Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Parkinson’s and the Limits of Positive Thinking

 NOVEMBER 15, 2019     Dr. C

I don’t want to take away from Mad magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman or singer-songwriter Bobby McFerrin, but the idea that a pair of rose-colored “don’t worry” glasses will change my life for the better has never sat well with me. Pollyanna is not a guest in my home.

“Look at all the wonderful things in your life. All your needs are provided for — no worries,” someone said to my wife and me recently as we described the temporary ruin of stagnation. But pouring saccharin sentiments over the burnt toast of my life won’t remove its acrid flavor.

I often write about having a positive action-based wellness plan. My approach is attitude plus behavior equal consequences. My positive outlook is wisdom-based and engaged in compassion and not on my ability to see a half-full glass. One can try to view the chronic disease glass as being half full, but the reality is that it is also half empty. I wish that my muscular problems and other Parkinson’s symptoms were absent. Viewing the glass as half full is not an action plan — it’s more of an “I’m tired of this right now” statement.

Many authors have extolled positive thinking: Norman Vincent Peale and Norman Cousins, among others. Choosing how to act, think, and feel creates patterns. We return to those patterns when times get tough. Another way of putting it is, “Fake it until you make it.” It seems vacuous to assume that “faking” happiness will remove the causes of unhappiness or make circumstances appear to be better than they are. Well-meaning people who propose the “don’t worry, be happy” solution don’t have a clear understanding of how Parkinson’s and other chronic diseases affect our daily lives. What we need is a well-designed and enacted wellness map — not rose-colored glasses.

Though my partner and I have moments of frustration and utter despair, we manage to pull ourselves up — as we have throughout our lives — to find the inner and spiritual strength that enables us to continue. It’s a lifelong habit for both of us, and as a team, we support each other through the continued challenges, taking turns with compassion and strength when the other one falters under the burden.

Do we worry? Yes, but we move gradually toward more acceptance. Are we happy? The glass remains half full, and we are grateful for the happiness and blessings in our lives. But it is now time to replenish the glass and move into deeper compassion, finding strength in the belief that all things happen for a reason and in their own time. We will not shy away from the work that needs to be done in our lives and for others with chronic diseases.

***

Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2019/11/15/dont-worry-be-happy-positive-thinking-wellness-map/

SleepFit App Can Help Improve Daily Monitoring of Parkinson’s Motor Symptoms, Study Says

NOVEMBER 15, 2019  BY ALICE MELÃO 

A new application for Android tablets, called SleepFit, may help to monitor the daily progression and response to treatment of motor symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, according to a study.

The application was evaluated in the study “A New Prospective, Home-Based Monitoring of Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease,” which was published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.

Development and approval of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease has made it possible for many patients to retain a relatively active lifestyle. However, therapies do not have the same effect on all patients, so doses and treatment regimens need to be tailored to each patient’s needs.

In routine clinical practice, adjusting antiparkinsonian therapy relies on a combination of objective evaluation of symptoms and subjective analysis of the patient’s perspectives and experiences.

Clinicians have several clinical assessment tools to help evaluate the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms, including the Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), which is commonly used to assess motor skills and symptoms.

Reviewing a patient’s perspectives and experiences can, in contrast, be a challenge rather than a helpful strategy. Some patients show subclinical cognitive dysfunction, even at early stages of the disease, which can impact the way they perceive their symptoms and surrounding environment.

“The importance of accurately assessing motor symptoms is pivotal in the clinical follow-up of patients with [Parkinson’s disease],” Pietro Luca Ratti, MD, PhD, researcher at the Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, in Switzerland, and lead author of the study, said in a press release.

“In fact, physicians’ therapeutic decisions rely on the subjective information provided by a patient just as much as on the physical examination,” he added. “This is particularly important considering that antiparkinsonian medications need to be prescribed at their minimal effective doses to optimize mobility, while minimizing undesirable side effects.”

