DRINKING BEER SLOWS DOWN ALZHEIMER’S AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE

POSTED BY: ADMIN | DECEMBER 22, 2015

Drinking beer could prevent the damage of the brain cells, says a research carried out by Jianguo Fang and his colleagues of Lanzhou University’s school of chemistry. Drinking liquor is not a much appreciated practice in the past but partying has become a part of life these days. While the goodness of the wine is well known, it’s time to know something more about beer.

Beer is not usually considered an evil for health when taken in reasonable quantity, but the goodness of beer is sure to amaze the beer lovers. A compound called xanthohumol present in the beer is observed to have anti-carcinogenic, anti-oxidation and cardiovascular-protection properties.

During brewing, an ingredient called hops is added to the beer that gives a bitter and tangy taste to it. Hops are the female flower of the hops plant known to have quite some medicinal values. Hops are the source of the compound xanthohumol present in the beer that renders goodness to the beer. These xanthohumol are observed to protect neuronal cells present in the brain and thereby slows down the development of brain disorders, reports Fangs and his team.

The oxidative damage to the neuronal cells is responsible for the development of brain diseases, according to the research, said Fang. Brain defects like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions could be prevented or slowed down by the preventing the oxidative damage to these neuronal cells.

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that causes interruption in memory, thinking and behaviour in a person’s regular life, whereas Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive movement disorder due to the death of vital nerve cells or neurons. No cure has been found for these neurodegenerative diseases so far, and if this research is to be believed, then it is no wonder a joy to the beer brewers and beer lovers.

To report problems or to leave feedback about this article, e-mail: saranya@ibtimes.com.au

http://healthpassion.info/drinking-beer-slows-down-alzheimers-and-parkinsons-disease/

When Parkinson’s Disease Affects Mood

When people think of Parkinson’s disease, what comes to mind are the physical effects — the rigid muscles, the tremors, the difficulty with movement.

But Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the brain and nervous system and, as such, also can have an effect on the patient’s emotional state. Mood changes can arise from biochemical changes wrought by the disease, but they may also be related to the medications used to counter Parkinson’s or be a natural reaction to the patient’s loss of control over his own body.

Caregivers of people with Parkinson’s disease need to understand these potential mood changes and be ready to adjust to them. There is a lot a caregiver can do to help, either by determining the source of the problem or by responding to the patient’s feelings with care, compassion, and thoughtfulness.

Emotional Responses to Parkinson’s Disease

Some of the emotional responses that have been associated with Parkinson’s disease include:

• Depression. Up to half of all Parkinson’s disease patients end up dealing with depression. It is so prevalent that some doctors believe depression may actually be a symptom of Parkinson’s, possibly rooted in the way the disease affects the brain.
• Denial. Many patients with Parkinson’s disease react to the initialdiagnosis by refusing to accept the reality of their situation. That denial could be accompanied by feelings of anger, fear, and anxiety.
• Fatigue. Parkinson’s disease can transform the simplest body movements — standing up, walking around — into draining experiences. Because of this, patients might end up becoming withdrawn and introverted, making them less interested in socializing with others.
• Anxiety. Doctors believe Parkinson’s patients experience feelings of anxiety for a couple of reasons. They become anxious when they think about the future and what the disease holds in store for them. Patients also have been shown to experience anxiety before they are ready to receive their next dose of medication, when some of their symptoms begin to resurface, or when they have an “off” period in which their symptoms re-emerge. Up to 40 percent of Parkinson’s patients may experience anxiety at some point.
• Apathy. About one in three patients with Parkinson’s disease experience feelings of apathy. They might find it hard to care about anything, or hard to get up and get things done.

Parkinson’s Disease Meds Can Change Moods

The medications people take for Parkinson’s disease can cause some emotional problems as well.

