I HAVE PARKINSON'S DISEASES AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE THE CONTENTS OF UPDATED NEWS IS FOUND IN ONE PLACE. THAT IS WHY I BEGAN THIS BLOG.

I COPY NEWS ARTICLES PERTAINING TO RESEARCH, NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE, DEMENTIA, THE BRAIN, DEPRESSION AND PARKINSON'S WITH DYSTONIA. I ALSO POST ABOUT FUNDRAISING FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE AND EVENTS. I TRY TO BE UP-TO-DATE AS POSSIBLE.

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT'S CONTENTS. I AM JUST A COPIER OF INFORMATION SEARCHED ON THE COMPUTER. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE COPIES ARE JUST THAT, COPIES AND AT TIMES, I AM UNABLE TO ENLARGE THE WORDING OR KEEP IT UNIFORMED AS I WISH. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND I AM A PERSON WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE. I HAVE NO MEDICAL EDUCATION,

I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I READ ON THE INTERNET. IT IS UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHETHER TO READ IT AND TALK IT OVER WITH YOUR DOCTOR. I AM JUST THE COPIER OF DOCUMENTS FROM THE COMPUTER. I DO NOT HAVE PROOF OF FACT OR FICTION OF THE ARTICLE. I ALSO TRY TO PLACE A LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH ARTICLE TO SHOW WHERE I RECEIVED THE INFORMATION SO THAT YOU MAY WANT TO VISIT THEIR SITE.

THIS IS FOR YOU TO READ AND TO ALWAYS KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

PLEASE DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR DOCTOR, SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS. NEVER DO ANYTHING WITHOUT TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR FIRST..

I DO NOT MAKE ANY MONEY FROM THIS WEBSITE. I VOLUNTEER MY TIME TO HELP ALL OF US TO BE INFORMED.

I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY ADVERTISEMENT OR HEALING POWERS, HEALING FROM HERBS AND ETC. UNLESS IT HAS GONE THROUGH TRIALS AND APPROVED BY FDA. IT WILL GO INTO SPAM.

THIS IS A FREE SITE FOR ALL WITH NO ADVERTISEMENTS

THANK YOU FOR VISITING! TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Friday, February 27, 2015

Is lake water causing a rise in DEMENTIA?

Poisonous algae linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease

Toxic water in Britain's lakes may contain bacteria linked to Alzheimer's
Scientists fear huge increases in algae pose a threat to our drinking water
The plant contains toxins that can damage the liver and nervous system
It has been linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease

By TOM PAYNE FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 20:55 EST, 26 February 2015 | UPDATED: 02:53 EST, 27 February 2015

Scientists fear the increase has been driven by pollution from industrial sites and sewers that pump nitrogen and phosphorus into the lakes, which the algae thrives on.

The first signs of exposure to the harmful algae are skin rash or irritation, gastroenteritis and respiratory distress.

Exposure to low doses of the algae can result in liver tumours or hormone disruption.

Zofia Taranu from McGill University said: 'We found that cyanobacterial populations have expanded really strongly in many lakes since the advent of industrial fertilisers and rapid urban growth.

'While we already knew that cyanobacteria prefer warm and nutrient-rich conditions, our study is also the first to show that the effect of nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, overwhelm those of global warming.'

There have been some 150 reported sightings of the algae in Britain's waterways in a year, and in 2013 it covered the lake in St James' Park opposite Buckingham Palace.

Algae blooms can cut off fish's oxygen supply and dozens of dogs are put down every year for ingesting it.

http://health.einnews.com/article/252118049/n1K410QLNX6rhJUX

Thursday, February 26, 2015

My New Rating Scale For Parkinson's Disease

FoxFeed Blog

February 26, 2015

My New Rating Scale For Parkinson's Disease

Terri Reinhart is a retired kindergarten teacher and current freelance artist and writer. She started writing after being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2007 because, as she says, "It helps me to process all the crazy wonderful things in life without screaming or hitting anything." Her husband, Chris, is very patient.

