Off-periods and Work, Inbrija’s Ability to Keep Dyskinesia at Bay Among Studies at Congress

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019    BY CATARINA SILVA, MSC IN NEWS.

Use of Inbrija (levodopa inhalation powder) helps to effectively manage off episodes in Parkinson’s disease without an increase in troublesome dyskinesia, or involuntary muscle movement, according to data being presented by Acorda Therapeutics at the International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders.

Results from a separate study presented at the meeting, running in France through Sept. 26, show off episodes can negatively affect work productivity in Parkinson’s patients.

Dopaminergic medications, like levodopa, help to control Parkinson’s motor symptoms. But as disease progresses, people typically need to gradually increase their dose to maintain the same level of benefit. Even with such increases, they sometimes experience a reappearance or worsening of symptoms (off periods) due to the diminishing effects of dopaminergic therapy.

In the second study, “Impact of OFF periods on aspects of employment for people with Parkinson’s disease,” presented as a scientific poster, researchers characterized the burden of off periods on work absence and productivity.

They used data from the “Financial and Social Impact of Parkinson’s Disease Survey” conducted by the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) and the Parkinson’s Foundationbetween Sept. 17 and Oct. 8, 2018.

The online survey was completed by the patients, their care partners, family members or close friends. It compared the burden — in terms of work productivity — of off periods in people reporting to experience them in the past 12 months to those reporting no experience of off periods while on dopaminergic therapy.

A total 1,602 surveys were returned, with 70% completed by Parkinson’s patients and 20% by caregivers, family members, or close friends. Off periods were reported by 881 (55%) of survey respondents, and an absence of off-period symptoms by 434 (27%). Around 18% (287 people) did not know if they had experienced an off period over the previous year or failed to respond to the question.

Of the 881 patients reporting off periods, 176 (20%) worked full or part-time. Among those without such reports, 90 (21%) worked full or part-time. Those with off periods were more likely to report poorer work productivity in comparison to the other group (72% vs. 43%).

Almost half (48%) of patients with off periods reported at least 10 days each month of low productivity, compared to the 29% of those without an off period. And 34% of them missed, on average, at least three working days each month because of their disease, compared to the 21% of patients without off periods.

“PD [Parkinson’s disease] can have a financial burden on patients and their families,” the researchers wrote. “More effective management of OFF periods and other PD symptoms may alleviate this burden.”

In scientific poster “Dyskinesia Rates in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease on CVT-301 (levodopa inhalation powder),” researchers summarized the results of an analysis of Inbrija’s effects on Parkinson’s dyskinesia (involuntary muscle movement).

Inbrija, developed and marketed by Acorda, is an inhaled formulation of levodopa approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease during off episodes. When inhaled, this dry powder formulation bypasses the digestive system to deliver a higher and more consistent dose of levodopa to the brain.

In a 12-week, randomized and placebo-controlled Phase 3 study (known as SPAN-PD, NCT02240030), 339 Parkinson’s patients on a carbidopa/levodopa regimen and experiencing off episodes were treated with Inbrija or placebo. Results found that treatment at an 84 mg dose significantly eased motor symptoms as soon as 30 minutes after taking a dose.

More than half of patients (58%) given Inbrija also had control of their motor symptoms, meaning they went from an off period to an on state. They also maintained that on state when evaluated up to an hour after treatment administration, compared to 36% in the placebo group.

Researchers for this study analyzed the effects of Inbrija on patient dyskinesia. They obtained reports in the form of diaries made by patients, recording time with dyskinesia that occurred over three consecutive days prior to each study visit.

Adverse events during the SPAN-PD study were also examined, as were trial investigator ratings of dyskinesia’s occurrence and severity at 60 minutes post-dose, measured by the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part IV (motor complications).

On average, patients took two doses of Inbrija (84 mg) per day during the trial.

Four (3.5%) patients on Inbrija reported dyskinesia-like event lasting three days, in contrast to none in the placebo group. No one withdrew from the study due to dyskinesia.

