Ki Researcher Awarded Grant For Parkinsons Disease
Konstantinos Meletis, Professor in the Department of Neuroscience, has been awarded a grant of approximately 1.73 million US dollars for three years from the Aligning Sciences Across Parkinsons initiative.
This is a fantastic opportunity to use our knowledge in circuit neuroscience to understand the fundamental mechanisms that control decision-making and choices, work we have done on defining, for example, the striatum using optical recordings and optogenetics. And now, with an amazing group of collaborators with a long-standing expertise in Parkinsons disease, we can also for the first time reveal how those mechanisms are disrupted in models of the disease, with the ambition to find new and powerful ways to restore circuit imbalance. We are really thrilled to take on this challenge! says Konstantinos Meletis, Professor at the Department of Neuroscience.
How Available And/or Useful Is The Information On The Motability Scheme
23. The Motability website is easy to navigate and offers functionality to live chat if there are questions. They have accessible ways to get in touch by phone, minicom and textphone with queries. Also, Motability also offer sign language interpretation. It is positive that they offer these options to ensure they meet the diverse needs of the client base, as not everyone is online.
24. We believe that the Motability scheme is referred to in the award letter, if someone has been successful. But wonder if any further information is provided as people may miss this useful information in the award letter.
Icipate In Clinical Trials
Clinical trials provide another avenue for getting needed medications, as well as providing an opportunity for people with PD to participate in research that can benefit the larger Parkinsons community. In a clinical trial, medications and basic healthcare monitoring are covered.
To find current PD trials, go to ClinicalTrials.gov or Fox Trial Finder on the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research website.
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Are Disability Benefits Used For Other Forms Of Transport Or Travel Support And If So What Are The Benefits Of This
14. People with Parkinsons find Blue Badges very useful in enabling them to continue to be active, as it enables them to park closer to their destination.
15. Free bus passes are valued by people with Parkinsons, however there is not equal access to them across the whole of the UK. People over 60 in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and London can access them, however in England you must be over pension age, currently 65. Also, another anomaly is that in England you can only use the pass between 9.30am 4pm. This places severe restrictions on people with Parkinsons attempting to find or remain in work, as they are not able to travel during peak times, which is often a key requirement of employees. We would recommend that the SSAC urges the government to:
- make free bus passes available to everyone living in the UK at 60 years old
- extend the time the bus pass is able to be used each day in England.
16. We know that people with Parkinsons also use disabled rail passes, which cost £20 per year. As outlined in paragraphs 5 and 6 of this submission there are barriers to using train travel, but we know people with the condition value these passes as they enable them to make longer journeys and maintain their independence.
For Those Who Are Eligible Is Not Leasing A Vehicle Through Motability A Voluntary Choice
8. It is a voluntary choice for most people whether or not to lease a vehicle through Motability. However, in order to renew or lease a vehicle through the Motability scheme an individual must have 12 months remaining of their benefit award. Therefore, some people with Parkinsons who have 11 months left of their Personal Independence Payment award are unable to take on a lease due to this rule.
9. This is a particular issue with PIP as the DWP makes a significant number of 2 or 3 year awards, even for people with long term conditions such as Parkinsons, whose mobility is only likely to worsen as their condition progresses. We would recommend the committee urges the DWP to reduce the number of short-term awards for people with Parkinsons.
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Up Walker Large Posture Walker Mobility Aid
Like other standing walkers, this stands-up walking aid is designed in a way to provide increased stability and safety for Parkinsons patients who have difficulty walking.
But the good thing about this walker is that it has an adjustable armrest support feature. This provides additional support for patients with weak upper body or stooped posture. The padded armrests are height adjustable and extend or shorten, to provide comfortable support. The handgrips easily pivot for optimal wrist position.
The walker also comes with padded handles to help patients transition between sitting and standing easier and safer. It also has ergonomic hand brakes that allow the brakes to be easily locked and provide better control. Whereas, the comfortable fabric seat with a backrest provides a helpful seat when needed.
Its four large 8-inch, multi-terrain rubber wheels allow the walker to navigate smoothly on all outdoor surfaces such as grass, gravel, and even snow. And about its overall frame it is light, sturdy, and highly durable. You can take it with you outside of your home, walking around, and enjoy the outdoor scenes.
As He Battles Parkinsons Ex
This post is available in: Spanish
During 12 standout years in the NBA, former Miami HEAT Brian Grant was known for his hustle and toughness as a power forward or center, sometimes shaking off injuries and maneuvering his 6-foot-9-inch frame to block shots or leap for rebounds.
But his battles on the basketball court would pale in comparison to what awaited him shortly after his retirement from the NBA. One day in 2008, a neurologist in Portland, Oregon told him he had Young Onset Parkinsons disease , which occurs in people younger than 50. He was 36 years-old at the time. He was diagnosed with tremor dominant Parkinsons. Yet, there were signs even in his playing days of what was to come.
