New Cure For Parkinson’s Disease

Scientists Homing In On A Cure For Parkinsons Disease Scitechdaily

The new peptide shows promise as a drug precursor to treat Parkinsons disease, often known for its distinctive hand tremors.

A peptide known to prevent the protein error that gives rise to Parkinsons disease has been optimized by scientists, making it a strong candidate for future development into a cure.

A molecule that shows promise in preventing Parkinsons disease has been refined by scientists at the University of Bath and has the potential to be developed into a drug to treat the incurable neurodegenerative disease.Professor Jody Mason, who led the research from the Department of Biology and Biochemistry, said: A lot of work still needs to happen, but this molecule has the potential to be a precursor to a drug. Today there are only medicines to treat the symptoms of Parkinsons we hope to develop a drug that can return people to good health even before symptoms develop.

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How Could Stem Cells Help People With Parkinson’s

Stem cells are the parent cells of all tissues in the body. This means they can turn into any type of cell. The hope is that they will eventually be able to make these cells into specific types of cells, like dopamine-producing neurons, that can be used to treat Parkinson’s disease. However, there are concerns that patients may have the same risk of increased involuntary movements as those who undergo fetal cell transplantation. And, like fetal cell transplantation, stem cell therapy is surrounded by moral and ethical controversy.

What New Treatments Are Being Developed

Thanks to the progress we’ve already made, new treatments are being tested in clinical trials that have the potential to slow, stop or even reverse Parkinson’s.

These include:

• stem cell therapies, which aim to use healthy, living cells to replace or repair the damage in the brains of people with Parkinson’s
• gene therapies, which use the power of genetics to reprogramme cells and change their behaviour to help them stay healthy and work better for longer
• growth factors , which are naturally occurring molecules that support the growth, development and survival of brain cells.

And we’re developing treatments that aim to improve life with the condition, including new drugs that can reduce dyskinesia.

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Embracing The Power Of Gratitude

Most of us have heard about the power of gratitude. According to research, expressing a sense of gratitude can contribute to stronger relationships and heightened levels of happiness. And those who regularly express it are more likely to be optimistic about life than those who dont.

While many of us practice gratitude by giving thanks, it actually is an emotion, and its recognition and expression can foster a greater sense of positivity.

How Do I Find Out More

Anyone who is considering taking part in research should speak to the professionals managing the project for more in-depth information. Contact details can be found on the project page.

If you have any queries, qualms or concerns please do ask the researchers. They should make your research visit as easy and enjoyable as possible.

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What Kinds Of Genetic Research Is Being Done

Researchers are investigating genes that code proteins responsible for producing dopamine. By increasing the amount of dopamine in the brain, Parkinson’s symptoms can be minimized if not prevented.

What other treatments are being researched?

• Drug treatments. Researchers are investigating drugs that block the action of glutamate, an amino acid that destroys nerve cells, as well as the role of the antioxidant coenzyme Q-10 in slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
• Neural growth factor. Preliminary studies have shown that neural growth factor revives the dormant cells needed to produce dopamine, dramatically improving symptoms.
• Deep brain stimulation. Research is underway to better understand how deep brain stimulation works in Parkinson’s disease. Researchers are also studying improved ways of stimulating the brain.

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Important Points About The New Medications

With multiple new medications available for the treatment of PD, there is more hope than ever that Parkinsons symptoms can be successfully managed for many years. A few things to consider:

• For people whose symptoms are difficult to control, these new treatments are welcome additions to what was previously available and many people with PD have been using these new medications with significant benefit.
• On the other hand, many of the newly-approved medications have the same mechanisms of action as older medications so they are not breaking new ground in treating symptoms.
• In addition, for some people, the effect on symptoms may be mild or not substantial.

These caveats may mean that your physician has not suggested a medication change for you. It is also important to note that despite all the new medications, carbidopa/levodopa remains the most potent medication to treat the motor symptoms of PD.

