Friday, September 19, 2008

Have You 'Googled' Parkinson's Disease Recently

If you 'Google' Parkinson's Disease today the item in the 4th position is about Google Co-Founder, Sergey Brin. This fact may not be news to most people in the Parkinson's Community as Mr. Brin is all over the PD news today. Unfortunately his mother and her aunt have PD. I saw an article earlier this week about his family, his mother's PD and the fact that the Brin family has endowed a professorship at the University of Maryland. It caught my eye since a co-founder of Google being interested in curing Parkinson's can only help my cause. However, this act of advocacy, kindness, charity, or whatever appropriate word we use, is not the reason for all the hubbub surrounding Mr. Brin and Parkinson's. The reason for the NUMEROUS news stories is that Mr. Brin started his own blog and his post from yesterday is about Parkinson's Disease and his family.

In his blog posting he reveals that through the genetic testing of his wife's company, 23andMe, he discovered that he has a genetic mutation which raises his risk for developing Parkinson's. The LRRK2 gene with the known mutation, G2019S, is a marker for the disease although not everyone with this mutation will develop PD. His mother also has this genetic mutation. It is thought that familial PD is relative rare, but there are definitely instances of several family members across generations developing Parkinson's.

I was very interested in all the news surrounding Brin's PD disclosure. First, Parkinson's "runs in my family" so obviously I have an interest in a possible genetic pre-disposition. I would love for science to be able to tell how much of this disease is genetic and how much is environmental or other factors. No one knows this information yet and the thoughts around this subject vary greatly among experts. (I have read anything I can find on this subject and the experts definitely do not agree.)

Second, I am fascinated that the blog entry is what "made the news". I only came across one article earlier this week about the Brin family endowing the professorship yet the blog entry is all over the web already. (I guess I am adding to that.)

I applaud Sergey Brin for allowing for his personal family matters to become somewhat public. I have no doubts it is not easy for someone in the public eye to share personal information so publicly. I also applaud his entire family for taking steps to find a cure and give back to the world at large. I hope that his tie to Parkinson's will help get us closer to a cure.

To read Sergey Brin's blog click on this link.

http://too.blogspot.com


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

i am sorry for any one who has this disease. I have it and it has crippled me. i know someday there will be a cure for Parkinson's Disease.
i take Sinemet and Aricept. i have had the disease abt 9 years now and going down hill.
i still love humor and i still blog.
God help anyone who has this disease.
Your friend,
Dr. Doc

FishFindersDirect said...

Dr. Doc,

Thanks for your comment. I have not experienced PD first hand, but have watched my Mom and Grandpa fight each day. I wish you the best of luck and hope you keep laughing as long as possible.

Karen

Gary Tracy said...

Sincerely i was so sad when my husband was diagnosed of Parkinsons disease 2 years ago, when he was 49. He had a stooped posture, tremors, right arm does not move and also a pulsating feeling in his body. He was placed on Senemet for 8 months and then Siferol was introduced and replaced the Senemet, during this time span he was also diagnosed with dementia. He started having hallucinations, lost touch with reality. Suspecting it was the medication I took him off the Siferol (with the doctor’s knowledge) and started him on PD natural herbal formula we ordered from Dr James, his symptoms totally declined over a 3 weeks use of the Dr James HERBAL Formula or Parkinsons disease natural herbal formula. He is now almost 51 and doing very well, the disease is totally reversed! my Husband was cured and now my Husband is free from Parkinsons, i went to the hospital that said there was no cure to Parkinsons and informed them about my Husband healing and they were surprised. here is the contact email ( jamesherbalformula@gmail.com ) also reach him on hangout or through his whatsapp number via +2348102574680 Regards.

isabella said...


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matina said...


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