SpeechVive

SpeechVive

Chronic neurologic diseases, such as Parkinson's disease are debilitating conditions which progress over time. While the physical symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease are easily recognized by the general public, the decrease in communicative ability associated with Parkinson’s disease is an often overlooked symptom, which affects a majority of this population. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali is an example of how Parkinson’s disease can affect a patient's speech pattern. This speech condition, known as hypokinetic dysathria, is characterized by reduced vocal volume, impaired speech rate and diminished articulation.

How SpeechVive Works

SpeechVive detects when the patient is speaking using an accelerometer which is built into the earpiece. During speech, the device plays a background sound into the user's ear. The background sound, which resembles a room full of people talking during a party, is a natural cue that elicits louder and clearer speech through an involuntary reflex known as the Lombard Effect.

SpeechVive is designed to elicit improved speech clarity without placing cognitive demand on the patient. SpeechVive does not require training or behavioral modification and may immediately improve a patient's speech clarity, by altering volume, articulation or speech rate.

When a patient is not speaking, the SpeechVive device turns off the background sound, which enhances the patient's ability to hear and communicate effectively.

Am I a good candidate for SpeechVive?

A good SpeechVive candidate will have a diagnosis of Parkinson Disease and will have experienced changes in their voice that may include; decreased volume, increased rate, or poor articulation. Others may perceive your speech as too soft, too rushed, or mumbled.

SpeechVive has been proven to increase clarity and volume for patients who have had DBS and who have already completed a speech therapy program. SpeechVive does not require the wearer to think about their speech so it works well with wearers who may experience cognitive decline.

SpeechVive prompts the user to speak at an increased volume every time they speak. This means that the SpeechVive user practices strengthening their voice each time they speak with the device on. People who do not want to wear a device in their ear will not make good SpeechVive candidates. People who rarely speak or are not willing to talk with others while wearing the device will not make good SpeechVive candidates.

When people speak in a true whisper they are only using their breath to make sounds and their vocal cords don't vibrate. In order for the SpeechVive device to work you must have some vocal cord movement. People who are unable to speak above a whisper are therefore not good candidates for SpeechVive. If you cannot speak above a whisper your speech-language pathologist can use a different technique to help you.

I already wear a hearing aid. Can I still use SpeechVive?

If you wear one hearing aid you may wear the device in your other ear. If you wear two hearing aids you may still use the device but will have to take one of your hearing aids out.

Your speech-language pathologist can further help you determine if SpeechVive is the best therapeutic approach for you. If you still have questions or you would like assistance finding a SpeechVive trained clinician, please email us at: mfonseca@speechvive.com

Michael J. Fox treated Parkinson's with brain drilling procedure, reveals neurologist

by MIRANDA NELSON on JAN 13, 2015 at 3:33 PM

Actor Michael J. Fox had holes drilled into his brain as part of his treatment for Parkinson's Disease, according to one of his doctors.

Harvard Medical School neurologist Allan Ropper talked about the "highly successful" procedure during an interview with BBC’s Radio Five Live on Monday (January 12), admitting he "took a lot of heat for it, because it was not a conventional procedure."

According to Ropper, author of the book, Reaching Down the Rabbit Hole: A Renowned Neurologist Explains the Mystery and Drama of Brain Disease, the treatment purposely causes small strokes in the patient's brain, which can "kill" tremors.

“We know from accidents by an ancient neurosurgeon, by which I mean 40 years ago, that small strokes in a particular part of the brain stop the tremor of Parkinson’s," Ropper explained. “It was an accidental observation. After that, the Swedes began to make holes with little instruments in those places. That’s what we did. We made a little hole in the thalamus, killed the tremor, dead."

Fox was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease in 1992 and went public with his diagnosis in 1998.

“Some people with Parkinson’s who start with a tremor and who are young at the onset, ironically, do extremely well in the long run," Ropper told the BBC. “One would have thought the opposite, that if you’re young when you get it, you’ll be worse off.

