Education

6 of the Best Apps for Chronic Illness Management

August 1, 2017 Education, Life

Managing a chronic illness can be difficult. There are many different medications to take (often at different times), appointments to remember, symptoms to keep track of, and lots of information to absorb. Thankfully, living in a digital age means that there are numerous mobile apps that can help you manage your chronic illness.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best mobile apps for managing your chronic illness:

Medisafe is an app that helps patients manage medications. It helps with dosage and reminds you when you need to take your meds, increasing adherence rates. The information can also be shared with your healthcare team and pharmacy.

Pain Diary works for anyone with a chronic illness. It allows patients to chart and score pain as well as record and track other symptoms of the disease such as fatigue and mood swings. This app also has a feature where patients can connect with others living with the same chronic illness and swap best practices.

ZocDoc is a handy app if you’ve recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness, since one of the first things you’ll need to do is find a doctor to treat you. ZocDoc allows you to search for local specialist doctors who are approved by your insurance company. The app will even tell you when the doctor is available to see you.

My Medical Info is an app that stores all your relevant health history and insurance details. This makes filling out those endless forms a little less challenging, since you won’t have to rely on your memory for all the details. The app will also allow you to program in doctors’ appointments and all the medications you’re taking.

Fooducate helps you keep track of your diet and make healthy choices. Eating well is an integral part of managing any chronic illness and this app will help you to eat the right foods and get you to a healthy body weight. You can program in how many calories you want to consume a day and then add in the food choices you make, the app will work out the nutritional values of everything you eat and tell you how many calories you’ve consumed. It also works in conjunction with many fitness apps to add in details of any physical activities and calories burned.

Sleep Cycle helps you get the best out of your sleep. The app analyzes how much sleep and the quality of sleep you get each night and you can also have the alarm set to wake you when you’re in your lightest sleep, leaving you feeling less groggy and more refreshed each day.

 

Article from Parkinson’s News Today.

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Substantial Matters: Life and Science of Parkinson’s – podcasts

July 1, 2017 Education, Life

The Parkinson’s Foundation has produced a series of podcasts, titled ‘Substantial Matters: Life and Science of Parkinson’s’. The free episodes, hosted by Dan Keller, will discuss a wide range of Parkinson’s topics, including early warning signs, treatments, exercise and nutrition.

For more information, visit parkinson.org/podcast.

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Predicting cognitive deficits in people with Parkinson’s disease

July 1, 2017 Education, Research

NIH-funded tool may improve clinical trial design and aid in treatment development.

Parkinson’s disease is commonly thought of as a movement disorder, but after years of living with the disease, approximately 25 percent of patients also experience deficits in cognition that impair function. A newly developed research tool may help predict a patient’s risk for developing dementia and could enable clinical trials aimed at finding treatments to prevent the cognitive effects of the disease. The research was published in Lancet Neurology and was partially funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

“This study includes both genetic and clinical assessments from multiple groups of patients, and it represents a significant step forward in our ability to effectively model one of the most troublesome non-motor aspects of Parkinson’s disease,” said Margaret Sutherland, Ph.D., program director at the NINDS.

For the study, a team of researchers led by Clemens Scherzer, M.D., combined data from 3,200 people with Parkinson’s disease, representing more than 25,000 individual clinical assessments and evaluated seven known clinical and genetic risk factors associated with developing dementia. From this information, they built a computer-based risk calculator that may predict the chance that an individual with Parkinson’s will develop cognitive deficits. Dr. Scherzer is head of the Neurogenomics Lab and Parkinson Personalized Medicine Program at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston.

Currently available Parkinson’s medications are only effective in improving motor deficits caused by the disease. However, the loss of cognitive abilities severely affects the individual’s quality of life and independence. One barrier to developing treatments for the cognitive effects of Parkinson’s disease is the considerable variability among patients. As a result, researchers must enroll several hundred patients when designing clinical trials to test treatments.

“By allowing clinical researchers to identify and select only patients at high-risk for developing dementia, this tool could help in the design of ‘smarter’ trials that require a manageable number of participating patients,” said Dr. Scherzer.

Dr. Scherzer and team also noted that a patient’s education appeared to have a powerful impact on the risk of memory loss. The more years of formal education patients in the study had, the greater was their protection against cognitive decline.