If your doctor does choose to try one of the new options, there may be multiple paths that your doctor can take when contemplating a medication adjustment. Often trial and error is the only way to determine the best medication regimen for you, so you may need to practice some patience as you work together with your doctor to determine what works or doesnt work.

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Are Scientists Homing In On A Cure For Parkinson’s Disease

by University of Bath

A molecule that shows promise in preventing Parkinson’s disease has been refined by scientists at the University of Bath in the UK, and has the potential to be developed into a drug to treat the deadly neurodegenerative disease.

Professor Jody Mason, who led the research from the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at Bath, said: “A lot of work still needs to happen, but this molecule has the potential to be a pre-cursor to a drug. Today there are only medicines to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’swe hope to develop a drug that can return people to good health even before symptoms develop.”

Parkinson’s Disease is characterized by a specific protein in human cells ‘misfolding’, where it becomes aggregated and malfunctions. The proteinalpha-synuclein is abundant in all human brains. After misfolding, it accumulates in large masses, known as Lewy bodies. These masses consist of S aggregates that are toxic to dopamine-producing brain cells, causing them to die. It is this drop in dopamine signaling that triggers the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, as the signals transmitting from the brain to the body become noisy, leading to the distinctive tremors seen in sufferers.

This research also has implications for Alzheimer’s disease, Type 2 diabetes and other serious human diseases where symptoms are triggered by protein misfolding.

The research was published in Journal of Molecular Biology.

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An Open Letter To My Neurologist

Former Parkinsons News Today columnist Sherri Woodbridge wrote about the power of gratitude several years ago while reviewing a book called Living in Gratitude: A Journey That Will Change Your Life, by Angeles Arrien. Arrien argues that gratitude is a choice.

One thing I find compelling about Woodbridges experience with gratitude is her observation that it requires practice. One must cultivate a mindset that gravitates toward gratitude it isnt something that occurs on its own.

Knowing this, Ive decided to cultivate my own sense of gratitude as one of my New Years resolutions. Some people use a journal to focus their attention on gratitude. I hope to meditate regularly on the things Im grateful for.

Today and every day, Im grateful to have time with my parents. Parkinsons disease, which my dad has, is a relentless thief. If we must walk this journey, I will be grateful for every day my dad chooses to fight back. I know he could be pessimistic about it and succumb to his circumstances, but he remains consistent and unwavering against this disease. For that, Im extremely grateful.

When we are confronted with so much loss, I think its important to note what weve gained and where weve seen success. In our lives, Dad is back to a diligent exercise routine, and it shows. He looks strong, determined, and willing to do what he can to keep Parkinsons at bay.

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Innovative Gel Offers New Hope To Defeat Parkinson’s Disease

When we introduced the gel technology with the stem cells we saw huge improvement in the animals’ coordinated paw movement and overall motor function recovery.

Researchers from The Australian National University , in collaboration with The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, have developed a new type of hydrogel that could radically transform how we treat Parkinson’s disease. The gel also offers hope for patients who have suffered from other neurological conditions such as strokes.

The new material is made from natural amino acids – the building blocks of proteins – and acts as a gateway to facilitate the safe transfer of stem cells into the brain and restore damaged tissue by releasing a growth-enabling protein called GDNF.

The research has been published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

What Is Fetal Cell Transplantation

Fetal cell transplantation is a procedure in which fetal cells are implanted into the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease to replace the dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra. Although promising, this area of research is one of the most controversial. Some studies have found that fetal cell transplantation caused an increase in severe involuntary movements due to too much dopamine in the brain. There are also moral and ethical objections to the use of fetal cell implants. As a result, other methods of treatment are being explored.

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Current Parkinsons Treatments Cant Slow Down Onset Of Disease

Parkinsons is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, which mainly the area of the brain that controls movement leading to a slow onset of symptoms including tremors, rigidity and slow movement.