In 2007, Straight contributor Rex Moore wrote an account of a similar experience he had. Also diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Moore underwent Deep Brain Stimulation surgery, during which electrodes were put into his brain while he was awake and later attached to a stimulator implanted in his chest. ("Trust me, you do not want to ever feel the vibrations of a drill digging deep into your soul or recall the smell from your smoking skull," Moore wrote about the surgery.) 

As Ropper noted in the BBC interview, "There are more modern techniques now which are stimulators, but as outlined in the book, Mr. Fox did not want the contraption."

http://health.einnews.com/article/244280923/B7UrhHVLJps4mpp1

FDA Approves Revolutionary Parkinson's Treatment and NPF is Helping Deliver It to You

FDA Approves Revolutionary Parkinson's Treatment and NPF is Helping Deliver It to You The National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) is pleased to share that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved DUOPA™, developed by AbbVie Inc., as a treatment for people with advanced Parkinson's disease. DUOPA™ is a new approach to the delivery of carbidopa and levodopa for the treatment of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease; it is administered using a small, portable infusion pump that delivers carbidopa and levodopa directly into the small intestine. Key Highlights about DUOPA™:  DUOPA™ is the first and only treatment providing 16 continuous hours of carbidopa and levodopa for motor symptoms in advanced PD. In a clinical trial, patients treated with DUOPA™ experienced significantly greater improvement in "off" time than patients treated with oral carbidopa-levodopa immediate release tablets.  "The approval of the dopamine pump for the treatment of Parkinson's disease is a huge step forward for treatment of Parkinson's disease patients suffering from motor fluctuations and other disabling symptoms.,"said Dr. Michael S. Okun, NPF's National Medical Director. "We are very enthusiastic about this advance being made available to patients all over the United States." "Due to the progressive nature of Parkinson's disease, it can be difficult to treat over time, especially in the advanced stages," said Joyce Oberdorf, NPF's President and CEO. "Our organization is encouraged by the introduction of a new therapy that may provide another treatment option for affected patients and families." NPF is collaborating with AbbVie in the development and delivery of comprehensive training programs on DUOPA™ for NPF Centers of Excellence (COEs). NPF considers AbbVie's DUOPA™ product to be an important tool to address unmet clinical needs for advanced Parkinson’s patients. The one-day trainings will be held in the first quarter of 2015 to ensure COEs are among the first sites to be trained.  The trainings will include hands-on sessions to provide a strong foundation for key stakeholders involved in managing treatment with DUOPA™. This news comes on the heels of last week's FDA approval of RYTARY™ (carbidopa and levodopa) extended-release capsules. If you have questions about either of these newly-approved Parkinson's treatments, NPF's Helpline is available at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) or helpline@parkinson.org.

AbbVie get Parkinson's drug clearance

Monday, January 12 14:10:55

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved AbbVie's treatment for Parkinson's disease, three months ahead of the scheduled review date.

The treatment, Duopa - a combination of carbidopa and levodopa - is the first to be effective for 16 hours, compared with existing oral formulations that last for up to four hours following a single dose.

Duopa, already available in Canada, is administered using a small portable infusion pump that delivers the drug directly to the small intestine.

AbbVie shares were up 1 percent in premarket trading.

Parkinson's disease is characterized by reduced levels of the hormone dopamine in the brain, which leads to poor mobility, slowness and stiffness.

Nearly all patients diagnosed with the disease are treated with levodopa. The effectiveness of oral levodopa, however, is limited by its short half-life. Excessive oral doses often lead to involuntary movements, or dyskinesia.

Last week, the FDA approved Impax Laboratories Inc's Parkinson's drug, Rytary, after rejecting it twice.

Other companies developing drugs for the disease include NeuroDerm Ltd, Acorda Therapeutics Inc and Cynapsus Therapeutics.