“This fits with the theory that education might provide your brain with a ‘cognitive reserve,’ which is the capacity to potentially compensate for some disease-related effects,” said Dr. Scherzer. “I hope researchers will take a closer look at this. It would be amazing, if this simple observation could be turned into a useful therapeutic intervention.”

Moving forward, Dr. Scherzer and his colleagues from the International Genetics of Parkinson’s Disease Progression (IGPP) Consortium plan to further improve the cognitive risk score calculator. The team is scanning the genome of patients to hunt for new progression genes. Ultimately, it is their hope that the tool can be used in the clinic in addition to helping with clinical trial design. However, considerable research remains to be done before that will be possible.

One complication for the use of this calculator in the clinic is the lack of available treatments for Parkinson’s-related cognitive deficits. Doctors face ethical issues concerning whether patients should be informed of their risk when there is little available to help them. It is hoped that by improving clinical trial design, the risk calculator can first aid in the discovery of new treatments and determine which patients would benefit most from the new treatments.

“Prediction is the first step,” said Dr. Scherzer. “Prevention is the ultimate goal, preventing a dismal prognosis from ever happening.”

This work was supported by the NINDS (NS082157, NS095736), the U.S. Department of Defense, M.E.M.O. Hoffman Foundation, and Brigham & Women’s Hospital.

 

The NINDS is the nation’s leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system. The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Article

Liu et al. Prediction of cognition in Parkinson’s disease with a clinical-genetic score: longitudinal analysis of nine cohorts. Lancet Neurology June 16, 2017; DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30122-9
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Statins may not be used for protection against Parkinson’s disease

July 1, 2017 Education, Research

Use of statins may speed up the onset of Parkinson’s disease symptoms in people who are susceptible to the disease, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

Some previous research has suggested that statins, used to treat high cholesterol, may protect against Parkinson’s disease. Research findings have been inconsistent, however, with some studies showing a lower risk, some showing no difference and some showing a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease in statin users.

“One of the reasons that may have explained these prior inconsistent results is that higher cholesterol, the main indication to use statins, has been related to lower occurrence of Parkinson’s disease,” said Xuemei Huang, professor of neurology. “This made it hard to know if the statin protective effect was due to the drug or preexisting cholesterol status.”

Another reason for the inconsistent results is that there are two types of statins. Water-soluble statins cannot get into the brain, while fat-soluble statins, called lipophilic, can. Since people with high cholesterol are treated for both kinds, the interpretation of results as it relates to Parkinson’s disease is not easy.

The researchers analyzed data in a commercially-available database of insurance claims for more than 50 million people. They identified nearly 22,000 people with Parkinson’s disease, and narrowed the number to 2,322 patients with newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease. They paired each Parkinson’s patient with a person in the database who did not have Parkinson’s — called a control group. Researchers then determined which patients had been taking a statin and for how long before Parkinson’s disease symptoms appeared. Researchers reported their results in the journal Movement Disorders.

After analyzing the data, researchers found that prior statin use was associated with higher risk of Parkinson’s disease and was more noticeable during the start of the drug use.

“Statin use was associated with higher, not lower, Parkinson’s disease risk, and the association was more noticeable for lipophilic statins, an observation inconsistent with the current hypothesis that these statins protect nerve cells,” Huang said. “In addition, this association was most robust for use of statins less than two-and-a-half years, suggesting that statins may facilitate the onset of Parkinson’s disease.”

Guodong Liu, assistant professor of public health sciences, said, “Our analysis also showed that a diagnosis of hyperlipidemia, a marker of high cholesterol, was associated with lower Parkinson’s disease prevalence, consistent with prior research. We made sure to account for this factor in our analysis.”

A recent study reported that people who stopped using statins were more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a finding interpreted as evidence that statins protect against Parkinson’s disease.

“Our new data suggests a different explanation,” Huang said. “Use of statins may lead to new Parkinson’s disease-related symptoms, thus causing patients to stop using statins.”

Huang stressed that more research needs to be completed and that those on statins should continue to take the medication their health care provider recommends.