“Medications can cause some psychotic symptoms, some hallucinations and paranoia. Oftentimes it’s benign and not too upsetting, but other times it can become very uncomfortable,” said Linda Pituch, a patient services manager for the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.Parkinson’s Disease: On the Lookout for Depression

Depression is the most common mood disorder linked to Parkinson’s disease, so caretakers need to keep an eye out for warning signs. These include:

• Being indifferent to activities the person once enjoyed
• Having a sharp decrease or increase in appetite
• Having trouble focusing attention or concentrating
• Making statements about feeling worthless, or showing a general lack of hope for the future
• Feeling constant sadness
• Having recurring thoughts of suicide or death

Pituch recommends bringing a depressed Parkinson’s disease patient to the doctor as soon as possible. “Determine if that person is getting help for their depression,” she said. “That’s very important. If they’re not getting help, it’s going to be a very difficult battle to win.”

Parkinson’s Disease: Helping With Mood Issues

Some of the ways that caregivers can help Parkinson’s disease patients with emotional problems or mood changes include:

• Therapy. Getting your loved one into psychotherapy can be an important step in dealing with anxiety, depression, or apathy. The therapist can help the patient understand their moods and what is causing them, and can teach that person how to better guide and control their emotions.
• Medication. Some Parkinson’s medications help with these mood problems; others make them worse. Parkinson’s medications and antidepressants can help improve feelings of depression, fatigue, or anxiety. On the other hand, some of these medications can bring on hallucinations or psychosis, so medication levels may need to be adjusted or a new Parkinson’s medication may need to be considered if effects like those occur.
• Socializing. Re-establishing a person’s ties to the outside world can do much to lift his spirits, Pituch said. “Get them out socializing, and support them when they feel uncomfortable,” she suggests. “Help them come up with ways of framing the situation when they’re having an embarrassing moment, like if there’s a bit of drool or some food on their shirt, by coming up with a quip to say when these things happen.”
• Reassurance. Caregivers can help tremendously just by maintaining a calm, loving, and reassuring manner, Pituch said. This is particularly true if the patient is having hallucinations or psychosis. “Caregivers should not debate that what they’re seeing is wrong or not true,” she says. Instead, “they want to say things like, ‘You’re okay, I’ve checked and everything’s okay. This could be a side effect of the medication.'”

Parkinson’s is a complicated disease. Read as much as you can about it. Beyond Everyday Health, two good places to start are the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.

By Dennis Thompson

http://mymedclinic.info/?p=2952

Linking a genome-wide association study signal to a LRRK2 coding variant in Parkinson's disease

Dec. 21, 2015

Genome-wide association studies have identified several loci associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Whole-exome sequencing detects rare coding variants, but their links with PD genome-wide association study loci are unknown. Our objective was to investigate whether nonsynonymous variants in LRRK2 can explain associations at the PD-associated locus tagged by rs1994090. We sequenced all coding exons of LRRK2 in 453 East Asian samples and evaluated linkage disequilibrium between each nonsynonymous variant and rs1994090. We then tested selected variants and haplotypes for association with PD in 13,581 East Asian samples. Of all the nonsynonymous variants, only p.Gly2385Arg was in moderate linkage disequilibrium with rs1994090 and was observed on haplotypes tagged by the rs1994090-C risk allele. Conditional analyses showed that associations at these 2 variants are not independent. LRRK2 p.Gly2385Arg can explain most if not all of the PD association at rs1994090 in East Asians, but other nonsynonymous variants are independent. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

http://www.topix.com/health/parkinsons-disease/2015/12/linking-a-genome-wide-association-study-signal-to-a-lrrk2-coding-variant-in-parkinsons-disease

CANTABio and Gardedam Therapeutics complete Merger to Tackle Development of Novel Therapeutics for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease

December 21, 2015

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 21, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 

Cantabio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Cantabio") (OTCQB:CTBO) is pleased to announce the completion of its reverse merger (the "Merger") with Gardedam Therapeutics, Inc. ("Gardedam"). The effective date of the Merger is December 18th, 2015.

Cantabio will have an exclusive focus on the discovery and development of Gardedam's drug pipeline for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

As part of a large and developing portfolio of therapeutic candidates, Cantabio will first progress its research into the DJ-1 protein, advancing small molecule pharmacological chaperones and engineered blood brain penetrant DJ-1 drug candidates into pre-clinical development for the treatment of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Having completed the Merger, Cantabio issued 15.5 million shares of its common stock to the holders of Gardedam common stock. Under the terms of the Merger, these shares will be restricted from trading for a period of one year from the closing of the Merger. After the close of the Merger a total of 27.25 million shares of common stock will be outstanding.

