Take part in a global Parkinson’s carers survey

News

Author: Joe McAweaneyPublished: 18 July 2019

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Parkinson's Europe Parkinson's carers survey

The Parkinson’s Europe is inviting carers from within Parkinson’s community to take part in a survey aiming to shine a light on the physical, financial and emotional difficulties they face.

The research – supported by French healthcare devices company Air Liquide – will be used to inform future campaigns and create valuable tools to help carers and the wider Parkinson’s community.

Russell Patten, the secretary general of Parkinson’s Europe, said: “Carers are such an important part of Parkinson’s community – they provide the firm foundations that support their loved ones who are physically living with the condition.

“However, carers’ needs and quality of life are sadly, all too often, overlooked; this can lead to devastating and lasting effects on the individual and the wider society.”

The survey is open until 6 September 2019, and is available in English, French, German Italian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Slovenian and Spanish.

For more information on caring and Parkinson’s please visit the Parkinson’s Europe website.

Listen to Episode Two of Parkinson’s Life podcast, “Caring for a family member with Parkinson’s”, available on SoundCloud, iTunes and YouTube.

Parkinson’s may originate in the gut, says new study

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Episodes

Podcast: How to eat well with Parkinson’s disease

Two guests discuss cooking with the condition

“We do not suffer from Parkinson’s, we live with it”

The last in our monthly series profiling WPC2019 bloggers

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

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

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
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Take part in a global Parkinson’s carers survey

News

Author: Joe McAweaneyPublished: 18 July 2019

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Episodes

Podcast: How to eat well with Parkinson’s disease

Interviews

“We do not suffer from Parkinson’s, we live with it”

Interviews

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

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

Take part in a global Parkinson’s carers survey

News

Author: Joe McAweaneyPublished: 18 July 2019

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Episodes

Podcast: How to eat well with Parkinson’s disease

Interviews

“We do not suffer from Parkinson’s, we live with it”

Interviews

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

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