’re like, ‘oh let’s help people with Parkinson’s move better,’ and that is a goal, but when you go into anything with that specific, very utilitarian goal, it makes it less fun.”

The class features a variety of music: From happy to contemplative, fast to slow, Voorhees said there’s something for everyone. 

She said people with Parkinson’s benefit from the camraderie the classes build.

“People are coming and seeing their friends, people in their community, and we’re kind of building community here too,” she said. “Isolation is a real thing, whether it’s social isolation or physically not leaving home a bunch.”

Voorhees said there’s no research on movement therapy and Parkinson’s, but she sees its benefits from week to week.

“Their bodies work against them so much of the time and feels like they’re imprisoned sometimes,” she said. “So to hear people’s subjective experiences, it’s less about what I see and more about what people are feeling when they’re moving. 

“It's so powerful and makes it worth it even if I’m walking around, and I can’t feel what they’re feeling,” she said.

Saenger said during one class, she had someone who had to leave early but couldn’t because she felt like her feet were stuck to the ground, a common symptom of Parkinson’s.

“We had been doing a marching exercise earlier in the class,” Saenger said. “So I told her to march out of class, and I started humming ‘76 Trombones’ or something like that, and she just marched out the door.”

As last Sunday’s 75-minute class drew to a close, the women stood in a circle. As another song played softly, they went around the circle, nodding their heads at each other. Many of them couldn’t hide their smiles. 

Meehan said she could be having a bad day, but she always pushes herself to go to class.

“There’s something in the air, I don’t know – when I left here I was happy, and the rest of my day was fine,” she said. “So it’s like a drug, but you don’t have to take a pill. You just have to come here and see Lindsay and Susan."

ADF also offers Pilates for PD classes taught by Meg Poe, owner of Poe Wellness Solutions, as part of the initiative. Fall classes will begin Sept. 10. For more information, go to http://bit.ly/2uyk3dQor call ADF at 919-797-2871.

Ana Irizarry: 317-213-3553

PARKINSON’S DISEASE 

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement, according to the Mayo Clinic. It develops gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. The disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.

In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no expression, or your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Symptoms worsen as the condition progresses over time.

Nearly 1 million people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s disease, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. The cause is unknown, and although there is no cure, there are treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage its symptoms.

Susan Saenger, center, leads a new class for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease as a partnership between the American Dance Festival, NC Dance for Parkinson’s and Poe Wellness Solutions, supported by a grant from the Parkinson’s Foundation, on Sunday, July 24, 2017, in Durham, NC. Casey Toth ctoth@heraldsun.com

Video:  HTTP://WWW.HERALDSUN.COM/ENTERTAINMENT/ARTICLE164157092.HTML

http://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article164155017.html

Exploring Parkinson's: One of its most debilitating symptoms may surprise you

• By Creighton University  July 28, 2017

Michael J. Fox has long been the face of Parkinson’s disease, which affects at least 1 million people in the United States and 5 million worldwide, making it the leading movement-disorder disease. Other well-known people who are battling or have battled Parkinson’s include Muhammad Ali, Janet Reno, Billy Graham, Linda Ronstadt, Charles Schultz and Pope John Paul II.

Now 56, Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in his 20s, which is considered early onset, and has fought for a cure for many years.

As Fox has continued acting since being diagnosed, viewers would notice physical symptoms; however, one of the most debilitating symptoms is not noticeable in movements.

It’s fatigue.

Creighton researchers are collaborating with colleagues from other institutions to explore this unexplored aspect of the disease, through the wide lens of physical therapy, exercise science, pharmacy, neurology and biomechanics.

What they’ve found has shed light on mobility issues experienced by people with Parkinson’s disease, and has opened doors to future research and possible novel treatment options.

Parkinson’s is a lot more than a tremor. It’s a movement disorder that’s degenerative and chronic. Parkinson’s afflicts more people than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig’s disease combined.

The hallmarks of the disease in terms of motor symptoms are slowness, rigidity and tremor; however, other symptoms are often present as well, such as fatigue, dementia, depression and psychosis.

Although people think of Parkinson’s as a disease of the central nervous system, it is also a disease of the autonomic nervous system, which controls bodily functions that are not consciously directed, such as the heart beating, digestive process and breathing.

Because Parkinson’s affects the autonomic system, people with Parkinson’s may experience dizziness, constipation and a drop in blood pressure. Later in the disease, the symptoms contribute to difficulties in daily living.

The neurotransmitter dopamine, a substance produced in the brain, helps control movement. Dopamine decreases in people with Parkinson’s. As dopamine decreases, it affects movement, the body and emotions as well.