“We are not saying that statins cause Parkinson’s disease, but rather that our study suggests that statins should not be used based on the idea that they will protect against Parkinson’s,” Huang said. “People have individual levels of risk for heart problems or Parkinson’s disease. If your mom has Parkinson’s disease and your grandmother has Parkinson’s disease, and you don’t have a family history of heart attacks or strokes, then you might want to ask your physician more questions to understand the reasons and risks of taking statins.”

One limitation of this study was that the MarketScan data did not include Medicare patients, Medicaid patients or the uninsured. Also, because it was a private insurance sample, the patients were all under 65 years old, so the findings cannot be generalized to those who are older.

Other researchers on this study are Lan Kong and Douglas Leslie, Department of Public Health Sciences; Nicholas Sterling, Medical Scientist Training Program student; and Mechelle Lewis and Richard Mailman, Departments of Neurology and Pharmacology, all of Penn State College of Medicine; and Honglei Chen, Michigan State University.

The Center for Applied Studies in Health Economics and Penn State College of Medicine funded this research.

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Parkinson’s and malnutrition: what are the risks and how do you prevent it?

June 1, 2017 Caregivers, Education, Life

Parkinson’s is a complicated condition and while many people with Parkinson’s live a long and healthy life, this is not the case for everyone. A recent study found that possibly as many as 60% of people with Parkinson’s are at increased risk for malnutrition.1 “Increased risk” doesn’t mean that 60% of people with Parkinson’s will develop malnutrition, it just means that there is a higher possibility of malnutrition – but it is a good idea to be aware of all its possible causes, so that you can minimise the risk.

The risks and how to minimise them

Below are descriptions of some common nutrition-related concerns that may occur as a result of Parkinson’s, followed by suggestions that could help to resolve the problems.

Sense of smell
One of the first symptoms of Parkinson’s can be loss of the sense of smell, a sense that is necessary in order to taste food. While lack of taste and smell doesn’t always affect appetite, it can become a factor.

Suggestions: Choose favourite or especially desirable foods. Focus on flavour intensity – lemon, garlic, soy sauce, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, herbs; and “mouthfeel” – foods that are crunchy, creamy, chewy or have other appealing textures that make them more agreeable when scent and flavour are lacking.

Feeling nauseous
Medications used to treat Parkinson’s often cause nausea.

Suggestion: Ginger is very effective at counteracting nausea. Keep some fresh ginger in the freezer and use it to make ginger tea, or chew a slice of ginger. Keep a container of crystallised ginger handy, to take while on errands or travelling. Even powdered ginger can be used to make tea.

Medication regimes
Medications may cause loss of appetite.

Suggestion: Discuss this with your physician. If medication-induced, it may be possible to try a different medication.

Low mood
Depression is common among people with Parkinson’s and can affect willingness to eat.

Suggestion: Discuss this with your physician. Depression can be due to deficiency of B vitamins, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, or other nutrients – a blood test will show whether this is the case and, if so, supplements should help. In some cases, depression can be alleviated by attending regular counselling sessions, however, some people may require antidepressant medication.

Late-stage Parkinson’s
The stage of Parkinson’s can be a factor, because as it progresses, symptoms often become more severe. In addition, motor fluctuations are more likely to occur in later-stage Parkinson’s. ‘Off’-time, dystonia, and dyskinesia can make it difficult both to eat, and to time medications and meals.

Suggestion: Ask your doctor about a longer-lasting medication, such as Stalevo, or Rytary, or a pump, so that ‘off’ time is reduced and the timing of medications and meals is more regulated closely.

Calorie deficit
Tremor and dyskinesia can burn extra calories.

Suggestions: If using levodopa, divide the day’s protein needs between morning, midday, and evening meals, taking levodopa about 30 minutes before each meal. In between meals, eat small, non-protein or low-protein snacks, such as fruits and juices, whole-grain crackers or biscuits, tomato or vegetable soup. These add extra calories without blocking levodopa absorption.

Swallowing and choking issues
Swallowing problems increase fear and risk of choking.

Suggestions: Ask your doctor for a referral to a speech pathologist, who can evaluate your swallowing function, and determine whether you are at risk for choking. If so, the therapist can demonstrate safe swallowing techniques, and recommend chopped, puréed, or otherwise altered foods and liquids. You should also be referred to a dietitian, who can assess your needs and ensure you are getting enough protein and other nutrients.