My journey started, actually, when I got traded to the Lakers, recalls Mr. Grant. I noticed that I couldnt jump off my left leg as well as I used to. And then I got to Phoenix, retired, and I went through nine months of depression, which I later found out many Parkinsons patients go through because of the loss of dopamine in the brain. And so thats how I got to that point. And then I moved back to Portland in 2008 and was diagnosed.
Miami will always hold a special place in my heart, he says. Memories still rebound of his South Florida days playing for the HEAT, and he has many fans here. During his NBA career, he also played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.
Im a Believer and This is What I was Dealt With
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Ability To Slow Disease Progression And Safety And Tolerability Of Green Tea Polyphenols In Early Parkinsons Disease
Objective/Rationale:Previous studies have shown that tea drinking is associated with a reduced of risk for Parkinson’s disease . Green tea polyphenols , the major components of green tea, have been shown to protect against neuronal loss both in cultures and pre-clinical models after exposed to toxins that selectively damage dopaminergic neurons. The goal of the project is to assess the ability of GTPs to slow the disease progression and its safety and tolerability in patients with early PD in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-control, multi-center study in China.
Project Description:Approximately 400 PD patients will be investigated. The groups receiving different doses of the active drug will continue their assigned therapy for the full 12 months. Controls will receive placebo for the first six months of therapy, followed by GTPs for a full six months to ‘catch up’ to the other groups.
Anticipated Outcome:If the GTPs are neuroprotective, the groups receiving active drug for the full 12 months should maintain their ‘head start,’ and thus there should still be a difference in change of UPDRS and disability at the end of 12 months.
Neural Mechanisms Of Cued Gait Training
In recent years, there have been numerous studies demonstrating the therapeutic efficacy of RAS in gait abnormalities associated with PD. An increasing body of research suggests that PD involves a deficit in temporal processing and that internal rhythmic timing is more disrupted among PD with gait deficits than among patients without gait deficits . It has been proposed that internal timing is dependent on striatal DA levels , and that timing problems may be a potential marker for frontal and striatal dysfunctions in PD . Accordingly, we hypothesize that the temporal deficits in PD are a major contributor to gait impairments. This is supported by the finding that DA replacement therapy reduces the timing deficits in PD , and that timing deficits are induced by changes in the expression levels of striatal D2 receptors . Furthermore, timing deficits are also found in other DA-related disorders including schizophrenia .
Although internal pacing is disrupted in PD patients, this timing alteration can be corrected and recalibrated through motorsensory interaction with the world . Cued gait training utilizes the implicit timing abilities still present in PD patients to recalibrate the internal clock. In RAS, PD patients are instructed to walk while synchronizing their footsteps to the salient beats of the music or metronome. RAS can be combined with visual cues such as patterned tiles or stripes placed along the walkway for multisensory cueing.
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Improving Flexibility And Range Of Motion
Improving your flexibility can help you improve your balance and gait, as well as reduce rigidity. Try these exercises:
- Sit in a chair and bend your upper body at the waist to your right and left.
- Get on all fours and turn your upper body to the right and left. Lift your arm on the side youre turning to as you turn.
Also work on lower-body strength training. Strength training can help you improve your balance, walk further distances, and potentially increase your walking speed. Some exercises to try include:
- Leg presses. While sitting down, push a weight away from your body using your legs.
- Squats. Start in an upright position with your legs slightly wider than hip distance. Bend your knees while pushing your glute muscles back, so that your knees dont come over your toes. You can hold onto something if necessary. You dont have to go down more than a few inches.
- Exercise bike. If you have access to a recumbent exercise bike , using the bike can help strengthen your legs.
- Repeatedly sit in and rise out of a chair. Repeating the motions of sitting down and rising helps strengthen your leg and core muscles. It also helps you practice a functional activity.
Close Collaboration With Other Universities
The award is part of a $9 million grant for three years for an ambitious, multidisciplinary effort aimed at mapping the modulatory landscape governing striatal dopamine signalling and its dysregulation in Parkinsons disease. The study is a close collaboration between teams from Oxford University , Boston University , and Karolinska Institutet. Konstantinos Meletis will collaborate with the laboratories of Project Director Dr. Stephanie Cragg, Dr. Peter Magill, and Dr. Richard Wade-Martins, all part of the Oxford Parkinsons Disease Center at Oxford University , and Dr. Mark Howe at Boston University .
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Ask Questions And Share Your Knowledge Of Parkinsons Disease In Our Forums
Participants were divided into two groups, experimental and control. Both groups received RAS training up to week 8, after which the control group stopped training and the experimental group continued. Then training was resumed for the control group between weeks 16 and 24. Patients in the experimental group received RAS training for the entire 24 weeks.
Participants were assessed at the beginning of the study and at eight, 16, and 24 weeks following that. Assessment criteria included stride length, speed, balance, and falls.
As expected, no significant differences were seen between the two groups at week eight. However, at week 16, the experimental group showed significant improvement in velocity, cadence, stride length, decreased number of falls, and fear of falling compared to the control group.
At week 24 after the control group had resumed RAS training the signifiant differences in velocity, cadence, stride length, and fear of falling remained, but there were no longer significant differences in the number of falls.