To inform clinical decision-making, researchers have developed SleepFit, an easy-to-use application (app) for Android tablets that can help patients record of their motor symptoms at given times of the day.

Using questions and tests to collect data on the patient’s motor and mobility skills, the app can be a source of subjective data that’s unbiased by patient recall. It integrates the items measuring motor symptoms from the Scales for Outcome in Parkinson Assessment Diary Card (m-SCOPA-DC) and a new Visual Analogue Scale assessing global mobility (m-VAS).

Researchers evaluated the potential of this new home-based tool and compared it to data collected from standard interviews among 42 patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s who participated in the Sleep and Move study (NCT02723396).

All participants were asked to use the app four times a day for 14 days to record their symptoms: in the morning, 30 minutes after waking up and one hour after intake of dopaminergic medication; in the afternoon before taking dopaminergic medication; and in the evening before bedtime.

On the last day, patients completed the MDS-UPDRS parts II and IV questionnaires during an office consultation in order to assess their subjective recall of motor symptoms.

In general, data collected through the two methods showed similar results for overall scores, with m-VAS scores differing by 10% and SCOPA-DC by 18.3%. For single motor symptoms, such as involuntary movements, hand dexterity, walking, and ability to change position, results were also similar with differences of less than 20% between the two methods.

However, some individuals with more advanced disease, higher fatigue, or worse sleep quality had more difficulty recalling their symptoms.

Evaluation of patients’ self-reported information did not reveal a tendency towards positive or negative thinking about their symptoms. Still, 16.7% of the participants did tend to over- or underestimate their symptoms in their recollection.

“Knowing of a given patient’s tendency towards positive or negative thinking could thus critically inform clinical decision-making with regard to dopaminergic medication adjustment,” the researchers wrote.

These preliminary results demonstrate that the SleepFit app could be useful in routine clinical practice to reduce retrospective self-reporting bias, particularly for patients who have more advanced disease or cognitive impairments.

“We believe that a prospective approach would enable better clinical evaluation of patients’ subjective symptoms and, thus, better clinical management of the patients themselves,” said Ratti, who is also a researcher at the Pierre Zobda-Quitman University Hospital in Fort-de-France, Martinique.

“Although SleepFit is still under development, we believe it will eventually become a powerful tool to support patient evaluation in real-life conditions, encompassing motor and non-motor symptoms of [Parkinson’s disease],” he said.

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2019/11/15/sleepfit-app-a-potential-tool-for-daily-monitoring-of-pd-motor-symptoms/

At 70, Chicago artist with Parkinson’s disease paints his first mural, a tribute to veterans

By Mary Norkol     Nov 15, 2019

George Zaremba in front of his mural “WE REMEMBER” at North Sacramento Boulevard and West Carroll Avenue on the West Side. Santiago Covarrubias / Sun-Times

For

For years, George Zaremba had painted for his own enjoyment. It became something more to him after being diagnosed five years ago with Parkinson’s disease. His art was no longer just a hobby. It was a way to cope with a degenerative condition that breaks down body and mind. 

Painting “definitely is a catharsis,” says Zaremba, 70. “You feel as if you don’t have Parkinson’s while you’re actually involved

This past summer, he took on his biggest artistic challenge. Down the street from his West Side art studio, on a Frank Lloyd Wright building at North Sacramento Boulevard and West Carroll Avenue that’s used by bands as a rehearsal space, Zaremba painted a black-and-white mural that features the faces of two Vietnam War soldiers bookending a scene of three soldiers’ silhouettes and a rifle propping up a helmet beneath the mural’s title: “WE REMEMBER.” 

“WAR IS HELL” is emblazoned across the helmet of one of the soldiers.

Zaremba is a real estate broker who lives in Humboldt Park. He didn’t serve in the military but says he “grew up in the Vietnam War generation” and wants veterans to be treated with respect. He says seeing soldiers “coming back as heroes, welcomed by their families” makes him wish those who fought in Vietnam were treated the same.