More than 10 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with Parkinsons disease, according to the US-based Parkinsons Foundation, with the Parkinsons News Today website saying it affects 1,900 per 100,000 among those aged over 80,

Typically, by the time people are diagnosed with the condition, they have already lost between 70% and 80% of their dopamine-producing cells, which are involved in co-ordinating movement.

While current treatments mask the symptoms, there is nothing that can slow down its progression or prevent more brain cells from being lost.

As dopamine levels continue to fall, symptoms get worse and new symptoms can appear.

Our Research Achievements So Far

Thanks to more than 50 years of Parkinson’s research, we understand more about the condition than ever before. Our research has led to major discoveries and improvements for people living with Parkinson’s.

But we won’t stop there. Together, we can find a cure.

Were collaborative. With your help, weve made research breakthroughs that have changed lives.

Were bold. Investing over £100m in research. Taking a stand against race inequality in research. Funding Dr Kirsty Bannisters research into pain that could see personal pain profiles become part of NHS practice.

Were ambitious. Funding world-first research to investigate whether cannabidiol could treat hallucinations and delusions in people with Parkinsons. Committing £800,000 to plan a new GDNF trial. Funding a pioneering study inspired by Joy Milne who can smell Parkinsons.

Collaborative. Bold. Ambitious. Its the only way weve been able to make life-changing discoveries.

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Funded By Leading Charities

Parkinsons UK and The Michael J. Fox Foundation , two leading charities have raised £1.5m to fund the phase 2 clinical trial, which is being sponsored by the biopharmaceutical company Neurolixis.

Dr Arthur Roach, Director of Research at Parkinsons UK, said: Were pleased to be supporting this study which aims to deliver a treatment that is desperately needed by many people living with Parkinsons. Its great that recruitment is now underway as this milestone brings us one step closer to results which could reveal an important new therapy for the millions living with this condition around the world.

What Is Parkinsons Disease

Parkinsons disease is a progressive brain disorder that causes shaking and muscle stiffness, and slows movement. It develops when neurons in a particular part of the brain stop working properly and are lost over time. These neurons produce an important chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is used by the brain to send messages across brain areas to help control movement. Eventually, the brain cannot make enough dopamine to control the movement properly.1,2

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Mickan Against Parkinsons Gala Dinner 2019

At The Mickan against Parkinsons Adelaide, SA. Congratulations to Ms.Nassaris and the team at Adelaide Oval for putting this together .Thanks for inviting Mr Girish Nair as a speaker for the event to speak about his involvement in Mr. Mickans care as a treating Neurosurgeon

Thanks for having Neuroaxis at this event celebrating a true Champion in footy and in the fight against Parkinsons. We are proud to be part of Marks Parkinson journey.

Why Scientists Believe Theyve Made New Breakthrough In Parkinsons Disease Treatment By Building On Gdnf Research

The Finnish researchers are now working to improve the properties of BT13 to make it more effective as a potential treatment that could benefit many people living with the disease.

The study, which was published online yesterday in the journal Movement Disorders, builds on previous research on another molecule that targets the same receptors in the brain.

GDNF or glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor is an experimental treatment for Parkinsons discovered in 1993 that has been shown to bring dying brain cells back to life and particularly effective in dopamine neurons.

It was the subject of a BBC documentary in February 2019 that followed a phase two trial in Bristol involving 42 patients. While the results werent clear cut, GDNF has shown promise to restore damaged cells in people with Parkinsons.

However, the GDNF protein requires complex robot-assisted surgery to deliver the treatment to the brain because its a large molecule that cant cross the blood-brain barrier a protective wall that prevents some drugs from getting into the brain.

BT13 is a smaller molecule that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore could be more easily administered as a treatment if shown to be beneficial in further clinical trials.

Dr Yulia Sidorova, lead researcher on the study, said: We are constantly working on improving the effectiveness of BT13.