According to the “Classical Parkinson's Disease Timeline: Onset to Death” chart I found on the website of the Rocky Mountain Movement Disorder Center, I'm in trouble. My clinical symptoms showed up 13 years ago, which means I am somewhere in between Hoehn & Yahr stage III (Poor Balance) and H & Y stage IV (Fall, Dependency, Cognitive Decline). The fact that I fell on Christmas Eve while getting ready for family to come doesn't help.

While I understand this chart shows a common pattern of PD and is not meant to strictly show what an individual will go through, I also understand how easy it is to bypass the writing underneath the chart and just see the chart... like I did... and have a knee-jerk (or dystonia jerk) reaction. (I eventually skimmed the content below.)

When all is said, researched, and done, we still have to admit how much we don't know. My PD will do what it will do. I know if I exercise my body and my brain, eat right, and do my best to stay connected with my friends, family, and the community at large, I will do better than if I watch TV all day, eat junk food, and never see anyone. I also know this has less to do with PD than with LIFE in general. Duh.

Having said all this, I know I've gone through a lot of stages since my diagnosis. So many that I have come up with my own rating scale. I call it the Reinhart New Rating Scale for Parkinson's Disease. I'm sure others will find it extremely valuable.

Here it is:

STAGE 1: PARKINSON'S? ME?

This stage usually starts when you are diagnosed. It is generally accompanied by either screaming, swearing, or a blank stare.

STAGE 2: NO, THANK YOU.

This isn't just denial, it's when you tell your doctor you're returning his/her diagnosis and you want your money back or possibly, “I'd like to trade it in for a bout of stomach flu and hemorrhoids.”

STAGE 3: I'M GOING TO DO THIS RIGHT.

For some people, this means fighting it. They express this stage with: “I have PD, but PD doesn't have me.” Others (like me) decide to embrace their situation and become as positive as possible. This could be expressed as “I'm not going to fight this, I'm going to learn to live well with PD” meaning, “I'm going to learn how to slow down and eat well and exercise and keep active in the community and do everything I want to do which means I'm really in denial about having anything wrong with me in the first place.”

STAGE 4: PAC-MAN POWER PELLETS

Otherwise known as Sinemet or Carbidopa-Levodopa. All of a sudden things are good. Wow. Life is almost back to normal... sort of. If I have more symptoms, the doc gives me more power pellets. Mmm, dopamine rush. It's much easier now to be positive about life, the universe, and everything.

STAGE 5: CRASH AND BURN

Maybe a few people can be put on medication, have it work right the first time and be just fine. For the rest of us, it's like trying to get an old record player to work at the right speed with the right records. (Okay, between the Pac-man reference and vinyl records, have I dated myself?) Too much dopamine and I'm a 45 record playing on 78 speed. Too little and the speed goes down to 16 rpm or it stops altogether and the needle screeches off the record.

The crashing and burning comes from the reality of what happens at 78 speed, like obsessive compulsive stuff, and what happens at 16 speed, like severe depression.

STAGE 6: HOW NORMAL DO I HAVE TO BE?

This is the healthy fear (or terror, depending on what effects meds have on you) of changing medications, adding medications, or upping your dose.

STAGE 7: BE POSITIVE? HECK NO.

Self explanatory. For the sake of our families and friends, we always hope this stage is short.

STAGE 8: DO-OVER.

Let's go back to stage 3, but be more realistic about it.

STAGE 9: FINDING GRACE

What happens when you realize these stages happen. You're not going be positive all the time, you're really going to have to slow down and it's ok. Life is good. No, my PD isn't going to be controlled all the time and I'll have to make adjustments. It's still good. Amazingly, it's much easier to be positive more of the time when you don't put pressure on yourself to be positive all the time.

This is a rating scale I can understand. It's not perfect, some of us go back and forth between stages for years. I tend to shout, “DO-OVER!” on a regular basis.

It's ok because the grace is always there waiting for us.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?my-new-rating-scale-for-parkinson-disease

Do You Have Early Warning Signs of Parkinson’s Disease?

I decided to Share with others who may not know the warning signs.