He paints as often as he can, going three times a week to Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, which offers studio space and workshops on the Near North Side.

George Zaremba painted the mural “WE REMEMBER” in the summer of 2019 on the West Side with his friend Rick Smith’s assistance.

 Provided photo

He’d prefer that people focus on his art, not his illness. 

“If something is beautiful, and somebody says it’s beautiful, they won’t say it was done by a person with Parkinson’s,” he says. “They’ll just say it’s a piece of art that was done beautifully.”

People with Parkinson’s often experience tremors, rigidity, slow movements and balance issues as well as mood and sleep problems, according to Dr. Danny Bega, a Northwestern University neurologist who specializes in movement disorders. Painting can help alleviate some of its effects, as can dance and music, Bega says.

Zaremba says the key benefit for him is mental, “but I can make myself feel better by feeling good about what I’m doing.”

He speaks of his art “punching through the cobweb that’s holding you back and making you feel apathetic.”

George Zaremba says his 2019 mural “We Remember” is based in part on this image of an American soldier in Vietnam in 1965. Horst Faas / AP

Parkinson’s “makes you not want to be active,” Zaremba says.

So that’s what he fights. Three times a week, he boxes on the North Side at Rock Steady Boxing, which has classes for people with Parkinson’s.

“It may sound crazy, but this can be the best part of your life,” Zaremba says of living with Parkinson’s. “It marvelously focuses your mind. You feel the need to do things you’ve put off in the past.”

Zaremba’s friend Rick Smith, who assisted him with the mural project, says, “It helps him a lot. It definitely unbounds his creativity.”

Smith, who works in technology in Arlington Heights, says that, before heading outdoors, they painted a mockup in Zaremba’s garage. They tried phrase after phrase for the mural before landing on “WE REMEMBER.”

“The words choked me up,” Smith says. “It was a powerful image. And the words added to it.”

Zaremba says now that “WE REMEMBER” is done, he hopes to complete more murals.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2019/11/15/20962167/chicago-murals-artist-parkinsons-disease-george-zaremba-first-mural-vietnam-war-we-remember-veterans

Fecal transplantation to treat patients with Parkinson's disease: Hope or hype?

NOVEMBER 15, 2019     by IOS Press

Scientists review the evidence for using fecal transplantation and pre- and probiotics in patients with Parkinson's disease in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease and conclude that more research is needed before supporting their use.

Constipation is a common complaint in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Fecal microbiome transplantation (FMT) and pre- and probiotics are potential options for treating constipation and restoring the microbiome of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but scientists warn that clinical data are scarce, and more research is needed before supporting their use. They present their findings in a review article in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.

In this review, investigators evaluate the current state of knowledge about the potential for using FMT and pre- and probiotics to restore the normal microbial balance of the gut in PD patients and highlight the questions that still need to be answered.

FMT consists of transferring liquid filtrate feces from a healthy screened individual to a patient via nasogastric or nasoduodenal tube, enema, or colonoscope. "FMT is an interesting option for restoring the changes in the microbiome of PD patients," explained lead investigator Teus van Laar, MD, Ph.D., Director of the Parkinson Expertise Center Groningen, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. "It is an attractive technique because the administration is relatively simple and in general it has only a mild pattern of adverse effects. However, no rigorous clinical trials have been performed yet, which leaves multiple questions open about the presumed optimal content of FMT, the route of administration, the volume of FMT and the long-term effects."

Administration of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium over a period of 4-12 weeks has repeatedly proven to be effective in treating constipation in PD. However, no solid clinical data are available about the possible effects of these probiotic treatments on motor symptoms or progression of PD. Following promising results of prebiotics in animal studies, the first clinical trial on the use of FMT in PD patients is now underway at the University of Ghent (Belgium) and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019. With target recruitment of 40 PD patients and follow-up intervals of three months for up to one year, the trial will assess the development of PD symptoms. Investigators noted that the trial's inclusion criteria did not include or exclude constipation, which may complicate the interpretation of results.