“A cornerstone of Parkinson’s, regardless of the cause, is a deficiency in this neurotransmitter,” says Michele Faulkner, PharmD, professor of pharmacy practice and professor of medicine in the Department of Neurology.

“The role of dopamine in the body — when you perform any deliberate movement — is to release the inhibition of movement to allow you to execute it accurately and smoothly,” Faulkner continues. “When you don’t have enough dopamine, you have to fight to perform normal movements, so movements are slowed, and muscles feel stiff.

“Additionally, there’s an imbalance between a couple of different neurotransmitters, dopamine and acetylcholine specifically. This allows acetylcholine to exert its effects unchecked which causes the tremor.”

Dopamine also affects motivation.

“Dopamine does two major things — it moves and motivates us,” says John Bertoni, MD, PhD, director of the Parkinson’s clinic at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) who spent 20 years at Creighton. Its effect can be seen in cocaine and other illicit drug use, which stimulates a rush of dopamine to the brain. When the person stops taking the drugs, they often show very little motivation and are withdrawn.

“That’s how people with Parkinson’s feel,” he says. “It takes away their gumption.”

View the rest of the article, and learn more about why – for Creighton scientists and for those suffering from the diseases – the future of Parkinson’s research is nothing short of energizing.

Creighton University offers a top-ranked education in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition.  Read more about the university, and connect with Creighton on  Facebook,  Twitter  and  Instagram.

Creighton University

http://www.omaha.com/sponsored/creighton/exploring-parkinson-s-one-of-its-most-debilitating-symptoms-may/article_867f1e20-6c98-11e7-a8a8-8f353486ed0c.html

Prexton Therapeutics Initiates Phase 2 Trial of Foliglurax for Parkinson’s Patients.

 JULY 28, 2017       BY PATRICIA INACIO, PHD IN NEWS

Prexton Therapeutics has initiated a new Phase 2 clinical trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of its investigational therapy Foliglurax (PXT002331) in Parkinson’s disease patients treated with levodopa, but who are experiencing end-of-dose wearing off and levodopa-induced dyskinesia (involuntary movements).

Levodopa is the most important first-line medication for the management of Parkinson’s, and often is administered in combination with carbidopa. However, long-term use of levodopa can cause a phenomenon called “wearing off,” “fading effect,” and “end-of-dose effect,” all of which describe the drug’s diminished effectiveness.

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia is a condition characterized by involuntary movements that usually occur after prolonged treatment with levodopa in Parkinson’s patients. The drug is part of the class of medications called central nervous system agents and acts by being converted into the neurotransmitter dopamine, which helps the brain regulate movement and emotional responses, among others.

Upon loss of the dopamine-producing neurons, Parkinson’s patients experience symptoms of tremor, slowness, stiffness, and balance problems. Treatments are focused on reducing these effects by replacing dopamine or using agents that mimic its effects. This approach, however, is not long-lasting, and drugs like levodopa, lose effectiveness as the disease progresses.

The investigational therapy Foliglurax activates a specific target of the glutamatergic system, mGluR4,  which is emerging as a promising target for the treatment of motor (and non-motor) symptoms in Parkinson’s, via a non-dopaminergic strategy.

In a previous Phase 1 clinical trial, completed in September 2016, results showed that Foliglurax is safe and well-tolerated, with a favorable body distribution. This prompted the next phase for investigating the drug’s effects in Parkinson’s patients.

The AMBLED trial (NCT03162874) is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm Phase 2 study designed to enroll 165 patients across six European countries – the U.K., Germany, France, Austria, Spain, and Italy.

Participants will be randomized to receive one of two oral doses of Foliglurax (10 mg or 30 mg), or placebo, for a 28-day period, after which they will be assessed for the reduction levodopa-induced motor complications. Data from the trial is expected in 2019.

“The start of this Phase II trial is another significant milestone for Prexton and for Parkinson’s patients desperately in need of novel and innovative therapeutic solutions,” Francois Conquet, CEO, of Prexton Therapeutics, said in a press release. “We are excited about the potential of Foliglurax in addressing these needs.”

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2017/07/28/prexton-initiates-new-phase-2-trial-foliglurax-parkinsons-disease/

Forbes Includes Maker of Nuplazid on List of Most Innovative Growth Companies

JULY 27, 2017      BY CAROLINA HENRIQUES

Acadia Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Nuplazid (pimavanserin), an oral medication to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), was ranked 11th on Forbes Magazine’s 2017 list of the “World’s Most Innovative Growth Companies.”