Motor problems in hands
Rigidity and loss of manual dexterity makes it hard to manage eating utensils.

Suggestion: Ask your doctor for a referral to an occupational therapist, who can recommend specially designed plates, bowls, drinkware, and eating utensils that are easier to manage.

Slowed eating
Chewing and swallowing become tiring, cause slowed eating and inability to finish meals. It may take several hours to finish one meal, so the person is unable to consume enough calories during a day to maintain health.

Suggestion: Choose foods that require little chewing. Include nutrient-rich blended smoothies, minced, mashed or pureed meats, fish, vegetables and fruits such as meatloaf, applesauce, mashed peas, potatoes, carrots, or baby foods. If this is insufficient, ask your doctor about placement of a feeding tube. In many cases, individuals can still eat and enjoy food by mouth; but the feeding tube ensures sufficient fluids to prevent dehydration, and enough protein, vitamins, and minerals for complete nutrition.

Seeking helpFor some people, Parkinson’s may present barriers to good nutrition. These can be difficult to deal with. Being aware of such possibilities is important, so that you can prepare as needed. That includes close communication with your neurologist, and the help of specialised health professionals, for their advice and support. With preparation and an experienced healthcare team, you can overcome, – or even prevent – common causes of malnutrition and related illness.

References
1Tomic S1, Pekic V2, Popijac Z3, Pucic T3, Petek M2, Kuric TG2, Misevic S3, Kramaric RP2. What increases the risk of malnutrition in Parkinson’s disease? J Neurol Sci. 2017 Apr 15;375:235-238.

Kathrynne Holden, a registered dietitian, has specialised in Parkinson’s disease nutrition for over 20 years. She has contributed to two physicians’ manuals on Parkinson’s, written the booklet ‘Nutrition Matters’ for the NPF (with some of her work for them archived here). Now retired, she maintains a website on Parkinson’s topics.

http://parkinsonslife.eu/parkinsons-and-malnutrition-risks-and-prevention/

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Could Parkinson’s Disease Start in the Gut?

June 1, 2017 Education, Life, Research

Parkinson’s disease may start in the gut and spread to the brain via the vagus nerve, according to a study published in the April 26, 2017, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The vagus nerve extends from the brainstem to the abdomen and controls unconscious body processes like heart rate and food digestion.

The preliminary study examined people who had resection surgery, removing the main trunk or branches of the vagus nerve. The surgery, called vagotomy, is used for people with ulcers. Researchers used national registers in Sweden to compare 9,430 people who had a vagotomy over a 40-year period to 377,200 people from the general population. During that time, 101 people who had a vagotomy developed Parkinson’s disease, or 1.07 percent, compared to 4,829 people in the control group, or 1.28 percent. This difference was not significant.

But when researchers analyzed the results for the two different types of vagotomy surgery, they found that people who had a truncal vagotomy at least five years earlier were less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who had not had the surgery and had been followed for at least five years. In a truncal vagotomy, the nerve trunk is fully resected. In a selective vagotomy, only some branches of the nerve are resected.

A total of 19 people who had truncal vagotomy at least five years earlier developed the disease, or 0.78 percent, compared to 3,932 people who had no surgery and had been followed for at least five years, at 1.15 percent. By contrast, 60 people who had selective vagotomy five years earlier developed Parkinson’s disease, or 1.08 percent. After adjusting for factors such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, arthritis and other conditions, researchers found that people who had a truncal vagotomy at least five years before were 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who had not had the surgery and had been followed for at least five years.

“These results provide preliminary evidence that Parkinson’s disease may start in the gut,” said study author Bojing Liu, MSc, of the Karolinska Instituet in Stockholm, Sweden. “Other evidence for this hypothesis is that people with Parkinson’s disease often have gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, that can start decades before they develop the disease. In addition, other studies have shown that people who will later develop Parkinson’s disease have a protein believed to play a key role in Parkinson’s disease in their gut.”

The theory is that these proteins can fold in the wrong way and spread that mistake from cell to cell.

“Much more research is needed to test this theory and to help us understand the role this may play in the development of Parkinson’s,” Liu said. Additionally, since Parkinson’s is a syndrome, there may be multiple causes and pathways.