About 1 million Americans live with Parkinson's disease - more than the number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease combined, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. (Reuters)

For more visit www.businessworld.ie

http://health.einnews.com/article/243960029/I2MwmmSwYYeuKnnT

Auspex Pharmaceuticals Announces SD-1077 Program for the Potential Treatment of Parkinson's Disease and Related Movement Disorders

Auspex to Acquire Remaining Worldwide Rights to SD-1077 Through Purchase of Imphar AG

Clinical Proof-Of-Concept Data for SD-1077 Versus Levodopa Expected in 2016

LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 12, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Auspex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASPX), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative medicines for people with movement disorders and rare diseases, today announced that it has been developing SD-1077, a deuterium containing levodopa, in collaboration with Imphar AG, a private German-based drug development company, and it has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire the remaining rights to SD-1077, and related intellectual property, through the acquisition of Imphar AG. Imphar AG had previously granted Auspex exclusive U.S. and select worldwide rights and retained European and additional worldwide rights, all of which will be transferred to Auspex, along with the related intellectual property, pursuant to the share purchase agreement, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The research conducted by Imphar was funded in part by a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

"Moving forward with SD-1077 adds to the strength of our movement disorder pipeline behind our SD-809 lead program," said Pratik Shah, president and chief executive officer, Auspex. "Based on strong preclinical data and scientific principles, we believe that SD-1077 has significant potential to treat this debilitating disorder which currently has limited effective options. We look forward to continuing to work with the scientists at Imphar and expect to advance SD-1077 into clinical development this year and announce proof-of-concept data in 2016."

SD-1077, an investigational new drug for the potential treatment of Parkinson's disease, has been shown in preclinical models to improve the half-life of dopamine in the brain resulting in a prolonged treatment effect. Auspex is advancing SD-1077 through preclinical studies in preparation for initiation of clinical development by the end of 2015. Data from the clinical studies are expected in 2016.

"Auspex and Imphar AG have had a fruitful collaboration," said Dr. Giesbert Alken, founder and chairman, Imphar AG. "We believe Auspex's expertise in neurological diseases, coupled with its strong leadership team, will be able to accelerate SD-1077 clinical development for the benefit of patients living with Parkinson's disease around the world."

Parkinson's disease affects one million people in the United States, and seven to 10 million people worldwide. Levodopa is considered the current gold standard for the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, the short half-life of levodopa results in dosing multiple times daily, as well as the development of dyskinesia, an involuntary and potentially severely debilitating movement disorder, in 30 to 80 percent of patients within a few years of treatment. SD-1077, a selective deuterium substituted form of levodopa, can potentially improve the half-life of the resulting dopamine in the brain and prolong the anti-parkinsonian effect. These properties of SD-1077 may enable less frequent dosing, a reduction in the daily dose of levodopa and a reduction in the development of dyskinesias and other motor complications of Parkinson's disease.

"Extending the clinical benefit provided by levodopa remains a critical need in the treatment of Parkinson's disease," said Robert A. Hauser, M.D., MBA, Director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of South Florida. "We need simple, easily administered medications that can be dosed just a few times daily that will provide sustained benefit through the day even as the disease progresses. A deuterium-containing levodopa represents a novel mechanism to extend the benefit of medication-derived dopamine in the brain. This effect has been demonstrated in animal models of Parkinson's disease and, if confirmed in patients, could provide a significant therapeutic advance."

