The Parkinson’s Plan: A New Path to Prevention and Treatment by Ray Dorsey and Michael S. Okun. New research reveals pollution and chemicals are major causes of Parkinson’s. In Ending Parkinson’s Disease, four leading doctors and advocates offer a bold but actionable pact to prevent, advocate for, care for, and treat one of the great health challenges of our time. Click here to read a 14-page summary of the book (which is 235 pages).
A Skin Test Could Detect Parkinson’s and Related Diseases
What the research found
A recent study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association tested whether a skin biopsy could detect an abnormal form of alpha-synuclein (called phosphorylated alpha-synuclein or P-SYN) — a protein that accumulates in Parkinson’s disease and related conditions (called synucleinopathies). Researchers collected three small skin samples (from neck, thigh and leg) from 428 participants — 277 with a diagnosed synucleinopathy and 151 without a neurodegenerative diagnosis. The test found P-SYN in a high percentage of cases: about 92.7% with Parkinson’s, and 96–100% in other synucleinopathies, while only ~3.3% of people without such diseases tested positive. The amount of P-SYN also correlated with how severe someone’s symptoms were, suggesting the biopsy might reflect disease stage.
What it might mean
- This type of skin test could help detect Parkinson’s and related disorders earlier and more accurately than traditional symptom-based diagnosis.
- It may also help researchers evaluate whether treatments are affecting the disease process by measuring P-SYN levels.
- More research is needed to know how early the test can detect disease and whether a positive test always leads to symptoms later on.
What it means right now for patients- A commercial version of this skin biopsy (called the Syn-One Test®) is available and may be used by doctors to help confirm a synucleinopathy diagnosis. Parkinson’s Foundation
- If someone is already diagnosed with Parkinson’s and responding well to standard treatment, the test usually won’t change their care. Parkinson’s Foundation
- For people in the process of diagnosis — especially when symptoms are unclear — a neurologist might consider this test alongside other diagnostic tools such as DaT scans
Parkinson Disease Am Fam Physician. 2020;102(11):679-691
Good summary of Parkinson’s Disease treatment – excelent tables!
- TABLE 1. Pharmacologic Management of Motor Symptoms in Patients with Parkinson Disease
- TABLE 2. Treatment Considerations for the Management of Motor Symptoms in Early Stages of Parkinson Disease
- TABLE 3. Treatment Considerations for the Management of Motor Symptoms in Late Stages of Parkinson Disease
- FIGURE 1. Algorithm for initial treatment of Parkinson disease and additive therapies for motor symptoms. (above and below 65)
- TABLE 4. Management of Common Nonmotor Symptoms in Patients with Parkinson Disease
Scientists shocked to find a supposedly harmless virus hiding in brains of Parkinson’s patients
The article discusses a surprising discovery by scientists who found that a previously considered harmless virus, known as Herv-K, is present in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients. This virus, which is a type of endogenous retrovirus, was thought to be inactive and harmless in the human body. However, researchers discovered that Herv-K was not only active in the brains of Parkinson’s patients, but its presence seemed to be linked to neurodegenerative processes associated with the disease.
The virus was found in the neurons of affected brain regions, and its activity was associated with higher levels of inflammation, which could potentially contribute to the progression of Parkinson’s. The discovery has raised questions about the role of viruses in neurodegenerative diseases and suggests that targeting the virus could be a potential avenue for developing new treatments for Parkinson’s.
This finding challenges long-standing assumptions about retroviruses and highlights the complexity of Parkinson’s disease, offering new insights into its mechanisms and possible therapeutic targets.
Intense exercise increases dopamine transporter and neuromelanin concentrations in the substantia nigra in Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. Exercise has been reported to slow the clinical progression of PD. this study evaluated the dopaminergic system of patients with mild and early PD before and after a six-month program of intense exercise. Using 18F-FE-PE2I PET imaging, they measured dopamine transporter (DAT) availability in the striatum and substantia nigra. Using NM-MRI, they evaluated the neuromelanin content in the substantia nigra. Exercise reversed the expected decrease in DAT availability into a significant increase in both the substantia nigra and putamen. Exercise also reversed the expected decrease in neuromelanin concentration in the substantia nigra into a significant increase. These findings suggest improved functionality in the remaining dopaminergic neurons after exercise. Further research is needed to validate the findings and to pinpoint the source of any true neuromodulatory and neuroprotective effects of exercise in PD in large clinical trials.