By Everyday Health Guest Columnist

Published Jun 2, 2014

By Michael S. Okun, MD, Special to Everyday Health

This year, more than 50,000 people worldwide will hear four simple words: “You have Parkinson’s disease.”

Once the shock subsides, four new words will dominate their thoughts: “Is there a cure?” Today, the answer is no; however, with advancements in early detection and expert care, treatments are helping many people live long and happy lives with Parkinson’s. Research has shown that seeing a neurologist improves outcomes, and seeing a movement disorders specialist can speed improvement in symptoms.

What Is – and Isn’t – Parkinson’s Disease?

I am often asked if Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a form of Alzheimer’s. Parkinson’s is not Alzheimer’s, ALS or a brain tumor, and the prognosis for Parkinson’s, though not a perfect scenario, leaves room to live a productive life.

PD is a progressive and chronic neurological disease that often begins with mild symptoms that advance gradually over time. Symptoms can be so subtle in the early stages that they go unnoticed, leaving the disease undiagnosed for years. For patients with Parkinson’s, there is a reduction in the body chemical dopamine, which controls movement and mood – so simple activities like walking, talking and writing can be impacted.

Due to the complexity of PD, diagnosis is based on a variety of factors. The best diagnosis is made by an expert doing a careful history and exam followed by tracking responses to therapy. There is no blood or laboratory test to diagnose Parkinson’s disease.

While Parkinson’s reaches all demographics, the majority of people with PD are age 60 or older. Men and people with a family history of the disease have an increased risk.

12 Early Warning Signs of Parkinson’s

There is no one defining symptom or sign of Parkinson’s, but rather a combination of warning signs and symptoms. Not all of the signs and symptoms are present in every patient with PD, and this sometimes leads to confusion in diagnosis. Talk to your doctor if you or someone you know experiences more than one of the symptoms outlined below. Family and friends may be the first to spot the signs.

Tremor or shaking: An incessant or intermittent shaking in your finger, thumb, hand, chin, body, leg, lips or tongue could indicate Parkinson’s. The tremor usually happens at rest, and when you move the extremity it may disappear. One in five patients with PD may not have a tremor, which is an important reason the diagnosis may be missed.

Changes in handwriting: You may notice the way you write words on a page has changed, and particularly that your letter sizes are smaller and the words may be crowded together.

Loss of smell: Some research suggests that loss of smell is one of the earliest warning signs of Parkinson’s and other cognitive disorders, appearing years before the onset of the motor and cognitive symptoms.

Trouble sleeping: Sudden and extreme movements during sleep – kicking and punching – or falling out of bed can be indicate PD. Patients with Parkinson’s often report vivid dreaming or acting out their dreams; in many cases these symptoms may predate the diagnosis.

Muscle tension: Some people with Parkinson’s may notice tightness in a wrist, elbow, hip or knee (rigidity). This uncontrolled tightness may cause mild to severe aches or pains and make it difficult to move around.

Changes in walking: Parkinson’s affects the area of your brain that controls movement. If you walk with short, shuffling steps, don’t swing your arms or have trouble starting, stopping and turning, talk to your doctor about PD.

Constipation: Constipation is a sign that may predate the other motor symptoms like tremor and rigidity in people with Parkinson’s.

A quiet voice: If friends and family are always asking you to speak up even though you feel like you are talking in a normal voice, you may be experiencing the Parkinson’s disease symptom of a muffled or soft voice – called hypophonia. PD patients are often unaware they are speaking softly.

Masked face: Masking is a term we use to describe facial expressions that appear muted and flat even though the person may be content. Many patients don’t realize masking is happening until someone points it out. If people say you often look unhappy, have a blank stare, or do not blink your eyes, talk to your doctor.

Dizziness or fainting: Feeling dizzy or fainting on a regular basis can be signs of low blood pressure linked to Parkinson’s or to PD medications.

Stooping or hunching over: Stooping, leaning or slouching when you stand can all be symptoms of Parskinson’s.

Depression or anxiety: Depression is the biggest unmet Parkinson’s disease need. With PD, depressive symptoms can be mild and missed easily.