About Auspex Pharmaceuticals

Auspex Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative medicines for hyperkinetic movement disorders and other rare diseases. Auspex employs its proprietary technology to create patent-protected, new chemical entities from known, clinically proven pharmacologics. The company's lead product SD-809 is in the final stages of development for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative movement disorder that impacts cognition, behavior and movements. In addition, Auspex is investing in the broad potential of SD-809 for the treatment of other movement disorders, including tardive dyskinesia and tics associated with Tourette syndrome. The company's pipeline also includes SD-560, which is being developed for potentially treating fibrotic conditions, and SD-1077 for the potential treatment of Parkinson's disease. For further information, please visit the company's website www.auspexpharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements 

Statements made in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Auspex's ability to successfully complete its ongoing clinical trials and development programs, Auspex's ability to obtain regulatory approval for its product candidates and market penetration and acceptance of its product candidates. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: Auspex's future preclinical studies and clinical trials may not be successful; changes in regulatory requirements in the United States and foreign countries may prevent or significantly delay regulatory approval of Auspex's product candidates; Auspex may change its plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may not agree with Auspex's interpretation of the data from clinical trials of its product candidates; Auspex may decide, or the FDA may require Auspex, to conduct additional clinical trials or to modify Auspex's ongoing clinical trials; Auspex may experience delays in the commencement, enrollment, completion or analysis of clinical testing for its product candidates, or significant issues regarding the adequacy of its clinical trial designs or the execution of its clinical trials, which could result in increased costs and delays, or limit Auspex's ability to obtain regulatory approval; the third parties with whom Auspex has partnered for the development of its product candidates and upon whom Auspex relies to conduct its clinical trials and manufacture its product candidates may not perform as expected; Auspex's product candidates may not receive regulatory approval or be successfully commercialized; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of Auspex's product candidates could delay or prevent regulatory approval or commercialization; Auspex may be unable to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for its product candidates; the loss of key scientific or management personnel; Auspex's ability to obtain additional financing; and the accuracy of Auspex's estimates regarding expenses, future revenues and capital requirements. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Other risks and uncertainties affecting Auspex are described more fully in Auspex's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Auspex undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

CONTACT: For Media:
         Dan Budwick, Pure Communications, Inc.
         dan@purecommunicationsinc.com
         (973) 271-6085
         
         For Investors:
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         (617) 895-9511

Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Group Gunning for Mega-Merger

1/8/2015 10:58 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF 

Michael J. Fox's famous Parkinson's Foundation is asking a judge to give the green light for a big merger with the Michael Stern Parkinson's Research Foundation.
Think of this as American Airlines merging with a regional carrier. Fox's foundation has nearly $120 million in asset, and the Stern foundation only has around $2 million. But based on the court documents -- obtained by TMZ -- it looks like Fox's group thinks the Stern group has some promising research that can help toward finding a cure.

Michael Stern was a reporter for The New York Journal. He died in 2009.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2015/01/08/michael-j-fox-parkinsons-foundation-merging-michael-stern/#ixzz3OHuFjr4x


http://www.tmz.com/2015/01/08/michael-j-fox-parkinsons-foundation-merging-michael-stern/

I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET VERIFICATION ON THIS ARTICLE. THE ABOVE IS THE ONLY ITEM I HAVE FOUND.

FDA Approves Impax Pharmaceuticals’ RYTARY for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

Thu, 01/08/2015 - 8:12am 

Impax Pharmaceuticals, a division of Impax Laboratories, Inc., today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved RYTARY, an extended-release oral capsule formulation of carbidopa-levodopa, for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, post-encephalitic parkinsonism, and parkinsonism that may follow carbon monoxide intoxication and / or manganese intoxication. RYTARY is not for use in patients using nonselective monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO) inhibitors.

"The FDA approval of RYTARY (pronounced rye-TAR-ee) is an important new development for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and provides an extended-release carbidopa-levodopa product that treats Parkinson's disease," said Fred Wilkinson, president and CEO, Impax Laboratories.

"RYTARY is designed to address one of the most significant unmet needs for patients living with Parkinson's disease, which is to reduce the amount of time during the day when their symptoms are not adequately controlled."

"There are approximately one million Americans living with this chronic disease and we are pleased to offer this new therapy as a treatment option for those patients," added Wilkinson. "Today's approval of RYTARY is also a significant milestone for Impax because it is our first branded drug internally developed and approved for commercialization."