The investigators recommend that FMT treatments in patients with PD should wait until better clinical data become available in order to select the right target populations and have good estimates of anticipated clinical effects. They highlight several knowledge gaps that need to be addressed first:

• FMT has not yet proven to be effective on motor symptoms or progression of PD
• Which route of administration of FMT is optimal
• Optimal donor content and frequency of FMT in PD
• Probiotics in PD have so far only been shown to have an effect on constipation
• Prebiotics have only been shown to have an effect in animal models and have not yet been tested in clinical trials
• Possible adverse effects and possible contra-indications of FMT are still unknown

"FMT is a black box with too many unanswered questions at the moment, also with respect to safety concerns," concluded Prof. van Laar. "FMT or the use of pro- and prebiotics might become standard treatments in selected subgroups of PD patients in the future, but there are no good data yet in the public domain to support their use in PD patients. We hope this review will activate colleagues to start proper research on this topic as soon as possible, rather than to begin therapy without conclusive clinical data."

PD is a slowly progressive disorder that affects movement, muscle control and balance. It is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder affecting about 3% of the population by the age of 65 and up to 5% of individuals over 85 years of age. Although the jury is still out, research has shown that it may actually begin in the enteric nervous system, the part of the autonomic nervous system that controls the gastrointestinal organs

More information: T. Van Laar et al. Faecal Transplantation, Pro- and Prebiotics in Parkinson's Disease; Hope or Hype?, Journal of Parkinson's Disease (2019). DOI: 10.3233/JPD-191802

Journal information: Journal of Parkinson's Disease

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-11-fecal-transplantation-patients-parkinson-disease.html

Way of Monitoring Stem Cells Maturing in Nerve and Other Cells May Aid Parkinson’s Understanding, Treatment

NOVEMBER 14, 2019     BY MARISA WEXLER 

A new biosensor system may make it easier to monitor stem cells changing into mature cells like neurons, which could allow for a better understanding of diseases like Parkinson’s and support the development of new treatments.

The system was described in the paper, “Dual-Enhanced Raman Scattering-Based Characterization of Stem Cell Differentiation Using Graphene-Plasmonic Hybrid Nanoarray,” published in Nano Letters.

Stem cells are able to continuously divide and to differentiate into other types of cells. Because of these properties, stem cells have gained interest in a number of fields, including regenerative medicine for neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The basic idea is that they could be used to ‘replace’ brain cells (neurons, a type of nerve cell essential for cell-to-cell communication) that become damaged in the course of the disease.

However, applications like this would require exquisitely precise monitoring of these cells.

“A critical challenge is ensuring high sensitivity and accuracy in detecting biomarkers — indicators such as modified genes or proteins — within the complex stem cell microenvironment,” KiBum Lee, MS, PhD, a study co-author and professor at Rutgers University, said in a press release. “Our technology, which took four years to develop, has demonstrated great potential for analyzing a variety of interactions in stem cells.”

The new technology relies on a technique called Raman spectroscopy. In simple terms, this technique involves analyzing the way light scatters off of molecules, which — with the help of computational analyses — allows scientists to figure out details about the molecules being studied.

The signals generated by Raman spectroscopy are, by their very nature, tiny. In essence, the new system uses a combination of gold nanostructures and very thin layers of graphene to amplify these signals, a technique called surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).

By analyzing what molecules a cell is making, particularly in terms of RNA, researchers can gain insight into what genes in a cell are ‘on’ or ‘off’ (gene expression), which is critical for understanding the development of stem cells.

Of note, gene expression is the process by which information in a gene is synthesized to create a working product, like a protein.

As a proof-of-concept, the researchers analyzed neural stem cells, a specific subset of stem cells that, as their name suggests, can differentiate into neurons. They confirmed that their system showed that the pre-differentiation stem cells had high expression of the stem cell marker Nestin, whereas cells that differentiated into neurons had high expression of a neuron marker called TuJ1 (class III β-tubulin).