At week 12, examiner-rated dyskinesia at one hour post-dose was of 16.7% among Inbrija-treated patients and 8% among people in the placebo group. All were rated mild to moderate, with the exception of one placebo patient whose dyskinesia was judged severe.

“In this phase 3 study of [Inbrija], adverse events and examiner ratings of mild to moderate dyskinesia were reported more frequently for [Inbrija] compared to placebo, but there was no increase in troublesome dyskinesia according to the patient reported diary and the overall impact on UPDRS part IV dyskinesia score was minimal,” the researchers concluded.

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2019/09/23/work-productivity-and-inbrija-effects-on-dyskinesia-parkinsons-congress-presentations/

Blood Pressure and Prostate Treatment May Prevent or Slow Parkinson’s, Early Study Suggests

 SEPTEMBER 23, 2019     BY CATARINA SILVA, MSC

People taking Hytrin (terazosin) or similar medications to treat high blood pressure and benign prostatic hyperplasia may be less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, an early study suggests.

Parkinson’s patients who use these medications may also see their disease progress more slowly and with fewer complications, its researchers report.

The study, “Enhancing glycolysis attenuates Parkinson’s disease progression in models and clinical databases,” was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Hytrin is indicated for the treatment of non-cancerous prostate enlargement and high blood pressure (hypertension). The medication, available as a generic (terazosin), acts on the alpha-1 adrenergic receptor to block adrenaline’s action, relaxing smooth muscle in both the blood vessels and the prostate, allowing blood and urine, respectively, to flow more easily.

Experts agree that energy metabolism plays a central role in the molecular mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. In fact, problems in energy metabolism and low levels of cellular energy are common features of this disorder.

Hytrin has been shown to enhance the activity of a protein called phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), which is involved in a critical energy-producing process known as glycolysis, where the simple sugar glucose is broken down by cells to produce energy. Boosting PGK1 activity increases the number of energy molecules, also known as ATP, within a cell.

Because low levels of ATP have been observed in Parkinson’s, increasing the breakdown of glucose and hence cellular energy, in theory, may slow down or prevent the neurodegenerative processes underlying this disease.

Researchers at Capital Medical University in Beijing, decided to test this hypothesis and investigate whether increasing PGK1 activity levels would change the course of Parkinson’s disease.

Hytrin was found to increase brain ATP levels and slow or prevent nerve cell loss in several models of Parkinson’s (MPTP, rotenone and 6-OHDA-induced or genetic models): mice, rats, flies, and induced pluripotent stem cells. MPTP, rotenone and 6-OHDA are all neurotoxins that induce death of dopamine-producing neurons and mimic Parkinson’s symptoms.

Treatment with this medication increased brain dopamine levels — the chemical messenger that is present in low levels in the brains of Parkinson’s patients — and partially restored motor function in both mice and flies.

Importantly, boosting PGK1 activity was beneficial even when treatment was initiated after the onset of neurodegeneration, suggesting the modulation of this protein’s function could help to slow Parkinson’s progression.

Because Hytrin is prescribed for other diseases, scientists also studied two human databases — the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative and the IBM Watson/Truven database — looking for a possible Hytrin effect in relation to Parkinson’s disease.

These two data sets  included a total of 4,072 individuals on Hytrin, doxazosin, or alfuzosin. The latter two medications produce effects similar to those of Hytrin.

A retrospective analysis on both databases revealed that use of Hytrin and related agents slowed Parkinson’s disease progression, reduced the number of neurodegeneration-related complications, and lessened the risk of a Parkinson’s diagnosis, compared to people not using these medications.

“These findings identify a protein and a pathway that might be targeted to slow or prevent neurodegeneration in PD [Parkinson’s disease] and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases with altered energy balance,” the researchers concluded.

Terazosin, available only by prescription, can cause dizziness and fainting because it lowers blood pressure.

