No matter what I read about Parkinson's I am still intrigued the most by the question of what causes this difficult disease? Why does it sometimes seem to run in families, but more often than not seem to just affect someone out of the blue?
I have read extensively about possible causes mostly because knowing the exact cause can only help with finding a way to stop the disease and/or cure it. My own personal belief is that there is often a genetic pre-disposition, but that there is also generally something environmental that triggers the cell death that occurs. Then again I am sure that there are cases with no genetic link at all and other cases where the disease developed solely based on genetics. I'd love to know how this continuum from genetics to environment works.
I know a lot about several of the genes that are implicated as links to Parkinson's, but so far there is no smoking gun genetically. I also know that pesticides and heavy metals are often sited as environmental causes. The latest potential cause is that the heavy metals that often exist in wine can lead to Parkinson's (as well as some cancers). Just a few years ago the biggest "healthy thing" to do was to have 1 glass of red wine a day to protect your heart. So it seems that wine might protect your heart, but hurt you in other ways.
I do not believe we know at this time whether or not most of the sources implicated truly cause disease or protect us against disease. I am hoping that in due time these things will become more apparent. For now I am planning to live my life well and enjoy every moment. I don't plan to be overly worried about pesticides, heavy metals in wine or my genetics.
How about you? Would you want to know if you had a PD gene? Are you avoiding all pesticides and other possible environment causes? Let me know.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Neuroprotective Compounds??
There is a new study out that offers a ray of hope for all neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and ALS. The study was conducted by Dr. Santosh D'Mello and colleagues at the University of Texas at Dallas and Southern Methodist University and was published in Experimental Biology and Medicine. The study looked at a class of compounds, 3-substituted indolones, that are believed to protect neurons from degeneration. A previous study identified one particular 3-substituted indolone, GW5074, that proved to have neuroprotective factors in a mouse model of degeneration. The present study worked to identify several other compounds that worked even better than GW5074 and caused no cell toxicity even in high doses.
Because of this work scientists will hopefully be able to identify several compounds to synthesize and study in pre-clinical and clinical studies. With any luck one or more of these compounds will prove useful in protecting neurons from cell death. Protecting the neurons may in turn decrease the rate or stop the progression of many of these debilitating diseases, including Parkinson's.
I am sure that any human treatment with these compounds is still several years away, but any step forward towards prevention or a cure is always a great thing!
Because of this work scientists will hopefully be able to identify several compounds to synthesize and study in pre-clinical and clinical studies. With any luck one or more of these compounds will prove useful in protecting neurons from cell death. Protecting the neurons may in turn decrease the rate or stop the progression of many of these debilitating diseases, including Parkinson's.
I am sure that any human treatment with these compounds is still several years away, but any step forward towards prevention or a cure is always a great thing!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Parkinson's and Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders or disturbances are one of the many symptoms reported by Parkinson's patients that do not tend to be as widely discussed. Several researchers have suggested that the sleep disturbances may pre-date the more obvious motor symptoms by several years.
The sleep disturbances in PD intrigue me because it is widely reported that any tremors stop while PD patients are sleeping. At the same time researchers note that PD patients seem to lose the normal function of "muscles freezing" while sleeping. Unlike "normal" people PD patients maintain more control over their muscles which can cause issues with "acting out" their dreams. This ability can cause PD patients to kick, hit, walk, talk, etc. regularly while asleep. To me the tremors stopping, but general movements increasing seems very odd, to say the least.
Because of this seemingly in congruent situation I decided to research more about sleep disorders in PD. What I found is that researchers believe the decrease in dopamine directly affects sleep. It has been shown in studies with mice that decreasing dopamine caused the mice to experience significant difficulties with sleeping. The mice also exhibited less brain activity associated with dreaming. Conversely if mice were given increased dopamine they were able to sleep and exhibited increased brain activity associated with dreaming during wakefulness. It is also reported that dopamine agonists tend to have excessive daytime sleepiness as a side effect. Given the studies in mice showing that increased dopamine can cause sleepiness this side effect makes sense.