“Utilizing our developed system we can confirm approximately 2 orders of magnitude increase in Tuj1 RNA level [in differentiated cells],” the researchers wrote. Importantly, this finding was consistent with the results of analysis with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is a well-established technique for measuring RNA levels and, by extension, gene expression.

“Collectively,” the researchers concluded, “we believe that our graphene−Au [gold] hybrid SERS nanoarray system will not only be used for high-quality and high throughput bio/chemical molecule screening assays but will also help us to understand cellular phenomena such as disease progression and stem cell differentiation, thus leading to more effective therapies.

”https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2019/11/14/monitoring-stem-cells-maturing-into-neurons-aid-parkinsons-understanding-treatment-study/

Targeting Dopaminergic Neurons in ‘Zombie’ State Might Slow Parkinson’s Progression, Study Says

 NOVEMBER 14, 2019    BY IQRA MUMAL, MSC IN NEWS.

Contrary to what is commonly thought, dopamine-producing nerve cells (neurons) that stop functioning in Parkinson’s disease may not die, but instead enter a state of senescence in which they cease to divide and cause damage to healthy neighboring cells, a study found.

In fact, one researcher noted these senescence cells are considered “zombie cells,” a spreading “undead.”  Future therapies that specifically stop senescence may help prevent the disease or slow its progression.

The study, “Loss of SATB1 Induces p21-Dependent Cellular Senescence in Post-mitotic Dopaminergic Neurons,” was published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

A key hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the brain, resulting in its characteristic motor symptoms.

During the natural process of aging, the main risk factor for both the sporadic and genetic forms of PD, humans and other organisms accumulate senescent cells within their tissues. Cellular senescence refers to when cells cease to divide and grow, and can no longer regenerate tissues.

While cellular senescence is important in both embryonic development and wound healing, and plays a role in preventing the development of certain cancers (by arresting uncontrolled cell growth), it can become detrimental.

Senescent cells tend to emit chemicals into their environment that can damage surrounding cells. In addition to accumulating in healthy, older tissue, senescent cells can abnormally accumulate in disease states.

In fact, recent studies have reported increased markers of cellular senescence in the brains of Parkinson’s patients.

Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (SATB1) was recently identified as a risk factor for PD. Previous studies have shown that SATB1’s activity is reduced in the most affected brain regions of patients.

Researchers set out to investigate SATB1’s role in dopamine-producing neurons, whose activity is lower than usual in Parkinson’s disease.

The team differentiated human stem cells into dopaminergic neurons in a lab dish; in some of these neurons, they silenced the gene responsible for producing the SATB1 protein.

Genetic deletion of SATB1 induced senescence in dopaminergic nerve cells. In particular, researchers found that a lack of SATB1 led to the characteristic hallmarks of cellular senescence, such as increased oxidative protein damage, damaged mitochondria — a cell’s “powerhouse” or energy source — and enlarged nuclei.

Dopaminergic neurons lacking SATB1 also released certain molecules that caused inflammation and senescence in surrounding neurons.

Further analysis found that in healthy dopaminergic neurons, SATB1 directly binds to the regulatory region of the p21 gene and represses its expression. This gene produces a protein known to promote senescence. As such, in a healthy scenario, SATB1 prevents dopaminergic neurons from entering senescence.

Eliminating SATB1 from another type of neuron, called CTX neurons, did not induce senescence or affected p21 expression.

The researchers believe that “SATB1-dependent repression of [p21] transcription seems to be crucial for [dopaminergic] neuron function.”

These findings may explain why Parkinson’s patients experience a drop in dopamine levels before dopamine neurons actually die.

“They [dopaminergic neurons] loose the function of a neuron even though they are still there,” Markus Riessland, the study’s lead author, said in a press release. “People call these senescent cells zombie cells because they’re undead, basically, and because their dead-like appearance is spreading.”

