MJ Fox Foundation gala raises US$5 million for Parkinson’s disease research

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 17 November 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

David Letterman, Denis Leary and John Fogerty along with 1,000 supporters of the Michael J Fox Foundation gathered on Saturday (14 November) for the charity’s annual benefit gala held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.

Raising more than US$5 million for Parkinson’s research, guests of the A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s gala were treated to a Marty McFly-themed opening number from host Denis Leary and performances from the likes of Lenny Clarke, Jeff Ross and John Fogerty.

Letterman spoke fondly of Michael and his bravery as a Parkinson’s advocate: “To go out in front of a crowd of strangers without Parkinson’s disease takes gut. You do it with that diagnosis, that’s courage beyond human limits.”

To date, the gala has raised more than US$65 million to fund Parkinson’s disease research.

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Interviews

Providing free speech therapy for New York’s Parkinson’s community

We talk to student clinician Beata Royzman about speech therapy for Parkins

“People are capable of so much more than they think”

We talk to Dr Modugno about the centre he directs in Italy

Dave Clark marches for a Parkinson’s cure

The former sports commentator’s latest fundraiser for Parkinson’s

Could a sea sponge support the search for Parkinson’s disease treatments?

How could a molecule in a sea sponge help treat Parkinson’s and similar conditions? Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in the US, recently explored this question. Their findings were published in the journal ‘Science’. The team examined a molecule known as lissodendoric acid A, which appears to counteract other molecules that damage DNA, proteins and whole cells – and was recently discovered in a sea sponge. The research team used an oft-neglected compound called a cyclic allene to control a step in the chain of chemical reactions, which enabled them to create a version of the molecule in a lab. Scientists believe that the ability to synthetically produce lissodendoric acid A will help them assess whether it can inform future therapies for conditions like Parkinson’s. UCLA’s Professor Neil Garg, the corresponding author of the study, said: “We hope others will also be able to use cyclic…

Study finds just six minutes of daily exercise might delay onset of Parkinson’s disease

Regular exercise is a common therapeutic strategy for people with Parkinson’s. Now, a study from New Zealand has suggested that daily physical activity might even delay the onset of this condition. Published in ‘The Physiological Society’, the study focused on a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) – which has previously been shown to boost cognitive performance. The researchers assessed the impact of fasting and physical activity on BDNF production in 12 people aged 18 to 56. The tests involved fasting and completing exercises of varying intensity, such as cycling for six minutes, as well as combinations of both fasting and physical activity. The results showed that brief, intense exercise was the best option for increasing the production of BDNF – with the protein increasing by a factor of four to five times compared to light exercise or fasting. Because BDNF can protect the brain from cognitive decline, the findings could…

Machine learning may help predict risk of freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease

Difficulty taking steps forward, often referred to as the freezing of gait (FOG), is a common symptom experienced by people with Parkinson’s and one that can be difficult to predict. China-based researchers suggest that machine learning – artificial intelligence (AI) that uses algorithms to analyse data – could help predict the risk of freezing of gait developing in the early stages of the condition. Their study, published in ‘npj Parkinson’s Disease’, gave laboratory and clinical data to a machine learning model brain. This information was collected from 158 adults with untreated early-stage Parkinson’s and 73 healthy adults over a five-year period. They found that the risk of FOG could be predicted with an accuracy rate of up to 78%. The study authors suggested that machine learning methods “have the potential to help predict future FOG in patients with early Parkinson’s at an individual level”.

All fields required

First name*
Last name*
Email address*
Enter Email Confirm Email
Country of residence*
About me*
- I have Parkinson's disease
- I am a partner / carer / family / friend of someone who has Parkinson's
- I am a healthcare professional with an interest in Parkinson's
- I work for a Parkinson's disease organisation
- Other
CAPTCHA
*
- By proceeding you agree to our
Comments
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

MJ Fox Foundation gala raises US$5 million for Parkinson’s disease research

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 17 November 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Interviews

Providing free speech therapy for New York’s Parkinson’s community

Interviews

“People are capable of so much more than they think”

Global update

Dave Clark marches for a Parkinson’s cure

Could a sea sponge support the search for Parkinson’s disease treatments?

Study finds just six minutes of daily exercise might delay onset of Parkinson’s disease

Machine learning may help predict risk of freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease

{title}

Subscribe

MJ Fox Foundation gala raises US$5 million for Parkinson’s disease research

News

Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 17 November 2015

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Interviews

Providing free speech therapy for New York’s Parkinson’s community

Interviews

“People are capable of so much more than they think”

Global update

Dave Clark marches for a Parkinson’s cure

Could a sea sponge support the search for Parkinson’s disease treatments?

Study finds just six minutes of daily exercise might delay onset of Parkinson’s disease

Machine learning may help predict risk of freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in