Forbes’ ranking is based on the ‘innovation premium’ of each company and includes only industries that invest in innovative solutions. An innovation premium, according to Forbes, is a measure of how much investors have bid up the stock price of a company above the value of its existing businesses based on expectations of future innovative results, products, services and markets.

To qualify for a place in the annual list, which comprises 100 companies, there must be at least seven years of public financial data available and a market capitalization between $2 billion and $10 billion.

“We are pleased to be recognized by Forbes as a leader in innovation,” Steve Davis, Acadia’s president and CEO, said in a press release. “Being named to this list is a testament to our team’s hard work and commitment to developing transformational medicines that improve the lives of patients suffering from major CNS [central nervous system] disorders. Our breakthrough antipsychotic Nuplazid is the first drug approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease psychosis. We are currently studying the drug in five additional disease states including unmet needs in Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and depression,” Davis said.

Nuplazid was approved in April 2016. Some of Parkinson’s disease most recognizable symptoms include tremors, limb stiffness or impaired balance. However, over the course of the disease, more than 50 percent of all patients eventually become affected with what is commonly called “Parkinson’s psychosis,” which may cause visual or hearing hallucinations (things that are not real) and/or delusions (things that are not true).

Unlike typical Parkinson’s therapies, Nuplazid has no binding affinity for dopamine receptors, so it does not interfere with dopaminergic therapy (the standard of care to address Parkinson’s motor symptoms), and it does not bind to other receptors commonly targeted by antipsychotics. The drug was associated with a significant reduction of the frequency and severity of psychotic symptoms without impairing motor function.

GlaxoSmithKline also was on the 2017 Forbes list, in 16th place. It has a large portfolio of prescription medicines and vaccines including Requip (ropinrole), approved for the treatment of motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease.

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2017/07/27/forbes-ranks-nuplazid-11th-most-innovative-growth-company-acadia/

My Eye Won’t Stop Twitching—Am I Dying?

• By KATIE HEANEY
 July 28, 2017

Muscle spasms are a symptom for all kinds of serious disorders, but they’re more often just caused by stress and fatigue.

Recently a friend of mine complained of a nonstop eye twitch, so, helpful friend that I am, I looked up “eye twitch” on WebMD for her. As is usually the case when someone with zero medical background consults WebMD looking for a diagnosis, this was a huge mistake. Of course I saw the early, so-called “most likely” causes—fatigue and stress—but I scrolled right past them on to the graver possibilities: brain or nerve disorders like Bell’s palsy, some kind of muscle disorder called dystonia, even Parkinson’s disease. 

Slightly panicked, I turned to my second-most preferred online health resource: the Mayo Clinic website. There I found even more possible diagnoses: glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, Tourette’s syndrome, and a few more conditions that sounded like space odyssey movie character names—entropion and uveitis, for instance. A search for “eye twitch + ALS” reveals a number of very concerned health forum posts from people who, like me, wish to jump to the worst possible conclusion. Much like headaches, it seems, eye twitching is the sort of symptom for which you can easily find dozens of possible culprits covering the full diagnostic range between “Eh, whatever” and “You’ll be dead tomorrow.”

Because I am the sort of person who would easily pick up an eye twitch after reading about it online, I figured I should reach out to a few experts who might be better able to help my friend and, eventually, I’m sure, me. Did I expect that one of these experts would be Eric Singer, drummer for the band KISS? No. I did not. But sometimes the best commonsense health advice comes from where you least expect it—like from the drummer of the band KISS.

First, though, I talked to Jenepher K. Piper, who, while not a member of a famous rock band, is a registered nurse and primary care practitioner at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Piper tells me the most likely causes of eye twitching are fatigue, stress, and consuming too much caffeine. The latter two are highly related—stress causes your adrenaline to pump, not unlike a large cup of coffee (or, says Piper, taking drugs used to treat ADD, like Adderall). That adrenaline, in turn, can make your hands shake, and it can also make your eyes twitch. On the other end, fatigue means “your muscles aren't getting enough nutrients,” says Piper. “Being low in vitamin D or magnesium can [lead to] difficulty with relaxing one’s muscles, so they kind of tense up,” or twitch.

A less common cause of eye twitching is hyperthyroidism, which Piper herself has. Anyone who is known to have a thyroid issue should consider their eye twitching a reason to see their doctor as soon as possible. Otherwise, it’s fine to just give an eye twitch some time to go away on its own: “If they don't have a thyroid problem I wouldn't rush to the doctor after a couple of days. I would probably give it a couple of weeks,” says Piper. Eye twitch sufferers should try not to fixate on their twitch, either, because anxiety can actually prolong the symptom. “Anxiety amplifies pain, it amplifies [twitching]—it can create a much worse problem than you began with,” adds Piper.