Gergely Toth, MBA, PhD, founder of Gardedam and CEO of Cantabio, said, “The Merger strengthens our financial position allowing us to accelerate our drug discovery and development of clinical candidates for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.  With recent research establishing a genetic link between the DJ-1 protein and familial and sporadic PD, AD and other neurodegenerative diseases we are particularly focused on rapidly advancing into clinical trials our novel DJ-1 protein therapeutic candidates. These may protect from oxidative stress and protein misfolding, both processes that have been linked to the onset and progression of these diseases. In view of the lack of approved therapies for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, our pharmacological chaperone and CNS penetrant engineered protein drug discovery technologies provide potential for the development of disease modifying clinical candidates with novel mechanisms of action.”

“I am delighted that we have been able to form a strong executive team, all graduates of the Executive MBA program at the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, with extensive scientific and business experience. We have also appointed an exceptional scientific advisory board and aim to build Cantabio into one of the leading discovery driven biotechnology companies focusing on the development of therapies targeting these neurodegenerative diseases. We have a strategy that is also strongly focused on delivering returns for investors and we are very excited about taking the company forward.”

About Cantabio Pharmaceuticals Inc

Cantabio Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a preclinical stage biotechnology company focusing on commercializing novel therapies and the intellectual property generated from its research and development activities. Its primary focus is on therapeutic candidates for Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other related neurodegenerative diseases. Cantabio’s strategy combines therapeutic focus, target family biophysics, drug discovery technology and expertise into an innovative drug discovery approach and its current main focus is on identifying and developing small molecule pharmacological chaperones for clinical trials. In addition, the company is developing therapeutic proteins that can pass through the blood-brain barrier to supplement existing levels of proteins, which display loss of function during disease conditions.

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding potential results and future plans and objectives of Cantabio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other risk factors may include, but are not limited to, fluctuation in quarterly results, and increased competition in our operations, our ability to continue operations as scheduled, and our ability to protect the proprietary technology we use. Further, the company operates in an industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond the company's control, such as announcements by competitors and service providers.

The contents of this press release are presented as a general overview of the company. It is intended only to contain general information regarding the company and its business and does not purport to provide complete disclosure or analysis of all matters, which may be relevant to a decision to make an investment, including all risk factors or similar considerations. Although the information is believed current as of the date herein, the information may be subject to change, amendment or supplementation, and the company does not expect, and assumes no obligation, to update or otherwise revise the information herein.

 http://ir.cantabio.com/press-releases/detail/7/cantabio-and-gardedam-therapeutics-complete-merger-

COO Dr. Thomas Sawyer

@cantabio.com


(844) 200-CTBO

Source: Cantabio Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Released December 21, 2015

10 Tips for a Healthy Winter with Parkinson’s Disease

FoxFeed Blog

Posted by  Nancy Ryerson, December 18, 2014

Whether you’re traveling for winter holidays or staying warm at home, the season can bring along plenty of fun with family and friends but some stressors, too. There are a few precautions people with Parkinson’s can take to ensure the holiday season and the rest of winter is as healthy as possible.