Reducing the activity of SATB1 in dopaminergic neurons in mice also resulted in the same signs of senescence and high levels of p21 and a local immune reponse.

These senescent neurons “stop the cell cycle and they start secreting inflammatory factors that signal to the immune system, ‘Come here and eat me,’” Riessland explained. “This might really be a novel explanation for why you see certain markers of inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease.”

Importantly, researchers found that p21 is actively expressed in dopaminergic neurons of Parkinson’s patients with the sporadic form of the disease, making these cells more prone to enter into a state of senescence.

The team believes that SATB1 could be a promising target for novel therapies that target senescent cells, called senolytics, which have already been able to improve age-related manifestations in mice.

Importantly, therapeutic strategies that target SATB1 or p21 in Parkinson’s disease could be a “beneficial route to intervention.

”https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2019/11/14/targeting-senescent-cells-zombie-state-might-slow-parkinsons-progression-study/

What Are the Benefits of an Online Community for Parkinson’s?

By Editorial Team · November 13, 2019

There’s something about an online community that allows us to bring our burning questions and our deep, middle-of-the-night worries without worrying about judgment. Online communities, especially moderated ones such as the ParkinsonsDisease.net Facebook page, are safe spaces for getting information, venting and receiving support from like-minded individuals – and in this case, people living with Parkinson’s.

Views from the community

To hear more about how you get the most out of online communities, we asked you to fill in the blank: “I come to this community page because ___________.”

More than 70 of you commented, and here’s what you had to say.

“I’m trying to learn everything about my PD diagnosis.”

One of the biggest reasons that members stay so active on the site is information. So many of you are eager for information on others’ experiences, successes with medication, complications to be mindful of, what others’ doctors are saying, and more. We can learn on our own, yes, but learning can be so much easier when we are learning from and with our peers.

“I have PD and find valuable information on this site.”

“I was diagnosed last year and have so many questions… .”

“I’m trying to learn everything about my PD diagnosis.”

“I’m always looking for suggestions on how to manage different symptoms.”

Likewise, a piece of the puzzle is that this community connects big numbers of folks across the country who live with this disease. When you have questions about a unique symptom, you’re much more likely to connect with someone who has had experience with that same thing thanks to the fact that an online reach will always exceed that of our own circle of friends and acquaintances. 

“I’m always looking for suggestions on how to manage different symptoms. Right now I’m struggling with dreams that I wake everyone in house with.”

“My dad has PD, and I want to see if there are ways I can help him.”

So, so many of you shared that you are a part of this community to find ways to help and support a loved one with Parkinson’s. We are so grateful for your example of being a loving, supportive caregiver. We appreciate you being such an active part of the ongoing conversation.

“My dad has PD, and I want to see if there are ways I can help him.”

“A guy I care about a lot has Parkinson’s, so I want to know the latest hopeful ways he and his family can be helped. We like optimism!”

“My father has Parkinson’s and I want to try and help him the best way I can! We live in a small city so there isn’t a lot of information out there!”

“I like to hear how others are navigating the day-to-day and night-to-night physical and emotional realities.”

Living with a diagnosis can bring new complications each day and each night. So many of you come to online communities, such as ParkinsonsDisease.net, to hear more about the ways that the disease affects everyday living that people aren’t always speaking about. Well, they are talking about those things here. Online communities provide a safe space to open up and talk about anything – allowing people to get more vulnerable than they might otherwise.

“I like to hear how others are navigating the day-to-day, night-to-night physical and emotional realities. Thanks!”

“I want to give support.”

We especially love seeing how many of you stick around the community simply to give back—whether because you’ve gotten something from the community, or because a loved one with PD has passed, and you still feel connected to the community in a way that inspires you to give back. For all of the support, we are grateful.

“I want to give and receive support to the patient and the caregiver.”

Every diagnosis affects a sphere of people, not just the one with the diagnosis. All who love the person with Parkinson’s will have feelings about watching someone suffer or have difficulty. How wonderful that so many of you are looking to be supportive to both the person with the diagnosis and to those who provide care. It takes a village!