When you find yourself with an eye twitch, it’s very, very likely the result of, well, being human.

Randy McLaughlin, an optometrist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, understands why something as benign as an eye twitch makes people freak out. “People know it's not right, they think it's neurological, and they think this could be the first sign of something bad, like ALS. I don't really think it's proven that it is,” he says. “But your eyes are your most precious sense. And when something's different or off with your eye or eyelid, people get scared.” And when people get scared, they go online. But McLaughlin says, here at least, they probably shouldn’t. “The internet is wonderful, it's a wealth of knowledge, but sometimes it's too much knowledge,” he says. When you find yourself with an eye twitch, it’s very, very likely the result of, well, being human: You’re tired, you’re stressed, and maybe you had a little too much coffee. It happens.

Toward the end of our call, McLaughlin apologizes, and says he has to do some name-dropping. I braced myself to hear a story about, like, a slightly more famous optometrist. But apparently, before he talked to me, McLaughlin was on the phone with his friend Eric Singer, who happens to be the drummer for KISS (and formerly, for Black Sabbath). McLaughlin says that when he told Singer about our impending interview about the causes of eye twitching, Singer said, “That's easy. You don't get enough sleep, too much caffeine, and you're stressed, and you need to adjust your diet.” And if the drummer for KISS says so, it must be true.

For an otherwise healthy person, then, an eye twitch can serve as a useful reminder to take better care of oneself. The symptom’s link to more serious diseases like ALS is tenuous at best, and certainly incomplete—says Piper, “I really don't see [eye twitching] as a major heralding sign of Parkinson's or any movement disorder at all.” And while it’s technically possible eye twitching can be a sign of a more serious condition, it’s extremely unlikely to be the earliest or most noticeable sign of any of them. Infinitely more likely is that you’re simply stressed out. Two medical professionals and one rock star say your jumpy eyelid is no big deal. And if that isn’t enough to ease your mind, I really can’t help you.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/07/what-does-it-mean-if-my-eye-wont-stop-twitching/535101/

Imaging biomarker for Parkinson’s could aid in testing drugs to slow disease’s progression

JULY 28, 2017    MICHELLE JAFFEE

A newly discovered imaging biomarker could be used to track changes in the brain associated with the progression of Parkinson’s disease, findings that represent a significant advancement that could aid in development of new drugs to slow progression of the neurodegenerative disease.

The team of University of Florida neuroscientists who made the discovery has validated the finding in data collected as part of an international multicenter study published in the current issue of the journal Brain. The study shows that on diffusion MRI scans there is an increase over one year in “free-water,” or fluid unconstrained by brain tissue, in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra in a large cohort of more than 100 newly diagnosed, unmedicated Parkinson’s disease patients. This change is not seen in people without Parkinson’s.

Additionally, in a subgroup of Parkinson’s disease patients who have been followed for up to four years across Europe and North America, analysis of the diffusion MRI data revealed that free-water in the posterior substantia nigra continued to increase.

Use of this noninvasive biomarker tool could lead to new ways of testing treatment of the progressively debilitating movement disorder, said senior author Dr. David Vaillancourt, a professor of applied physiology and kinesiology in UF’s College of Health and Human Performance and a member of the Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute of the University of Florida.

“This could change the way studies are conducted for disease-modifying trials in Parkinson’s disease,” Vaillancourt said.

Until now, Parkinson’s disease has generally been diagnosed based on a patient’s symptoms.

“It’s been 200 years since the behavioral symptoms of Parkinson’s disease have been described, and we still use symptoms in testing therapies,” he said. “This is not the way it occurs in cancer; it’s not the way it occurs in heart disease or multiple sclerosis. But symptoms are still the hallmark of what’s used in Parkinson’s disease because there are few options out there.”

Now, this could change.

Two years ago, Vaillancourt’s team published findings based on a type of MRI technique known as diffusion MRI that revealed changes in free-water in the posterior substantia nigra that are specific to Parkinson’s patients. Now, the team’s new study validates findings in data collected across 10 sites, from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Progression Marker Initiative database.

“To evaluate and validate an imaging marker, it is important to confirm results across data collection sites, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation database provides a unique opportunity to do that,” said lead author Roxana G. Burciu, Ph.D., a research assistant professor. The database provides a collection of clinical, imaging and biological data available for researchers to use in order to advance knowledge on Parkinson’s disease.

A key finding of the new study is that results were consistent across sites. Another important finding is that the one- and two-year increase in free-water in the posterior substantia nigra predicts long-term progression of disease symptoms.

“We found that the increase in the free-water measurement in the substantia nigra goes up every year and keeps going up over four years,” Vaillancourt said.