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2019/09/23/blood-pressure-and-prostate-treatment-may-prevent-or-slow-parkinsons-early-study-suggests/

Symptoms of Parkinson’s and treatments available locally

September 23, 2019

The Parkinson's Support Group of Cookeville and surrounding areas marks its first anniversary Oct. 1. 

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder second only to Alzheimer’s disease in the number of people it affects. 

The Parkinson’s Foundation Prevalence Project estimates that 930,000 people in the United States will be living with Parkinson’s by the year 2020, with 16,400 of those individuals in Tennessee (https://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Statistics). 

The six-county area of Cumberland, Dekalb, Jackson, Overton, Putnam and White counties has an estimated population of about 220,000, while Tennessee has 6.8 million citizens, meaning nearly 530 people with Parkinson’s are among its population.

Most of these people are not well-informed about their treatment and lifestyle options and are not aware that there are others in the area with the same condition. They may be being treated for other conditions, such as neuropathy, restless leg syndrome or essential tremor.

Parkinson’s disease is characterized by the death of certain nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain that produce a chemical messenger called dopamine, which controls movement. When dopamine levels decrease, it causes abnormal brain activity, leading to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. It is common that at the time of diagnosis, at least two-thirds of these brain cells are already dead. Most people when diagnosed have had the disease for several years and have not known it.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. 

Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowness of movement. 

Those in the early stages of the disease may lose their sense of smell; their face may show little or no expression; their arms may not swing when they walk; and their speech may soft or slurred. 

Parkinson’s disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time. Although Parkinson’s cannot be cured, medications might significantly improve your symptoms. Doctors may occasionally may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of the brain and improve symptoms.

The cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown, but several factors appear to play a role, including your genes and environmental triggers.

Signs and symptoms can be different for every patient. Early signs may go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of the body and usually remain worse on that side even after symptoms appear on both sides.

Parkinson’s disease is a complex disorder that requires specialized treatment to achieve and to maintain the person’s best quality of life. Many Parkinson’s patients in the region are treated by their primary care provider. 

Though neurologists in the Cookeville area treat a wide variety of neurological problems, they don’t have the specialized training or time required for Parkinson’s disease treatment. 

The nearest Parkinson’ disease specialists, or movement disorder specialists, are at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville and University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. Such neurologists have taken three years of additional training in movement disorders.

Because the cause of Parkinson’s is unknown, proven ways to prevent the disease remain a mystery. 

Some research has shown that regular aerobic exercise may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease and improve symptoms. Several therapies can improve a patient’s quality of life. 

Other research has shown that people who drink caffeine – which is found in coffee, tea and colas – get Parkinson’s disease less often than those who do not drink it; and that caffeine can alleviate some Parkinson’s symptoms. 

This disease cannot be cured, and it is a progressive (gradually worsening) condition. 

Parkinson’s is not normally a fatal disease. Most people die of other causes. Medications and proper treatment can allow patients to live productive and active lives for many years after diagnosis.

https://www.crossville-chronicle.com/news/lifestyles/symptoms-of-parkinson-s-and-treatments-available-locally/article_097f80ce-de22-11e9-8932-f757321388d0.html

Are videogames the future of Parkinson's disease diagnosis?

Sept 23, 2019     The Euronews

https://youtu.be/cTZZNj58cP4 

In our latest episode of Futuris, we see if apps and video games help in the treatment and early diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. In Northern Greece, a patients' association has teamed up with researchers to find out.

Ermioni Zervoudaki was 49 when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. She is one of the 35 patients volunteering in Thessaloniki to test different video games designed to provide better treatments. She still works as a German language teacher. Nevertheless, she says the disease has abruptly changed her life.

“I need to have more time to schedule all my routine activities. For example, when I go shopping, I know that I will need more time, so I do not go to the supermarket during rush hour, because I put my shopping into the bags very slowly and I don't want to be stressed. I take more time to get ready for my work, to get dressed or finish my make-up; for all my daily activities, I need more time. Even for cooking."

Researchers have developed 14 different scenarios to help patients regain muscle tension, improve their general fitness or even fight depression. 