Even though the study was large, Liu said one limitation was small numbers in certain subgroups. Also, the researchers could not control for all potential factors that could affect the risk of Parkinson’s disease, such as smoking, coffee drinking or genetics.

The study was supported by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, the Parkinson Research Foundation in Sweden, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

To learn more about Parkinson’s disease, visit www.aan.com/patients.

The American Academy of Neurology is the world’s largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with 32,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube.

http://www.newswise.com/articles/could-parkinson-s-disease-start-in-the-gut

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31st Annual Parkinson Disease Symposium | June 23, 2017

June 1, 2017 Awareness, Caregivers, Community Outreach, Education, Life, Research

WPA will host its 31st Annual Parkinson Disease Symposium on Friday, June 23, 2017 at Country Springs Hotel & Conference Center in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

Beginning at 8:00am, attendees can check in and visit with vendors at the Resource Fair where health and community agencies will display valuable information throughout the day. Beginning at 9:00am, the first main session will be “Understanding Parkinson Disease from a Scientific Perspective”, presented by Giuseppe P. Cortese, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The morning breakout sessions will follow Dr. Cortese’s interactive presentation, and participants will choose from three options: “Caregivers: Being prepared for an emergency”, “Grieving ‘life as we have known it’”, and a Panel on PD exercise programs.

During lunch, the resource fair will again be open for participants. After lunch, the afternoon breakout sessions will include “Are you caring too much and laughing too little?”, “Causes and prevention of falls” and “Exercise: A targeted attack on Parkinson’s.” The closing session for all attendees will be “Nutrition for Parkinson Disease” presented by Michelle McDonagh, RD, CD, Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin. The Symposium will conclude by 3:30pm.

The registration fee is $30 per person and includes educational materials, continental breakfast, and lunch. To register, CLICK HERE or call our office at 414-312-6990. Registration is required and must be received by Wednesday, June 14.

The event is sponsored by Abbvie, Medtronic and US WorldMeds.

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The Power of Exercise Video

May 1, 2017 Education, Exercise, Life

Exercise is one of the most important ways people with Parkinson’s can help control their symptoms. Through a grant from the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Fund, a group of physical therapists created this video. For more information on exercise groups and classes led by physical therapists, visit exercisepd.com.

 

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How to Cook for a Loved One with Dysphagia

May 1, 2017 Caregivers, Education, Life

The simple act of eating is anything but for those who experience dysphagia, the medical term for difficulties swallowing or eating. Millions of Americans have the condition, especially aging adults: The U.S. Department of Health suggests that about 15% of the elderly population experiences some form of dysphagia. And for those who care for elderly adults, it may be difficult to find equally nutritious and appetizing food that can be consumed.

Caregivers may feel alone or discouraged when it comes to finding and cooking dysphagia-friendly recipes. Often, they will find themselves resorting to feeding their loved ones soft, tasteless food because it is the only thing they can swallow.

But, this is not the case, and students and faculty at Speech@NYU, the online master’s in speech pathology from NYU Steinhardt, wanted to change this mindset and provide tools so everyone can take dysphagia head on in the kitchen with “Dining with Dysphagia: A Cookbook.”

The cookbook, which includes eight recipes that elevate pureed or “mushy” food to a higher standard, focuses on all of the values that are important to those who are supporting people with dysphagia: nutrition, texture and taste. Not only is this cookbook meant to be a resource, but also the catalyst to help start a larger conversation about changing the narrative of dysphagia. In fact, this cookbook all started with the NYU Steinhardt Iron Chef Dysphagia Challenge competition, during which contestants prepared food based on recipes that are easy-to-follow and easy-to-swallow. The cookbook is a result of the event and this year’s dishes include rosemary mashed potatoes, pumpkin soup and vegetarian squash chili, just to name a few.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when cooking for someone with dysphagia:

  • Find out their favorite recipes: Talk to your loved one and determine what their food preferences are so you can create a dysphagia-friendly version
  • Focus on diversity: Mix it up by including different ingredients and balancing tastes
  • Make it a family affair: If you are worried that someone will be embarrassed or left out because they are eating “different” foods unlike the rest of the family or group, try recipes that everyone can enjoy to make the meal experience more inclusive
  • Get creative: Need more inspiration for new recipes? Consider doing recipe “swaps” with other friends or colleagues, or experiment on your own
  • Have a candid conversation: Do not be afraid to talk openly about dysphagia; Showing your support and how understanding you are of their condition is critical

It is important to remember that food should not only nourish the body, but also the soul. No one should ever assume they have to resort to simple, “mushy” food just because it is easily consumed. There are myriad options to create delicious recipes that your loved one will enjoy, and the cookbook is just one example of this.