1. Keep a routine. Even if you’re on vacation or have family visiting, be sure to exercise, get enough sleep and take your medications at the same time as usual.
2. Avoid the temptation to overeat or drink at holiday parties. Indulge in a treat or two but stick to your usual diet as much as possible, Rachel Dolhun, MD, recommends. “This is especially pertinent with regard to combining protein and carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet) — try to take medication 30 minutes before or 60 minutes after meals and save most protein (ham or turkey, for example) for later in the day,” says Dr. Dolhun.
3. Watch out for depressive symptoms. Depression is common in Parkinson’s disease, and the shorter days and colder weather may lead one to feel more blue. Talk to your doctor right away if you feel you might be depressed.
4. Be careful of slippery conditions and ice. Speaking of cold weather, ice and slippery conditions can be particularly hazardous if you’re having trouble with balance. Walk in cleared walkways as much as possible, wear shoes with non-slip tread rubber on the bottom and bring along a cane or walker. You can even try ski poles or walking sticks to help steady yourself if necessary.
5. Keep a winter emergency kit handy in your home. Be sure to include several emergency light sources like battery-operated lanterns or touch lights, as well as spare batteries. Navigating a dark home can be particularly dangerous with gait or balance difficulties.
6. Don’t isolate yourself. If you’ve recently been diagnosed or your symptoms have worsened since you last saw certain friends and family, it can be tempting to sit out of holiday gatherings. But, social activities can help lift your mood and help reduce stress. “Participate in social activities as you are able and comfortable doing,” says Dr. Dolhun. “Attend a Christmas concert, bake cookies with a friend or go on a walk with neighbors to view outdoor decorations.”
7. Give yourself a break. Don’t feel pressured to participate in every festive activity you’re invited to. Again, stick to your regular schedule as much as possible. When you do decide to partake, allow extra time to prepare for and travel to activities so you don’t feel rushed or stressed.
8. Take advantage of online shopping for gift buying and avoid the malls if they are anxiety-provoking or make symptoms worse. Shopping on Amazon? The Amazon Smile program automatically gives a small percentage of your purchase to your chosen charity, including the Foundation.
9. Be prepared when traveling.  Consider letting airport staff know that you have Parkinson's disease -- you may be able to board the flight early or get extra help from a flight attendant. Also, be sure to always keep your medication on your person, rather than in a checked bag. Our community shared more tips for travel back in July.
10. Expect a few questions about Parkinson’s disease. Consider printing out our resource guide to share with family and friends who are interested in learning more about the disease.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?10-tips-for-healthy-winter-with-parkinson-disease&os_cid=fb-a30U0000000OVlA&s_src=MJFFfb&s_subsrc=winter_safety_12.11

Colorado man with Parkinson's pushes for right-to-die law

Dec.19, 2015

In this Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, photograph taken in Denver, Lance Wright, who is suffering with Parkinson's disease, talks about a proposal that he is advancing to allow him and other terminally ill patients to have the right to seek assistance from a third party when they want to die in Colorado. Wright wants Colorado voters to decide next year whether terminally ill people should be allowed to end their own lives with medical help.

Photo: David Zalubowski, AP

DENVER (AP) — Lance Wright is a meticulous planner: He has a line ready for when his hands shake during work presentations, and for his life's final days, an audacious plan to let people with incurable illnesses choose when they die.

The 63-year-old energy efficiency consultant and Parkinson's disease patient is trying to do what many better-funded and organized activists cannot: Get language on next year's Colorado ballot that would give him and others the right to seek assistance from doctors to die — and then convince voters to approve it as a constitutional amendment.Wright has long supported the idea that people should have the right to end their own lives, closely following the 1994 Oregon debate that led to the nation's initial right-to-die law. But when the first symptoms of Parkinson's disease appeared 12 years ago, his interest became personal.

"A battleship off the coast will focus your attention," he said.

Wright's proposal goes further than what lawmakers and advocates of the "right-to-die" movement want because a patient doesn't have to be months away from dying, and patients don't have to administer life-ending drugs on their own. So there's already opposition to Wright's effort, and since he has no organization to help with the time and money needed for the expensive task of signature-gathering, he is taking a major political long shot. But he's used to long shots.He unsuccessfully ran as a Democrat against former Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo when that suburban Denver district was GOP country in 2002. Last year, he collected 22 votes as a write-in candidate for a Denver statehouse district.

Wright has more at stake in this campaign.

"I feel that it's a basic human right to be in charge of your own destiny, if you will. The situation now is that you and I are not in control of what happens at the end of our lives," said Wright, who served two terms in the Parker Town Council from 1996 to 2000.At the moment, the disease is more of an inconvenience for Wright. During presentations, he quips that his shaking hands don't mean he's nervous, just that he has Parkinson's. In general, he's still healthy and able-bodied. He walks his wife home and carries her books from the University of Denver, where she's a law professor.