“I try to offer encouragement to the patient and the caregiver.”

“I am interested in reading how others are dealing with PD. I compare them to what our situation was and try to offer encouragement to the patient and the caregiver.”

“I want to feel that I’m not alone in this fight.”

For anyone, the difficulty and challenge of walking this path is made much easier—lighter—when we know we are not alone. Nobody wants to feel isolated. Feeling isolated can easily lead to depression, which leads to feeling hopeless, which can lead to not putting effort toward living your healthiest life possible. It is our hope that everyone with PD can turn to this community for support and connection, and to feel empowered to move forward in taking that next right step toward living a brighter tomorrow with this diagnosis.

“I want to feel that I’m not alone in this fight.”

“I need people in my life like myself.”

We wish to say thank you to everyone who participated in this question. We are so grateful for every member of ParksinonsDisease.net.

https://parkinsonsdisease.net/living/online-community-benefits/?via=homepage-hero

Parkinson's Foundation hosts professional education training in Boston

14-NOV-2019      PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION

Joint Collaboration with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital

NEW YORK & MIAMI--November 14, 2019--The Parkinson's Foundation announced the spring location of its biannual signature professional education course, Allied Team Training for Parkinson's, ATTP® in Boston, MA from April 1-4, 2020. The interdisciplinary course for healthcare professionals treating patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is provided in a joint collaboration between Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital, both designated Parkinson's Foundation Centers of Excellence. 

"ATTP is a unique training program we offer at the Foundation as it targets an extensive list of disciplines involved in the care of people with PD and focuses on how these health professionals can work together as a team to improve the lives of people with Parkinson's and their families," said Eli Pollard, Vice President, Chief Training & Education Officer at the Parkinson's Foundation.

Designed to increase knowledge about PD and build capacity for comprehensive interprofessional care in the treatment of the disease, more than 2,300 health professionals have attended ATTP since the program started. ATTP helps health professionals from diverse disciplines learn the best techniques in PD care through a dynamic team-based approach. The course is designed for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, speech language therapists, physical therapists, music therapists and social workers. The ATTP faculty consists of an interdisciplinary faculty of senior movement disorder specialists.

"As two Parkinson's Foundation Centers of Excellence in the Boston area, partnering with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to host ATTP will provide both organizations with a chance to address the importance of patient-centered, team care for people with PD and expand our networks of health professionals in the region," said Albert Hung, MD, PhD, Associate Director, Massachusetts General Hospital Movement Disorders Unit and Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School.

The interactive course features a combination of online pre-requisites and an intensive in-person curriculum including CME/CEU credit. The training includes interactive case presentations, care planning with people with Parkinson's and caregivers, discipline specific breakout sessions, interdisciplinary team development sessions, patient and caregiver panels and individual and team planning for linking back to the workplace. 

"We were delighted to accept this opportunity to join a collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital to host the Parkinson's Foundation signature interdisciplinary training program," said David K. Simon, MD, PhD, Professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. 

Alumni of the ATTP program will be qualified to attend the first ever advanced ATTP program, ATTP Cognition, hosted by the University of California San Diego on July 31 & August 1, 2020. The program, offered exclusively to ATTP alumni, will address cognition in Parkinson's disease as a two-day intensive training. Registration will open in March of 2020.

###

ATTP is part of the Parkinson's Foundation professional educational offerings including Physical Therapy Faculty Program, The Edmond J. Safra Visiting Nurse Faculty Program, webinars and online courses. For more information, visit Parkinson.org/ProfessionalEducation.

To learn more, or to view a full ATTP program agenda, visit Parkinson.org/ATTP.

About the Parkinson's Foundation

The Parkinson's Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson's disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson's community. For more information, visit http://www.parkinson.org or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636).

About Parkinson's Disease 

Affecting nearly one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson's disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the United States. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson's and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/pf-pfh111419.php