Exactly how to treat the sleep disturbances does not have a clear cut answer. (At least not one that I have found.) The fact that depression and dementia can also be associated with PD complicates the issue of sleep disorders as both of these conditions can affect sleep on their own.
The most interesting aspect of what I learned about PD and sleep disturbances is still the idea that the motor symptoms are probably pre-dated by sleep disturbances. Wouldn't it be great to be able to diagnose sleep disturbances specific to PD early on so that the patient could start some of the medications that may delay onset of this disease?
Please let me know if you found this information useful or if there is something else you'd like to know about. I'll research any aspect of PD and blog about it to let you know what I find.
The sleep disturbances in PD intrigue me because it is widely reported that any tremors stop while PD patients are sleeping. At the same time researchers note that PD patients seem to lose the normal function of "muscles freezing" while sleeping. Unlike "normal" people PD patients maintain more control over their muscles which can cause issues with "acting out" their dreams. This ability can cause PD patients to kick, hit, walk, talk, etc. regularly while asleep. To me the tremors stopping, but general movements increasing seems very odd, to say the least.
Because of this seemingly in congruent situation I decided to research more about sleep disorders in PD. What I found is that researchers believe the decrease in dopamine directly affects sleep. It has been shown in studies with mice that decreasing dopamine caused the mice to experience significant difficulties with sleeping. The mice also exhibited less brain activity associated with dreaming. Conversely if mice were given increased dopamine they were able to sleep and exhibited increased brain activity associated with dreaming during wakefulness. It is also reported that dopamine agonists tend to have excessive daytime sleepiness as a side effect. Given the studies in mice showing that increased dopamine can cause sleepiness this side effect makes sense.
Exactly how to treat the sleep disturbances does not have a clear cut answer. (At least not one that I have found.) The fact that depression and dementia can also be associated with PD complicates the issue of sleep disorders as both of these conditions can affect sleep on their own.
The most interesting aspect of what I learned about PD and sleep disturbances is still the idea that the motor symptoms are probably pre-dated by sleep disturbances. Wouldn't it be great to be able to diagnose sleep disturbances specific to PD early on so that the patient could start some of the medications that may delay onset of this disease?
Please let me know if you found this information useful or if there is something else you'd like to know about. I'll research any aspect of PD and blog about it to let you know what I find.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Team Fox
I have some good news today! My Team Fox fundraising total is now at $10,000.01 for the 2008 year! I couldn't be happier. I joined Team Fox, the grassroots, volunteer fundraising arm of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, in December 2007 and set a goal to raise $10,000 by the end of 2008. I actually reached the $10,000 mark back in July, but since all donations made in 2007 were no longer reported on the site I was still below the $10,000 mark. It was important to me to make sure that the 'contributions raised' on my personal page reached the stated goal so that no one could ever question whether or not I reached my goal.
About 2 weeks ago I was just over $9600 and reached out to all of my supporters to each make an additional $5 donation. I asked for the donation in honor of my mother-in-law who just passed away. My mother-in-law did not have Parkinson's (my mother is the one with PD). However my mother-in-law was my biggest supporter in raising money for this cause and I thought it would be a fitting way to honor her if the final donations were made in her memory. Several of my supporters made an additional donation and then to my surprise and delight, 2 of my friends, Francis and Julia Creighton, donated the remaining funds needed- $236.20- to break through that $10,000 barrier. They made their donation yesterday morning and brought tears to my eyes. I am proud to say that my personal Team Fox page now reads that I have raised $10,000.01. My mother-in-law would be proud!
In total my supporters have helped me raise over $12,608 in just about 10 months. In 2009 I plan to continue raising money to find a cure for PD and will need to find new ways to accomplish my goals. If anyone has any suggestions please enter a comment on this blog or email me through the email address listed in my profile. No idea is too small or too big. I'd love to hear from you.
To visit my personal Team Fox page and to see the $10,000.01 for yourself please click on this link.