'This means if you want to start designing studies to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, testing a drug on that measurement in the substantia nigra might be a good way to go. If the measurement in the substantia nigra is increasing year after year after year, and if you can stop that from occurring, you’re likely to slow or possibly stop the progression of the disease,” he said.

“This has never been shown before,” Vaillancourt added.

The study also found that the increase in the free-water measurement over one year’s time predicted a patient’s four-year clinical change in motor function.

“It suggests if you were able to control that measurement with medication as early as possible, then you could control long-term clinical progression,” Vaillancourt said.

“This finding is a potential game changer as it could shift the way Parkinson’s disease clinical trials are designed and conducted,” said Dr. Michael S. Okun, a professor and chair of neurology at the University of Florida and medical director for the Parkinson’s Foundation. “Free-water is a validated measurement that will likely decrease the number of patients required to demonstrate the slowing of clinical progression.”

The study, titled “Progression Marker of Parkinson’s Disease: A 4-Year Multi-Site Imaging Study,” was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

http://news.ufl.edu/articles/2017/07/imaging-biomarker-for-parkinsons-could-aid-in-testing-drugs-to-slow-diseases-progression.php

Singing as Therapy: Northern Arizona University’s Choir For People With Parkinson’s Disease

July 27, 2017

The Mountain Tremors, Northern Arizona University’s choir in Flagstaff, Arizona, helps residents with Parkinson’s keep the detrimental effects of the disease at bay. Parkinson’s is a progressive movement disorder that is currently classified as an incurable neurological disease. Over time, the disease erodes one’s ability to move, speak, think and emote. While Parkinson’s is not a communication disorder, those suffering from the disease are held back in their communication because participating in their community becomes challenging.

The Mountain Tremors was started two years ago by Fe Murray, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at NAU, at the request of CSD clinic director Kim Farinella, to help local residents afflicted by Parkinson’s. Starting this fall, however, the choir will be open to residents with all neurological impairments.

Currently, the choir is composed of both residents with Parkinson’s disease and faculty and students from CSD and NAU’s School of Music.

“This group has taught me the importance of community for people with neurological impairments,” Murray told The University Network (TUN). 

We get together, and the only thing many of us have in common is music. They often come with very soft, muffled voices, with monotone speech, which is typical of this disorder, but when they sing, they let go and really project their voices, articulate clearly, and move their voices up and down the scale; it’s quite a transformation!

The choir provides a safe, enjoyable, and reliable space for residents with Parkinson’s. “Many of them have difficulty voluntarily controlling their motor movements required for walking and even standing, so some of them do not want to leave the house,” Murray explained. “The choir gives them a place to go, something to do that they look forward to every week. In addition, research shows that exercising can slow down, arrest, and even reverse some of the symptoms. However, often people with Parkinson’s don’t have the self-awareness to see how they are changing, and they may not have the motivation to act on these symptoms, so their support group is important.”

The choir is a place for harmonious melodies and practicing to stay on the beat within a larger group. It helps members focus on their posture, breath control, vocal quality, loudness, and articulation, which is usually improved with the help of instruction. For a patient with Parkinson’s, singing alone in the shower may not be as beneficial as singing in a choir with weekly practices and a program that helps them work on issues they struggle with.

“Your muscles are working, your brain is working with learning new things and your voice is getting louder because you have to practice it,” said Valerie Carter, professor of physical therapy at NAU, in a statement. “That’s why choir is so great. You need to sing loud. You need to sing on pitch, hopefully. You need to listen, you need to pause. Those are all things people with Parkinson’s struggle with, but if they practice they can actually outperform healthy control individuals.”

https://youtu.be/oaC5s0xSZbE

The choir relies on student participants to help those members with Parkinson’s, who may not have any singing experience. “We are working primarily with people in their 60s and older; some of them do not have formal musical experiences other than singing in the shower or in their car,” Murray told TUN. “We start rehearsals with stretches and vocal warm up exercises. These exercises are led by students from our choral conducting program. Graduate and undergraduate students in communication sciences and disorders department participate by encouraging good vocal hygiene, such as hydration, and by encouraging clients’ participation and monitoring their stamina and other physical symptoms.”

According to Murray, it is important for people with Parkinson’s to “maximize overall functional movement and improve quality of life” so she recommends that they “get out and join a support group, a yoga class, a choir, any activity that will get them out amongst other people.”

”Parkinson’s can be a very lonely condition, but the more people socialize and active, the better the overall quality of life would be,” Murray told TUN.

https://www.tun.com/blog/northern-arizona-university-choir-parkinsons-disease/