These serious games which are currently under clinical evaluation can be used in clinics and at home. But only after a medical prescription is issued, says social and physical educator, Sofia Balula Sias. 

"We believe that if patients play at least three or four of these games for around 30 minutes per day every week, they will see an improvement in the symptoms of the disease; and the disease's evolution can be stabilized."

Neurologists are hopeful that they will eventually be able to check their patients´' progress both online and during regular consultations.

These serious games could become a useful tool for treatment according to doctors at the Greek faculty.

"These exercises, these computer programmes, can be really effective (as treatment tools) because they are very targeted, tailored-made. They can be adapted to each patient's needs" says Sevasti Bostantjopoulou, the emeritus Professor of Neurology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Scientists at the European Union research project also want to improve the early diagnosis of Parkinson´'s with the help of a non-invasive platform used on every-day connected devices such as smart phones or watches.

"We are testing our Artificial Intelligence tools on many different users, both healthy people and Parkinson's patients. The app helps us collect meaningful data all year round, so we are able to accurately identify lasting changes in the volunteers. And this should help us to determine useful patterns that could lead to the early diagnosis of the disease," says Dimitrios Iakovakis - an electrical and computer engineer on the project.

The system aims to identify minor tremors, slowing of movements, voice degradation or some face expressions commonly related to eventual Parkinson´s disease symptoms. The I-Prognosis Project Coordinator Leontios Hadjileontiadis is feeling optimistic about the future.

"We are pretty optimistic. After three years of research and development, we have achieved an accuracy rate of about 82-85% percent in our prediction of early diagnosis. Now, of course, we need to extend our patients´ base to get even more data, and that is our target for the next years".

It is estimated that Parkinson´s disease affects 1.2 million people in the European Union, with the highest rates found in Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and France.

More information can be found at I-prognosis' website: http://www.i-prognosis.eu

https://www.euronews.com/2019/09/23/are-videogames-the-future-of-parkinson-s-disease-diagnosis

Exclusive: Billionaire Ken Griffin to Fund $10 Million Parkinson’s Competition With Michael J. Fox Foundation

By 

Sy Mukherjee      

September 23, 2019

Ken Griffin

Ken Griffin, the billionaire founder and CEO of investment firm Citadel, is teaming up with the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to fund a new $10 million Parkinson's research program, Fortune has learned. The program will be structured as a competition dubbed the Ken Griffin Alpha-synuclein Imaging Competition and will largely be funded by an initial $7.5 million leadership gift from Griffin. 

MJFF co-founder and executive vice chairman Deborah Brooks explained the basis for the program in a phone interview with Fortune. "We have more than 100,000 donors at the Fox Foundation, and our median gift is $50," she said. "But we strive to connect with people who may have a particular interest in our work and may be interested in donating on a more philanthropic level."

Enter Griffin. Eventually, the competition—which seeks to create what MJFF calls a groudbreaking imaging tool "to visualize the key protein alpha-synuclein," clumps of which are found in nearly all Parkinson's patients, in the living brain—will provide $8.5 million in funding to as many as three winning research teams, with the team that makes the most progress in two years or less eligible for another $1.5 million.

The Citadel chief is no stranger to philanthropy. But the foray into Parkinson's research presents an expansion of sorts.

"For years, I’ve supported philanthropic efforts in the arts and education. We are now broadening our focus to include medicine," Griffin told Fortune in a phone interview. 

Griffin also has personal experience with Parkinson's—his father was diagnosed with the disease several years ago. 

What makes this particular imaging project so unique is that, currently, the telltale alpha-synuclein clumps can only be seen after a patient has died. Being able to identify the clusters in real-time in a living brain could help spur targeted drug development and better disease monitoring methods.

"If we have the imaging capability to observe the pathology that arises from protein-misfolding in real time, and understand how drugs are impacting people in real time, that would be a major advance," explained Griffin.

"Providing researchers and clinicians with the ability to detect and monitor disease would be revolutionary for the field and, most importantly, for patients," said MJFF CEO Todd Sherer in a statement. "Ken Griffin’s gift invigorates research toward this important tool, which will make a meaningful impact in the lives of everyone touched by Parkinson’s."