RYTARY contains immediate release and extended-release beads, with a specific amount of carbidopa and levodopa in a 1:4 ratio, and provides both initial and extended levodopa plasma concentrations after a single dose. RYTARY may be swallowed whole or, for patients who have trouble swallowing, the capsule may be opened and the beads sprinkled on applesauce and consumed immediately.

http://health.einnews.com/article/243354883/DUWmoXeGXyNr7TPh

Psychiatric aspects of Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is essentially characterized by the motor symptoms in the form of resting tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia. However, over the years it has been recognized that motor symptoms are just the "tip of the iceberg" of clinical manifestations of PD. Besides motor symptoms, PD characterized by many non-motor symptoms, which include cognitive decline, psychiatric disturbances (depression, psychosis and impulse control), sleep difficulties, autonomic failures (gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, urinary, thermoregulation) and pain syndrome. This review evaluates the various aspects of psychiatric disorders including cognitive decline and sleep disturbances in patients with PD. The prevalence rate of various psychiatric disorders is high in patients with PD. In terms of risk factors, various demographic, clinical and treatment-related variables have been shown to be associated with higher risk of development of psychiatric morbidity. Evidence also suggests that the presence of psychiatric morbidity is associated with poorer outcome. Randomized controlled trials, evaluating the various pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for management of psychiatric morbidity in patients with PD are meager. Available evidence suggests that tricyclic antidepressants like desipramine and nortriptyline are efficacious for management of depression. Among the antipsychotics, clozapine is considered to be the best choice for management of psychosis in patients with PD. Among the various cognitive enhancers, evidence suggest efficacy of rivastigmine in management of dementia in patients with PD. To conclude, this review suggests that psychiatric morbidity is highly prevalent in patients with PD. Hence, a multidisciplinary approach must be followed to improve the overall outcome of PD. Further studies are required to evaluate the efficacy of various other measures for management of psychiatric morbidity in patients with PD. 

PMID:

 

25552854

 

[PubMed] 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25552854#

CHMP Recommends Approval of Xadago™ (Safinamide) to Treat Parkinson's Disease

MILAN January 7 2015
MILAN January 7 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

• First New Chemical Entity (NCE) in 10 years to receive a positive opinion from CHMP for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients
• Positive Opinion for Use of Safinamide as Add-on to L-dopa alone or in combination with other Parkinson's disease medications in mid-late stage PD patients with motor fluctuations
• Decision based on the results of two international Phase III placebo-controlled studies in over 1100 patients
• Safinamide's profile is differentiated from "standard of care" demonstrating sustained efficacy in the long term (more than two years)

Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. ("Newron") a research and development company focused on novel CNS and pain therapies and its partner Zambon S.p.A. an international pharmaceutical company strongly committed to the CNS therapeutic area announced today that the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended that the European Commission approve the use of Xadago™ (safinamide) as add-on to L-dopa alone or in combination with dopamine agonists entacapone amantadine and/or anticholinergics for the treatment of patients with mid-late stage Parkinson's disease experiencing motor fluctuations despite being stabilized on 'Standard of Care'.
To view the Multimedia News Release please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7406951-chmp-xadago-parkinsons/
C. Warren Olanow M.D. FRCPC Henry P. and Georgette Goldschmidt Professor and Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Neurology and Professor of Neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine stated: "Safinamide is the first NCE to be approved for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in the past 10 years. In a two year double blind study the product demonstrated rapid onset of efficacy (within two weeks) and benefit with respect to improvements in 'ON and OFF Time' without an increase in dyskinesia. This was maintained for the two year duration of the trial when used as an add-on treatment to PD patients with L-dopa-induced motor fluctuations compared with 'Standard of Care'. No other agent has demonstrated this duration of benefit in a double blind trial. Safinamide's effects are dependent upon pharmacological mechanisms that are not shared with other PD drugs. These effects include its dual mechanism of highly selective reversible inhibition of MAO-B and state and use-dependent blockade of sodium channels that inhibit glutamate release implicated in causing dyskinesia. Preclinical experiments and data from a large number of dyskinetic patients enrolled in a placebo controlled clinical study indicate that safinamide also has the potential to improve L-dopa induced dyskinesia in PD patients."
Fabrizio Stocchi M.D. Professor of Neurology Director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Research Centre and Institute for Research and Medical Care IRCCS San Raffaele Rome who has been involved with safinamide trials from the beginning said: "The benefits of safinamide were demonstrated as adjunctive treatment for fluctuating patients on top of L-dopa alone or in combination with other PD medications. Safinamide demonstrated significantly improved motor fluctuations Parkinsonism Quality of Life and Activities of Daily Living without any increase in 'ON Time with troublesome dyskinesia'. My experience in treating PD patients with safinamide in Rome over the last 10 years as well as my review of all the data indicate that safinamide is extremely well tolerated even over long periods of time. Safinamide does not require any specific medical monitoring dietary restrictions or particular precautions because the risk of drug interactions is very low."
Ravi Anand M.D. Newron's CMO said "The CHMP decision on safinamide is a great result for PD patients and physicians providing them with a therapeutic alternative that is an improvement over "standard of care" in patients with mid-late stage Parkinson's disease patients on L-dopa who constitute a major proportion (over 75%) of those that are experiencing this progressive debilitating disease. Safinamide's unique profile of rapid onset and long lasting efficacy significant even at two years in a randomized placebo-controlled trial has not been demonstrated with any other PD medication. In addition safinamide improved patient and care giver rated Quality of Life measures including PDQ39 and EQ-5D as well as depressed mood. We thank the CHMP and EMA staff for their scientific advice during the development of safinamide and performing a timely review of the MAA."
Maurizio Castorina CEO of Zambon said "We are very excited by the decision of the CHMP that recognizes the therapeutic benefits of Xadago™. We now eagerly await the EU Marketing Authorization from the European Commission so this product can be launched and its benefits made available to Parkinson's disease patients starting in the first half of 2015. Zambon will make its best effort for the expeditious availability of Xadago™ and its success in the marketplace."
The CHMP's positive opinion on Xadago™ will now be reviewed by the European Commission which has the authority to approve medicines for the European Union. The final decision will be applicable to all 28 European Union member countries as well as Iceland Liechtenstein and Norway.
Video:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7406951-chmp-xadago-parkinsons/
PR Newswire
http://www.prnewswire.com/

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Exercise Improves Life For People With Parkinson's Disease In Every Area But One

Exercise has been found to people with Parkinson's disease improve their balance, ability to move around and quality of life - the only thing it cannot do is reduce their risk of falling, according to a new study in the journalNeurology. However, when started early, the threshold risk for falling remained lower.

In the study, 231 people with Parkinson's disease either received their usual care or took part in an exercise program of 40-60 minutes of balance and leg strengthening exercises three times a week for six months. The exerciseprogram was prescribed and monitored by a physical therapist with participants performing most of the exercise at home, so it was minimal supervision. On average, 13 percent of the exercise sessions were with a physical therapist.

Falling is a common problem for people with Parkinson's, with 60 percent falling each year and two-thirds of those falling repeatedly, says study author Colleen G. Canning, PhD, of the University of Sydney in Australia. 

Compared to those in the control group, the number of falls by participants who exercised was reduced in those with less severe Parkinson's disease, but not in those with more severe disease. For those with less severe disease a 70 percent reduction in falls was reported in those who exercised compared to those who did not.

"These results suggest that minimally supervised exercise programs aimed at reducing falls in people with Parkinson's should be started early in the disease process," Canning said. 

Overall, those who took part in the exercise program performed better on tests of ability to move around and balance, had a lower fear of falls and reported better overall mood and quality of life.

The study was supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and the Harry Secomb Foundation.

http://health.einnews.com/article/242997706/OJUcx_y-yX4B8RJS