If you would like to learn more about dysphagia, schedule an appointment with your loved one’s general practitioner. A speech-language pathologist will also be able to discuss the condition in greater detail.

To learn more about the “Dining with Dysphagia” cookbook visit https://speech.steinhardt.nyu.edu/dysphagia-cookbook/about/.
By Erin Embry MPA/MS CCC-SLP

With a dual degree in both Communication Sciences and Disorders and Health Policy and Management, Erin Embry’s approach to teaching and leadership promotes interdisciplinary collaboration at all levels of academic, clinical and professional training. She is the Director of the Speech@NYU online MS program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders and the graduate student academic advisor.

Embry teaches courses related to the clinical process, swallowing disorders, and professional issues. She is actively involved in department and school-wide curriculum development with a focus on cultivating collaborative efforts of various disciplines in the educational and healthcare settings. With over 15 years of experience as a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist, Embry has devoted her clinical and academic career to adults with acquired brain injuries and progressive neurological diseases.

http://www.caregiver.com/articles/general/cook_for_dysphagia.htm?utm_source=Caregiver+Newsletter&utm_campaign=a38e745fb9-Caregiver_Newsletter_4_25_17&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8c5d5e6a5e-a38e745fb9-94169813&mc_cid=a38e745fb9&mc_eid=5f3c35a028

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Study Making Strides Toward Parkinson’s Biomarker

May 1, 2017 Awareness, Education, Research

At the current time, there is no identified biomarker for Parkinson’s disease (PD). In other words, there is no objective measure — no lab or imaging test, for example — that can tell whether a person has PD, what type of motor and non-motor symptoms will predominate and how those symptoms will change over time.

Having a biomarker for Parkinson’s would both inform clinical care and accelerate research. A key potential biomarker is alpha-synuclein, the sticky protein that clumps in the brains of people with PD. These protein clumps — called Lewy bodies — are a hallmark of the disease thought to cause damage or death to dopamine-producing brain cells. Researchers can’t currently visualize alpha-synuclein in the brains of people with PD while they’re living. (This is, however, a priority area for the Foundation and MJFF is funding efforts to develop an agent to image alpha-synuclein in the brain.) They can, however, measure the protein in several areas outside of the brain, as alpha-synuclein is found throughout the body.

Researchers haven’t yet determined the optimal location(s) or method(s) to sample alpha-synuclein. To meet this need, in 2016, MJFF launched the Systemic Synuclein Sampling Study (S4), an observational clinical study involving 60 people at varied stages of Parkinson’s disease and 20 healthy volunteers. A new report, published in Biomarkers in Medicine, details the study’s procedures and goals. The article describes the standardized collection and analysis protocols used to measure alpha-synuclein in each participant’s spinal fluid, saliva and blood, as well as their skin, colon and salivary gland tissues.

S4 is the first study to evaluate alpha-synuclein in multiple body fluids and tissues within the same person and across a population of people at various points in PD. These results may lead to recommendations for optimal alpha-synuclein measurements in clinical trial participants as well as an understanding of how alpha-synuclein changes throughout the disease course.

As the study authors write, “The development of a peripheral alpha-synuclein biomarker would provide a valuable tool for confirming the diagnosis of PD, and possibly identification of the disease in its earliest stages, and provide a potential means of monitoring efficacy of potential disease modifying agents.”

A tool that could facilitate diagnosis and gauge the impact of therapies in development would truly change the way we’re able to conduct research and how quickly we can move therapies through the pipeline. That’s why finding a biomarker and research such as this are so critical.

Visit Fox Trial Finder to learn more about how you can participate in S4 and other Parkinson’s research studies.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?mjff-study-making-strides-toward-parkinson-biomarker

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