To see video, go to:
https://fortune.com/2019/09/23/citadel-ken-griffin-parkinsons-fox-foundation/

Cannabis and parkinson's disease

by Marijuana News on Fri, 09/20/2019

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurological disorder that gets worse with time. There is no known cure for this disease, which causes a lack of control over bodily movements, depression, cognitive decline, and more. 

This condition can be a very debilitating disorder, because it can affect eating, sleeping, and many other vital bodily functions and activities. Decades of research have been dedicated to understanding the role of dopamine and other neurotransmitters in the disease, but the genetic and environmental factors that cause people to develop PD are unknown. 

Research Overview 

Substantial research has demonstrated the neuroprotective, antidepressant, analgesic, and antioxidative properties of cannabis. Because all of these factors are linked to Parkinson's disease, cannabis may help manage the multifaceted symptoms of this neurological condition.

Medical cannabis use could help manage the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. (Photo: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps)

The Studies

Animal studies have shown that cannabinoids may play an important role in protecting against the neurodegeneration that is seen in PD. A 2011 study in the British Journal of Pharmacology demonstrates that THCV may be particularly important for this neuroprotective effect. Preventing the loss of dopamine-producing neurons is at least partially thanks to activity at the CB2 receptor, according to a 2009 study in the European Journal of Neuroscience.

A large 2004 survey of 339 PD patients revealed that cannabis relieved symptoms in 46% of the patients, who reported improvements in muscle rigidity and various aspects of motor control, including tremors. Similar motor symptom relief was found in an observational study of 22 PD patients, as reported in 2014 in the journal Clinical Neuropharmacology. This study also found that cannabis significantly improved both sleep and pain for these patients.  

There have been relatively few clinical trials examining the benefit of cannabis for Parkinson's. A 2004 randomized controlled trial of 17 PD patients, published in Neurology, failed to reveal any benefit of oral cannabis extract. However, additional clinical trials are forthcoming in Canada, where researchers from the University Health Network, Toronto will be examining the effects of cannabis oil with various amounts of THC on pain, sleep, and motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. 

Patient Perspectives

Actor Michael J. Fox is perhaps the most prominent Parkinson's disease patient and spokesperson. Diagnosed at 29 while he was filming “Doc Hollywood” in 1991, Fox didn't reveal his health condition to the public until 1998, seven years after the fact. Today, the acclaimed actor is not only a survivor of Parkinson's disease but also a vocal advocate for cannabis treatment.

In a 2016 interview with the luxury lifestyle magazine Haute Living, Fox explained, “I was diagnosed 25 years ago, and I was only supposed to work for another 10 years. I was supposed to be pretty much disabled by now. I'm far from it.”

A two-pronged survey focusing on Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) was hosted online by the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in 2016. Participants who used cannabis reported high levels of effectiveness and lower levels of disability on the survey, especially with regard to mood, memory, and fatigue. The survey results were subsequently published in the journal Complementary Therapeutic Medicine in 2017. 

What the Experts Say 

Despite the encouraging results of early studies, not every medical expert is rushing to prescribe medical marijuana to Parkinson's patients. This resistance may be in part due to issues with federal illegality as well as the lukewarm stance of the Parkinson's Foundation, which maintains that “research is still needed to determine how medical marijuana should be administered and how its long-term use can affect symptoms of PD.”

However, a Parkinson's disease-focused media source, called Parkinson's News Today, has been more open in acknowledging the potential benefits of cannabis treatment, notably for older patients. The news source cited a 2018 study published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine that focused on 2,736 patients ages 65 and older who used cannabis for a variety of health reasons. Researchers found that nearly one-fifth of these patients discontinued or reduced their opioid usage after six months of using cannabis. 

