Digital entrepreneur becomes face of Australian charity

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Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 17 June 2015

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After being diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s at just 35, self-confessed digital media guru Kate Matheson has been appointed National Ambassador for Australian charity, Shake It Up.

Kate, managing director of GLOSS magazine, is keen to raise awareness for young Australians also living with the disease and getting involved with the charity is her way of inspiring others to help find a cure.

She said: “We aren’t victims, we’re strong, amazing people who happen to have a crummy disease, and we want a cure. Young onset Parkinson’s is real and it’s common. It’s not just a disease of older people.

“Parkinson’s is not a disease you choose. It chooses you. And it doesn’t care if you’re trying to raise a family. It cares about what you choose to do after you’re diagnosed.

“What you choose to do with Parkinson’s is going to shape the future of the disease.”

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Ireland survey aims to uncover link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

Previous studies of vineyard and agricultural workers in France and the US highlight potential correlations between pesticide exposure and Parkinson’s risk. Now, a team is conducting the first study in Ireland to investigate this potential link. Last week, researchers from University College Cork, Ireland, took to the country’s National Ploughing Championships – a three-day country show, agricultural trade fair and ploughing competition. Their goal? To “gather information on the environmental risks associated with Parkinson’s in Ireland”, according to Professor Aideen Sullivan of the university’s Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience. “Our survey is a broad-stroke approach. We are going to ask people what categories of pesticides they’ve used,” said Sullivan’s colleague, Dr Lucy Collins-Stack. “We are going into this thinking there may be a stronger link with rural settings rather than towns, but we still want to look at both.” The survey can be completed online.

Is there a link between Parkinson’s disease and blood vessel dysfunction?

Scientists in Slovakia have investigated the link between blood vessel dysfunction and Parkinson’s – and found that dopamine agonists may have an impact. The team studied the function of the endothelium – a membrane which lines the heart and blood vessels and helps control blood fluidity – in 41 people with the condition and 41 people without. Endothelial function was then measured through a parameter that assessed how easily blood could flow through the vessels. The results showed that while more people with Parkinson’s had endothelial dysfunction compared to those without, the difference did not reach statistical significance. However, the researchers noted that the findings suggested “an association between smoking, dopamine agonists, and impaired endothelial function” in those with the condition. Outlining the study’s limitations, the team noted that more research is needed to explore this potential link.

New swab test may help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

Researchers at the University of Manchester, UK, have drawn on one woman’s sense of smell to develop a swab test that may be used to detect Parkinson’s. The scientists used the test to analyse sebum (a type of oily substance on the skin) in 79 people with Parkinson’s and a control group of 71 healthy individuals. The team identified more than 4,000 different compounds in the participant samples – including 500 that were unique to those living with the condition. The test was developed with the help of Joy Milne from Perth, Scotland, whose unique sense of smell meant that she noticed a change in her late husband Les’s odour twelve years before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Speaking to the BBC, Professor Perdita Barran, who led the research, described the test as potentially “transformative” – and said that the team hopes to roll the test out to people in…

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Digital entrepreneur becomes face of Australian charity

News

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 17 June 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

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“I love my life, even with Parkinson’s disease”

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“Music can take me to a special place in my head that Parkinson’s can’t get to”

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8 smart Parkinson’s apps you need to try

Ireland survey aims to uncover link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

Is there a link between Parkinson’s disease and blood vessel dysfunction?

New swab test may help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

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Digital entrepreneur becomes face of Australian charity

News

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 17 June 2015

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

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sponsored article

Perspectives

“I love my life, even with Parkinson’s disease”

Interviews

“Music can take me to a special place in my head that Parkinson’s can’t get to”

Resources & Tools

8 smart Parkinson’s apps you need to try

Ireland survey aims to uncover link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

Is there a link between Parkinson’s disease and blood vessel dysfunction?

New swab test may help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

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