Our ultimate goal is to progress these compounds to clinical trials in a few coming years.

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Common Scale Of Motor Symptom Severity May Have Flaws: Study

A commonly used measure of how motor symptoms are affecting daily life could also for people in early stages of Parkinsons disease be taking into account the contribution of their non-motor symptoms, a study suggests. This is a likely reason for the discrepancies seen in evaluations made by patients

Cantabio Pharmaceuticals Awarded Grant From The Michael J Fox Foundation To Develop Novel Small

Grant enables the further development of Cantabio’s novel small-molecule tau protein aggregation inhibitors, which have high therapeutic potential in both disease-modifying and preventive contexts for the treatment of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

PALO ALTO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 5, 2022 / Cantabio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a preclinical stage pharmaceutical company developing disease-modifying therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease , Parkinson’s disease and Type II diabetes, today announced that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has awarded the Company a major grant for a project entitled “Development of small-molecule inhibitors to reduce the aggregation of tau for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.” This grant supports the Company’s ongoing tau protein-targeting small-molecule pharmacological chaperone therapeutic program aiming to prevent and reduce the aggregation of tau protein as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AD, PD and tauopathies in general.

The MJFF-funded project aims to develop a novel small-molecule tau aggregation inhibitor with validated activity in PD-relevant tau aggregation in vitro, cell and in vivo models that has high therapeutic potential in both disease-modifying and preventive contexts for the treatment of PD and AD.

About the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

About Cantabio Pharmaceuticals

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New Treatment For Parkinsons Disease

This fall, the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital expects to introduce a previously unavailable form of treatment for Parkinsons disease patients. Although the treatment will be limited to patients who fulfill specific criteria, the treatment has been shown to be effective in Europe, where it has been available for more than a decade.

The treatment involves administering the drug Duodopa directly into the patients small intestine via the stomach through a tube. The drugs dosage is controlled by a mini-pump weighing about half a kilogram that the patient wears at the waist. The body transforms levodopa to dopamine to increase the amount of dopamine in the brain. Parkinsons disease symptoms are linked to dopamine levels. Carbidopa helps to guide levodopa to the brain and also helps to avoid stomach upset and other undesirable side effects of levodopa.

The benefit of the Duodopa treatment is that the patient gets the drug continuously and so avoids the kinds of fluctuations that can come when drugs are taken orally at intervals during the day. Some patients have difficulty swallowing, and with this treatment, theres no need to swallow, says Dr. Anne-Louise Lafontaine, a neurologist and Director at The Neuros Movement Disorder Clinic.

Not all Parkinsons disease patients will qualify for the treatment.

This article was submitted by Neuro staff

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Scientists Are Close To Finding A Cure For Parkinsons Disease

Researchers studied mutant fruit flies to uncover how the disease affects the brain

SCIENTISTS are on the brink of finding a cure for Parkinsons disease after discovering what causes the illness and how it affects brain cells.

Experts previously thought people who fell ill at a younger age than most who develop Parkinsons suffer from a poorly functioning mitochondria.

These are the powerhouses of cells and without reliable sources of energy, neurons wither and die.

But Medical Research Council researchers at University of Leicester found this may not be the complete picture of what is happening within the brain cells affected by Parkinsons.

Now it is thought neuro deterioration occurs in response to stress on the endoplasmic reticulum part of the outer skin of the cell rather than failure of the mitochondria as previously thought.

During the study fruit flies were injected with chemicals to prevent the effects of ER stress and as a result, it prevented the death of neurons which are commonly associated with the disease.

Dr Miguel Martins said: This research challenges the current held belief that Parkinsons disease is a result of malfunctioning mitochondria.

By identifying and preventing ER stress in a model of the disease it was possible for us to prevent neurodegeneration.

Lab experiments, like this, allow us to see what effect ER stress has on Parkinsons disease.

Leicesters MRC Toxicology unit in Leicester carried out the experiment.

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