One study shows the one-fifth of patients have discontinued or reduced their opioid usage by using cannabis. (Photo: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps)

As a result of this study, Parkinson's News Today asserted that, “medical cannabis is a safe and effective way for older people to alleviate symptoms of Parkinson's, cancer, and other diseases …The use of medical cannabis has grown significantly in recent years. Because of an aging population, the use has increased in older people in particular.”

The Bottom Line

Despite some conflicting reports about the effectiveness of cannabis for Parkinson's symptoms, there is enough promising evidence to justify additional placebo-controlled clinical trials. Because most people who have Parkinson's are older than 60, its particularly important for these patients to discuss cannabis use with their doctors, to prevent potentially dangerous drug interactions with other medications.

https://420intel.com/articles/2019/09/20/cannabis-and-parkinsons-disease

An Alzheimer’s study used electrostimulation to evoke vivid memories – here’s what it could mean

September 20, 2019  USF,   Wissam Deeb  Assistant Professor of Neurology, 

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most dreaded diagnoses, and the fear is particularly acute among older people. This complex brain disorder, which usually affects older individuals, can cause many cognitive disabilities, most notably memory impairment.

About 5.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, millions of loved ones and caregivers are affected, with some estimates indicating there are as many as 16 million unpaid caregivers. 

As the baby boomer generation has started to turn 65, the number of people diagnosed with this disease is expected to continue to grow.

The available medications don’t help much in the management of memory problems and associated behavioral changes. There is a clear need for more effective treatment options. 

As a response to this demand, a group of researchers tested the use of deep brain stimulation to improve memory and cognition in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (ADvance trial). While the long-term benefit on memory was not as robust as expected, almost half of the patients reported recalling past experiences. This is a notable observation as it occurred in individuals with memory problems. Furthermore, it can improve researchers’ understanding of the way memory is formed and retrieved.

Deep brain stimulation for Alzheimer’s disease

The fornix, a tiny part of the brain, may hold some clues to memory loss. Wissam Deeb, CC BY-SA

Deep brain stimulation is an FDA-approved treatment for many neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. It consists of implanting, through the skull, stimulating electrodes, with electric wires, into deep structures inside the brain. These electrodes are then connected to pacemaker-like devices in the patient’s chest. The pacemaker devices produce an electric signal that modifies the brain activity and improves the targeted symptoms, such as tremor in Parkinson’s disease.

In Alzheimer’s disease, the memory circuits in the brain, which include a notable structure called the fornix, are affected. The fornix is important in remembering personal events and concepts. In the ADvance trial, the researchers evaluated if deep brain stimulation at the level of the fornix ameliorated the memory of 42 subjects with Alzheimer’s disease. They found a possible improvement in memory only in those older than 65; researchers saw no benefit when evaluating all the participants. Learning from this experience, the researchers are embarking on another trial called ADvance II.

But there’s more to the story

Recently, researchers involved in the ADvance trial and I wrote an article for the New England Journal of Medicine which analyzes an interesting observation from the trial: About half of the subjects spontaneously reported recalling vivid memories. These were detailed and unsolicited memories from their past. These memories occurred only for a short period of time and their presence did not equate to a long-term improvement in memory. A key takeaway is that deep brain stimulation at the fornix can induce memories, at least briefly, although the implications for treatment and long-term effects remain unclear.

Of the 42 subjects who participated in the ADvance trial, 20 described previous events during the first session of evaluating their deep brain stimulation for possible side effects. During these evaluation sessions, the stimulation intensity and location were varied to determine the optimal settings. 

Analyzing data from the first trial, we counted 85 unique memory recollections of varying detail. Twenty-nine recollections had elaborate details about the place and time of these memories. For example, one person recalled a vacation in Aruba including the taste of lime in the margarita and feeling “buzzed.” Some of the recollections were from decades ago. 

They were memories that the participants did not think of for many years, and they carried a lot of emotional value. I found it interesting that, as the intensity of deep brain stimulation stimulation increased, the detail of the memories increased. The detail was limited only by the development of unwanted side effects of more intense deep brain stimulation stimulation. For example, one person initially described a generic recollection of “helping a guy find something on his property” which then evolved, as the stimulation intensity was increased, into remembering that this was at night, around Halloween, and that he was with his son.