Karen's Team Fox Page
About 2 weeks ago I was just over $9600 and reached out to all of my supporters to each make an additional $5 donation. I asked for the donation in honor of my mother-in-law who just passed away. My mother-in-law did not have Parkinson's (my mother is the one with PD). However my mother-in-law was my biggest supporter in raising money for this cause and I thought it would be a fitting way to honor her if the final donations were made in her memory. Several of my supporters made an additional donation and then to my surprise and delight, 2 of my friends, Francis and Julia Creighton, donated the remaining funds needed- $236.20- to break through that $10,000 barrier. They made their donation yesterday morning and brought tears to my eyes. I am proud to say that my personal Team Fox page now reads that I have raised $10,000.01. My mother-in-law would be proud!
In total my supporters have helped me raise over $12,608 in just about 10 months. In 2009 I plan to continue raising money to find a cure for PD and will need to find new ways to accomplish my goals. If anyone has any suggestions please enter a comment on this blog or email me through the email address listed in my profile. No idea is too small or too big. I'd love to hear from you.
To visit my personal Team Fox page and to see the $10,000.01 for yourself please click on this link.
Karen's Team Fox Page
Thursday, October 2, 2008
A True Hero!
I am a member of Team Fox, the volunteer fundraising arm of the Michael J. Fox Foundation. I joined Team Fox because my Mom has Parkinson's Disease and I was tired of sitting on the sidelines just hoping that her progression was slow. Since joining I have raised over $11,000 and have enjoyed every minute of it! The most amazing part of my experience with this great foundation though has been getting to know the people that make up Team Fox and what each one of them is doing to find a cure.
Today's blog posting is about one of these people- Alyssa Johnson. Alyssa has early onset Parkinson's Disease, but she still manages to run marathons, literally! She ran the Boston Marathon back in April and is gearing up for the New York Marathon on November 2. To me, Alyssa is an inspiration, a hero and reminds me each and every day to keep living my life in a positive, upbeat way no matter what happens. If someone with PD can continue to run marathons then I can overcome any of the obstacles in my life.
If running marathons is not enough she and her husband have also created a calendar in order to raise even more money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Their calendar is about wet dogs and all profits from the calendar will go to the Foundation. To purchase a calendar for yourself or a friend please click on this link.
http://wetdogscalendar.com/Calendar/Order.html
I have visited Alyssa's Team Fox page often during my fundraising efforts as it never ceases to inspire me. Raising money is not easy and sometimes you meet with some pretty unsympathetic souls, but all I have to do is remember that people like Alyssa and my Mom still exist and are fighting back and then I keep going.
Besides marathons and calendars Alyssa was also featured in the NY Times as one of 7 people currently living with Parkinson's. This video segment was just amazing.
NY Times Article
To end my post I want to wish Alyssa the best of luck. I have not met her in person, but what she is doing with her life has definitely touched my life. If you can please support Alyssa in her efforts to raise money either by buying a calendar or making a $5 donation on her Team Fox page. Every single dollar raised helps find a cure!
Run Alyssa Run!
Today's blog posting is about one of these people- Alyssa Johnson. Alyssa has early onset Parkinson's Disease, but she still manages to run marathons, literally! She ran the Boston Marathon back in April and is gearing up for the New York Marathon on November 2. To me, Alyssa is an inspiration, a hero and reminds me each and every day to keep living my life in a positive, upbeat way no matter what happens. If someone with PD can continue to run marathons then I can overcome any of the obstacles in my life.
If running marathons is not enough she and her husband have also created a calendar in order to raise even more money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Their calendar is about wet dogs and all profits from the calendar will go to the Foundation. To purchase a calendar for yourself or a friend please click on this link.
http://wetdogscalendar.com/Calendar/Order.html
I have visited Alyssa's Team Fox page often during my fundraising efforts as it never ceases to inspire me. Raising money is not easy and sometimes you meet with some pretty unsympathetic souls, but all I have to do is remember that people like Alyssa and my Mom still exist and are fighting back and then I keep going.
Besides marathons and calendars Alyssa was also featured in the NY Times as one of 7 people currently living with Parkinson's. This video segment was just amazing.
NY Times Article
To end my post I want to wish Alyssa the best of luck. I have not met her in person, but what she is doing with her life has definitely touched my life. If you can please support Alyssa in her efforts to raise money either by buying a calendar or making a $5 donation on her Team Fox page. Every single dollar raised helps find a cure!
Run Alyssa Run!
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