"I love life. I want to live every minute that I can," Wright said. But he knows the time may come when he will be unable to walk on his own or swallow food.

Wright is finalizing the language for his proposal to define who would qualify as having an incurable condition to get aid in dying from a doctor. He said it would not apply to people who are depressed or suicidal.

If a legal panel finds that it complies with standards for a ballot measure, he'll need to start collecting more than 98,000 signatures from registered voters by next summer.

He'll have to do that without the support of Compassion and Choices, a national group advocating for right-to-die laws. The group opposes Wright's plan because doctors can inject patients with the fatal drugs.

"We just think that it's a little bit too dangerous, quite honestly," said Roland Halpern, a Denver-based spokesman for the group, which wants laws requiring patients to take the drugs on their own to ensure it is what they want.

State lawmakers pursuing the idea do not back Wright's plan, either, largely because the ballot language does not include the "terminally ill."

"I don't think (the proposal) uses the word 'euthanasia,' but it seems to provide for euthanasia, which we do not advocate," said Democratic Rep. Lois Court of Denver, who is sponsoring end-of-life legislation specifying that a patient be certified as terminally ill, have formally requested life-ending drugs several times, and self-administer those drugs, among other conditions.

Wright argues some like him may not be able to take that medication on their own. And people in similar circumstance may not qualify for what lawmakers are proposing. An Alzheimer's patient may lose the ability to take care of himself but still not be considered terminal, for example.

Halpern's group has supported attempts to pass right-to-die bills in other states, including California, where Gov. Jerry Brownsigned a measure into law in October. Other states where doctors can prescribe life-ending drugs for the terminally ill are Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana.

If Wright succeeds in getting to the ballot, he'd face opposition from religious organizations and conservatives who view the laws in Oregon and other states as facilitating suicide. Some doctors have also expressed concern that making life-ending drugs available to patients takes away hope of recovery when a terminal diagnosis can turn out to be wrong.

Wright said he's optimistic his idea will draw support. He insists the issue is not just about what he's going through.

He said he's "determined to make sure that I've done everything that I can to provide the sort of framework for individual liberty that I can for folks here in Colorado."

Associated Press writer James Anderson contributed to this reporthttp://www.topix.com/health/parkinsons-disease

How Does Parkinson’s Disease Affect the Body?

Cells in the Brain Are Damaged

For reasons not well understood, brain cells located in a structure called the substantia nigra die or become impaired in those with Parkinson’s disease. These cells produce a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which helps to carry electrical signals from your brain to the areas of the body you wish to move. (This process allows you to carry out smooth and coordinated movements.) According to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, Parkinson’s Disease occurs when at least eighty percent of these cells that produce dopamine are affected.

Mild Changes Occur

As the body begins to have trouble coordinating movement and muscle contractions, minor changes become apparent. Your handwriting may become small and cramped. You may begin to speak softly and have difficulty projecting your voice loud enough so others can hear you. Your facial muscles may lose tone; others often notice this as a lack of facial expression when they are speaking to you. You may also begin to have trouble chewing and swallowing. Learning to recognize these early warning signs is important. Medications, exercise and surgery can all help to control your symptoms and, in some cases, slow the progression of this disease.

Movement Is Affected

As the disease progresses and less dopamine is available, more apparent movement changes will occur. Your movements may become slower and you may find that you have difficulty initiating movement at all. This is often referred to as “freezing.” For example you may want to lift your arm but since dopamine is not available to carry the electrical signal your arm muscles, you will be unable to move your arm until there is enough dopamine present. The same is true when attempting to step out to walk; you may notice a tendency to shuffle your feet and take small quick steps just to keep going. Since movements are uncontrolled some Parkinson’s patients will develop a tremor or shaking movement in the arms, face or legs.

Rigidity Occurs

The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation states that as the muscles lose tone, you may develop a tightness or stiffness especially in the trunk and hips. As the stiffness worsens, movement becomes harder and slower. This can make it difficult to twist and turn. Daily activities such as getting dressed, eating and bathing may take longer or you may need assistance. As the muscles tighten, your posture may become halted altogether and maintaining balance will be more challenging.