The 20 subjects who developed these memory recollections when deep brain stimulation was turned on did not do better than those who did not have them on cognitive testing. Furthermore, there was no association between having these recollections or their intensity and the cognitive and memory outcomes. Hence, the implications of these findings for treatment remain unclear. 

Despite these limitations, these findings offer a couple of insights. First, they add to the accumulated knowledge about the areas of the brain involved in memory, including in brains of individuals with memory disorders. Second, they reveal that it is possible, albeit maybe only temporarily, for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease to access stored memories with electrical stimulation that were not previously accessed possibly due to the brain changes associated with the disease.

Further work and research is needed to clarify the role of these electrically induced memories. Do they last long after deep brain stimulation implantation? How can different memories be induced? Why did only half of the subjects develop such recollections? How can researchers use these memories in helping develop deep brain stimulation and other treatments for Alzheimer’s disease?

This work provides further insight into the effect of electrical stimulation in the area of the fornix in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. It also provides one more piece of information in the scientific quest to treat this condition. And in the study of Alzheimer’s disease, any new information that may be helpful is welcome news.

http://theconversation.com/an-alzheimers-study-used-electrostimulation-to-evoke-vivid-memories-heres-what-it-could-mean-123253

Yarmouth gearing up for Parkinson SuperWalk on Sept. 28

September 20, 2019

The SuperWalk is a national fundraiser for Parkinson Canada, with walks held across the country. This year’s event will be held in Yarmouth on Saturday, Sept. 28.

YARMOUTH, N.S. — 

On Saturday, Sept. 28, members of the Parkinson Canada Tri-County Patient and Caregiver Support Group will be participating in the Yarmouth SuperWalk. 

This is the 29th year for the SuperWalk, organized by Parkinson Canada, during which thousands of Canadians will be coming together to walk in support of people living with Parkinson’s disease. 

This year Rita Fitzgerald, 61, will take part in Parkinson SuperWalk for the third time. 

“I walk each year because I want to spread awareness of the disease to others,” she says. Fitzgerald wants others to be open about their battle with Parkinson’s. 

“Don’t be afraid to talk about it. It doesn’t need to be a secret.”

The Parkinson Canada Tri-County Patient and Caregiver Support Group meets monthly and provides people support in managing this condition. 

Parkinson’s affects more than 100,000 Canadians, with 25 people being diagnosed every day. The numbers of diagnoses are expected to increase to 51 by 2031. Due to these numbers, Parkinson’s is one of the fastest growing neurological conditions in the world. It is also one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases. 

This means that continued support is needed in order to fund research to find a cure and the SuperWalk is a chance to fundraise for the cause. Since 1981, Parkinson Canada has invested more than $29 million in research.

“We want to thank SuperWalk participants who continue to raise significant funds and increase public awareness of our charity,” says Joyce Gordon, CEO of Parkinson Canada. 

“These funds help us to greatly impact the lives of those living with Parkinson’s, their caregivers and health-care professionals, and offer hope for a future without Parkinson’s. For these individuals, a cure can’t wait.” 

When you walk in a Parkinson Canada SuperWalk you support: research to find a cure and to improve quality of life; advocacy for better public policies and programs to improve the quality of life; information and referral services accessible to anyone, anywhere in Canada; support groups so that all who need information and help receive it from those who can best provide it; and education so that people living with Parkinson's are informed and empowered to live well.