Taken together, the findings indicate that RAS gait training significantly reduced the number of falls and modified key in gait control in patients with Parkinsons disease, researchers wrote.
This clinical investigation demonstrates that RAS gait training is a potential intervention to reduce the risk of falling, since it directly addresses temporal instability, which is one of the most detrimental variables associated with falls, they concluded.
Clinical Trials Of Parkinsons Therapies Robust Despite Covid
With funding from APDA, these researchers can further develop their theories and obtain significant pilot data and initial proof of concept that enables them to apply for and receive larger grants from the National Institutes of Health and other funding institutions, Gilbert said. Without this initial funding from APDA, some research projects might never get off the ground.
Since its foundation, in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $207 million to provide outstanding patient services and educational programs, raise public awareness about Parkinsons, and support cutting-edge research meant to ultimately end the disease.
This years APDAs awards include a George C. Cotzias fellowship , two Diversity in Parkinsons Disease Research grants, three post-doctoral fellowships, six research grants, and continued funding for eight APDA Centers for Advanced Research.
The three-year George C. Cotzias fellowship is awarded to a young physician-scientist with exceptional promise to fund an innovative long-range project. This years winner is Abby L. Olsen, MD, PhD, at the Brigham and Womens Hospital, who will focus on the therapeutic potential of glia, which are non-neuronal cells that play critical roles in brain function, in Parkinsons.
The post-doctoral fellowships are designed to support early career post-doctoral scientists whose promising research focuses on Parkinsons causes, effects on the body, and treatments.
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How Does Participation/non
19. Participation in the Motability scheme gives an individual with Parkinsons much more independence and flexibility over their lives, especially if they live in a rural area where public transport is limited. However, it is an expensive scheme so participation must be weighed up alongside other household costs.
Medicaid / Hcbs Waivers
Under Medicaid, some family members can be paid as caregivers.
Nursing Home CareHome and Community Based ServicesPCA / PCS Programs
PCA stands for Personal Care Assistance or Personal Care Attendant and PCS for Personal Care Services. These are regular Medicaid programs that will pay a caregiver to come to ones home and provide personal care such as assistance with the activities of daily living An especially attractive element of these programs is the fact that often times, the paid caregiver can be someone familiar to the individual with Parkinsons. Friends and certain family members can be hired as paid caregivers. The downside of PCA / PCS programs are that the hourly wage that caregivers receive is very low and this is an optional Medicaid benefit. This means not every state offers this option as part of their regular Medicaid programs. A list of states which do offer PCS can be found here. Be aware that this list is not exhaustive and if one does not see their state listed, they should also inquire with their state Medicaid office if such a program is available in their state.
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Parkinsons Foundation Awards $22m In Community Health Grants
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The Parkinsons Foundation has awarded over $2.2 million in community health grants to 143 programs that will benefit Parkinsons disease patients across 42 U.S. states, as well as efforts in Australia and Taiwan.
This years grants, which mark the programs 10th year, range from $5,000 to a maximum of $25,000 and aim to support local health, wellness, and educational programs. Of the $2.2 million, $1.6 million will fund programs for diverse and underserved Parkinsons communities.
A full list of this years awardees is available here.
We are pleased to be able to provide these community grants and to expand programs and resources throughout the Parkinsons community, John L. Lehr, president and CEO of the Parkinsons Foundation, said in a press release.
Home » Research & Resources » Grants » How to Apply for a Grant
The Parkinson Alliance awards grants on an invitation-only basis to partner organizations and major research institutions in the U.S. If you are an investigator working in the field of neurological disorders, we encourage you to seek pilot study grants to gather data for broader-based study. At present, Parkinsons disease research may be funded through the following governmental agencies:
In addition, we encourage investigators to contact the scientific advisory boards of the following partner organizations:
Why Do We Do It
Our mission is to provide financial support to local nonprofits and institutions dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with Parkinsons disease , their families, and care-partners. Compassionate dedication is the core value we live by. And our vision is to touch the lives of people with Parkinsons disease every day. It is also our mantra.
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What Benefits Can You Claim If You Have Parkinsons
There are a couple of benefits you can claim if you have Parkinsons, which are SSDI benefits and Medicare. The first being Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI.
SSDI benefits are one of the two programs that the Social Security Administration offers and it is for those who at one point were able to work, but can no longer work for at least 12 months because of a disability or a severe ailment like Parkinsons Disease.
In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, you need to be deemed disabled by the SSA and you need to have a sufficient amount of work credits.
Work credits are calculated by your age and how long you have worked. If you are SSDI benefits, under certain conditions, your family members like children under the age of 18 or your spouse.
The other benefit that you can claim if you have Parkinsons is Medicare. Medicare is a federal program for those with disabilities and for people 65 and over.
If you qualify for SSDI benefits with Parkinsons, you will also qualify for Medicare as well. You automatically get Medicare Part A and Part B after you get one of these:
- Disability benefits from Social Security for 24 months
- Certain disability benefits from the RRB for 24 months
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