What If You Have Parkinson’s?

After Parkinson’s is diagnosed, your doctor will help you develop an individualized plan to address the symptoms that have the biggest impact on your everyday life and help slow down the progression of the disease. The first step is getting a referral to a neurologist for expert care – especially one who is trained in movement disorders.

Why Is Expert Care Important?

Early expert care can help reduce PD complications. Findings show that 60 percent of people with Parkinson’s fall short of getting the expert care they need. The National Parkinson Foundation has estimated that about 6,400 people with Parkinson’s die unnecessarily each year due to poor care.

Trained neurologists will help you recognize, treat and manage the disease. Common approaches include medication, surgical treatment, lifestyle modifications (such as rest and exercise), physical therapy, support groups, occupational therapy and speech therapy. The best approach is interdisciplinary care, where you are seen by multiple specialists on a regular basis and all of the specialists talk and arrange the best possible coordinated care. This is what is referred to as a patient-centric approach to Parkinson’s care.

The National Parkinson Foundation has easy-to-access communications options, including a toll-free helpline 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) and a free “Ask the Doctor” online forumon Parkinson.org.

Arming yourself with knowledge and expert care are the best methods of facing Parkinson’s disease.

Michael S. Okun, MD, is the National Medical Director of the National Parkinson Foundationand co-director of the Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, part of the McKnight Brain Institute and the University of Florida College of Medicine. He is the author of Amazon’s No. 1 Parkinson’s Best Seller 10 Secrets to a Happier Life. As NPF’s medical director, he has worked with NPF Centers to help foster the best possible environments for care, research and outreach in Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Okun has published more than 300 articles and is considered a world’s expert on Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders and deep brain stimulation.

Potential for new treatment

26 February 2015

Scientists we fund at the University of Bath have developed a way that might one day mean we could stop toxic build-up of a protein in Parkinson's.

Supporting this kind of innovative research approach is starting to make imaginable today what seemed impossible a decade ago.

Dr Arthur Roach, our director of research and development

The research, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, has highlighted a new way to stop the protein called alpha-synuclein from sticking together and killing cells.

Potential for new treatment

Dr Jody Mason, from the University of Bath's Department of Biology & Biochemistry explains:

"If you think of the misshapen alpha-synuclein proteins as Lego bricks which stack to form a tower; our peptide acts like a smooth brick that sticks to the alpha-synuclein and stops the tower from growing any bigger."

We need more successes

Dr Arthur Roach, our director of research and development, says:

Supporting this kind of innovative research approach is starting to make imaginable today what seemed impossible a decade ago.

"It's a difficult task to develop treatments that can stop the toxic build-up of proteins in the brains of people with Parkinson's.

"Supporting this kind of innovative research approach is starting to make imaginable today what seemed impossible a decade ago.

"We need more successes, like this one, if we are to develop drugs that could actually slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's. At the moment no drugs are capable of doing this."

The next step

Researchers are now looking to test this further and hopefully develop it into a drug that is effective in people.

- See more at: http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/news/26-february-2015/potential-new-route-slow-parkinsons#sthash.mzvOaKfv.dpuf

Newron Parkinson's drug Xadago gets Europe okay

DAILY NEWS | FEBRUARY 26, 2015

KEVIN GROGAN

Newron Parkinson's drug Xadago gets Europe okay

The European Commission has given the green light to Newron Pharmaceuticals of Italy’s Parkinson’s disease drug Xadago.

Xadago (safinamide) has been approved for mid-to late-stage fluctuating patients as add-on therapy to a stable dose of levodopa alone or in combination with other drugs. This is the first time in 10 years that a new chemical entity has received EC approval for PD.

Newron quoted Werner Poewe of Innsbruck Medical University as saying that levodopa is the gold standard but “its long-term use is associated with motor complications which still constitute a major unmet medical need in PD therapy. "Targeting non-dopaminergic systems might be an alternative approach to improve and control such motor complications, enhancing efficacy and removing the need for further increases in levodopa dose”.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Skin Test May Shed Light on Alzheimer's, Parkinson's

Wed, 02/25/2015 - 10:53am

American Academy of Neurology

Scientists have discovered a skin test that may shed new light on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, according to a study released will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 67th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., April 18 to 25, 2015.