Check-in for the Yarmouth walk on Sept, 28 will be at noon, with the walk starting at 1 p.m. Registration can be completed online: http://www.superwalk.caAbout Parkinson Canada

Parkinson Canada provides services and education to people living with Parkinson’s disease, their families, and the health-care professionals who treat them. Operating since 1965, the organization advocates on issues that concern the Parkinson’s community in Canada. The Parkinson Canada Research Program funds innovative research for better treatments and a cure. A national registered charity, Parkinson Canada fulfils its mission through the generosity of donors and is an accredited organization under the Imagine Canada Standards Program. Parkinson Canada participates in numerous coalitions and partnerships to effectively fulfill its mission.

https://www.novanewsnow.com/news/provincial/yarmouth-gearing-up-for-parkinson-superwalk-on-sept-28-354613/

Glycolysis Inhibitor Could Prevent Cell Death and Excitotoxic Brain Disease

Sep 20, 2019   by Alina Chernova, Gero Discovery Team

An international team of scientists from Gero Discovery LLC, the Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca, and Nanosyn, Inc. has found a potential drug that may prevent neuronal death through glucose metabolism modification in stressed neurons. The positive results obtained in mice are promising for future use in humans. The new drug could be advantageous in neurological conditions ranging from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases, to traumatic brain injury and ischemic stroke. The results have been published in theScientific Reports Journal.

Brain injuries and neurological disorders are among the most significant causes of death worldwide. According to WHO, stroke is the second most common cause of mortality, and more than a third of people who have survived a stroke will have a severe disability.

What is more, as the population ages, millions more people are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases in the near future. However, there are no efficient drugs for major neurodegenerative diseases. It is thus critically important to understand the biology of these diseases and to identify new drugs capable of improving quality of life, survival, and, in the best-case scenario, curing the disease completely.

In most tissues in the body, glycolysis is considered an essential metabolic pathway for cell survival since it meets the cell’s energy needs in case of intensive energy consumption. However, in brain tissue, the situation is quite different - individual cell types show distinct glucose metabolism patterns.  In neurons, only a small portion of glucose is consumed via the glycolysis pathway. At the same time, astrocytes provide nutrients to neurons and utilize glycolysis to metabolize glucose. These differences are mostly due to a specialized protein called PFKFB3, which is normally absent in neurons and is active in astrocytes. In the case of certain neurological diseases, stroke being one of them, the amount of active PFKFB3 increases in neurons, which is highly stressful for these cells and leads to cell death.

An international team of researchers led by Peter Fedichev, a scientist and biotech entrepreneur from Gero Discovery, and professor Juan P. Bolaños from the University of Salamanca, suggested and further confirmed in in vivo experiments that a small molecule, an inhibitor of PFKFB3, may prevent cell death in the case of ischemia injury. In experiments using mouse cell cultures, it was shown that the PFKFB3 inhibitor protected neurons from the amyloid-beta peptide, the main component of the amyloid plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Subsequent in vivo testing showed that inhibition of PFKFB3 improves motor coordination of mice after stroke and reduced brain infarct volume.

Bolaños commented, “Excitotoxicity is a hallmark of various neurological diseases, stroke being one of them. Our group has previously established a link between this pathological condition and high activity of PFKFB3 enzyme in neurons, which leads to severe oxidative stress and neuronal death.”

“We are glad that our hypothesis that pharmacological inhibition of PFKFB3 can be beneficial in an excitotoxicity-related condition, such as stroke, was confirmed. I would like to note that in our work, we used a known molecule to demonstrate that PFKFB3 blockage has a therapeutic effect. But we have also performed the same experiments with other proprietary small molecule designed in our company and showed that it had a similar effect. There is, of course, still much work to do. We are currently investigating the efficacy of our compounds in models of orphan excitotoxicity-related neurological diseases. We have already obtained good safety results in mice and believe that we will be successful in our future investigations” said Olga Burmistrova, director of preclinical development in Gero Discovery.

The Gero Discovery team is planning to proceed with preclinical trials and to move into clinical trials soon. “These promising results bring hope to dozens of millions of patients suffering from life-threatening neurological diseases. We have started communicating with potential investors and co-development partners and invite interested parties to collaborate on the further development of this breakthrough medicine through the preclinical and early clinical stage” said Maksim Kholin, the Gero Discovery Co-Founder and Business Development Director.

Reference: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48196-z

https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/articles/glycolysis-inhibitor-could-prevent-cell-death-and-excitotoxic-brain-disease-324177