Cognitive Ability May Change

The Michael J. Fox Foundation notes that as further damage occurs in the brain, some patients with Parkinson’s disease develop “cognitive problems, such as short-term memory loss, difficulty following complex instructions or a loss of multitasking ability.” However they also state that the rate and severity of progression is very different for each patient.

By Lori Newell

http://mymedclinic.info/?p=2883

Brain imaging technology offers new approach for studying Parkinsonian syndromes

December 18, 2015

Source:

Drexel University

Summary:

Using a portable device, researchers have identified differences in brain activation patterns associated with postural stability in people with Parkinsonian syndromes and healthy adults. The findings describe the critical role of the prefrontal cortex in balance control and may have implications with respect to detecting and treating Parkinsonian symptoms in the elderly.

The prefrontal cortex, highlighted in red, is responsible for high-level functions like memory, attention and problem solving.

Credit: Life Science Databases

Using a portable device developed at Drexel University, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have identified differences in brain activation patterns associated with postural stability in people with Parkinsonian syndromes and healthy adults. The findings, published recently in Brain Research, describe the critical role of the prefrontal cortex in balance control and may have implications with respect to detecting and treating Parkinsonian symptoms in the elderly.

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that arises when brain cells that control movement die, leaving many patients in the late stages of the disease unable to take a few steps before falling. Parkinsonian syndromes, which are common in older adults, are conditions that do not rise to a Parkinson's diagnosis but encompass many symptoms of the disease, like rigidity, tremor and difficulty walking.

Past attempts to compare brain activity and stability in people with Parkinsonian syndromes have been limited, because neuroimaging tools could only be used when a study participant was lying flat, rather than walking or standing. In these cases, the person undergoing the brain scan could only imagine that he or she was performing the tasks.

A portable system created by researchers in Drexel's School of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems overcomes this challenge. It has allowed scientists, for the first time, to better understand the role of the brain's prefrontal cortex during standing and walking.

The device employs functional near-infrared, or fNIR, spectroscopy, which uses light to monitor changes in blood oxygenation in the brain as individuals perform tasks, take tests or receive stimulation. The prefrontal cortex is the area responsible for higher-level processing, such as memory, attention, problem solving and decision-making. When a person is learning a new skill, for instance, neural activity is greater in this region.

Unlike fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), the fNIR system is fully portable: Participants wear a headband, allowing them to talk and move around while a computer collects data in real time.

"Postural instability is a major risk factor for older adults. If we can monitor the cognitive component of staying balanced, then this could eventually lead to better treatment options for people with Parkinsonian syndromes or even Parkinson's disease," said Meltem Izzetoglu, PhD, an assistant research professor of biomedical engineering at Drexel who co-authored the study.

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine used the fNIR technology to compare 126 healthy adults to 117 individuals with mild Parkinson's symptoms and 26 with more severe symptoms. While wearing the fNIR headband, the participants were asked to stand and look straight ahead while counting for 10 seconds. They then walked on a mat that captured their gait speed, pace and stride length. The fNIR system recorded their brain oxygen levels during the entire testing period.

The researchers found that those with Parkinsonian symptoms demonstrated significantly higher prefrontal oxygenation levels to maintain stability when standing than participants with mild and no symptoms.

"In fact, brain activity in the frontal brain region was nearly twice as large," said Jeannette R. Mahoney, PhD, assistant professor of neurology at Einstein and the study's lead author.

"This initial study allowed us to measure brain activity in real-time, in a realistic setting. It shows that there are indeed differences in the prefrontal cortex of healthy and Parkinsonian syndrome patients, and those differences relate to their performance in maintaining stability while standing," Izzetoglu said. "It opens up new fields of research."

In an upcoming clinical trial, the researchers will use a computerized cognitive training program and the fNIR system to identify how cognitive training affects brain activation during walking.

The portable technology could aid in diagnosing Parkinsonian syndromes or developing interventions.

"Our goal is to be able to intervene with Parkinsonian symptoms and develop novel remediation in the not-so-distant future to improve elders' quality of life," Mahoney said.

---

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Drexel University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151218113326.htm