The study showed that skin biopsies can be used to detect elevated levels of abnormal proteins found in the two diseases.

"Until now, pathological confirmation was not possible without a brain biopsy, so these diseases often go unrecognized until after the disease has progressed," said study author Ildefonso Rodriguez-Leyva, MD, at Central Hospital at the University of San Luis Potosi in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. "We hypothesized that since skin has the same origin as brain tissue while in the embryo that they might also show the same abnormal proteins. This new test offers a potential biomarker that may allow doctors to identify and diagnose these diseases earlier on."

For the study, researchers took skin biopsies from 20 people with Alzheimer's disease, 16 with Parkinson's disease and 17 with dementia caused by other conditions and compared them to 12 healthy people in the same age group. They tested these skin samples to see if specific types of altered proteins were found--ones that indicate a person has Alzheimer's or Parkinson's.

As compared to healthy patients and ones with dementia caused by other conditions, those with both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's had seven times higher levels of the tau protein. People with Parkinson's also had an eight times higher level of alpha-synuclein protein than the healthy control group.

Alzheimer's disease is ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and 5.4 million Americans are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Parkinson's disease affects one million Americans, with at least 60,000 new cases reported annually each year.

"More research is needed to confirm these results, but the findings are exciting because we could potentially begin to use skin biopsies from living patients to study and learn more about these diseases. This also means tissue will be much more readily available for scientists to study," said Rodriguez-Leyva. "This procedure could be used to study not only Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, but also other neurodegenerative diseases."

Source: AAN

http://health.einnews.com/article/251805514/BS_7FZ5IcV5c30lZ

Scientists make Parkinson's find

Scientists studying Parkinson's disease have made a breakthrough

Scientists have developed a peptide which sticks to the protein that causes Parkinson's disease - preventing it from killing brain cells.

The research, led by the University of Bath, highlights a potential new route for slowing the progress of the incurable disease, which affects around one in 1,500 people in the UK.

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition where brain cells die, causing a lack of the chemical dopamine, which acts a messenger to coordinate movement.

In patients with Parkinson's, a protein called a-synuclein becomes misshapen and stacks together to form long, toxic fibrils which kill the brain cells.

A team of scientists, with funding from Parkinson's UK, designed a peptide that binds to the faulty a-synuclein and prevents fibrils from forming.

Their research, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, shows that the peptide halts the formation of fibrils in cells in vitro and stops them from dying.

The team believes that if the peptide were to be developed into a treatment it could help slow the progression of the degenerative disease.

Dr Jody Mason, from the university's department of biology and biochemistry, said: "In Parkinson's, the protein called a-synuclein changes shape and stacks with other misshapen proteins.

"We've discovered a peptide that binds to the sticky part of the a-synuclein and covers it up, which stops the fibril growing.

"If you think of the misshapen a-synuclein proteins as Lego bricks which stack to form a tower; our peptide acts like a smooth brick that sticks to the a-synuclein and stops the tower from growing any bigger.

"This research is in the early stages, but the results so far are very encouraging. We still need to overcome many obstacles before this can be developed into a drug treatment, but these findings could herald a new approach to treating Parkinson's."

Dr Neil Kad, from the University of Kent, a co-author on the study, added: "This Parkinson's UK funded work shows how investment in basic science can open up new ways of studying and ultimately treating neurodegenerative disease."

The researchers developed the 10 amino-acid peptide by screening a library of peptides based on the region of a-synuclein that is mutated in patients with early onset Parkinson's.

It is the first time this part of the a-synuclein protein has been explored as a potential drug target.

Dr Arthur Roach, director of research and development at Parkinson's UK, said: " It's a difficult task to develop treatments that can stop the toxic build-up of proteins in the brains of people with Parkinson's. Supporting this kind of innovative research approach is starting to make imaginable today what seemed impossible a decade ago.