New pen designed to improve handwriting for people with Parkinson’s

News

Author: AdminPublished: 12 April 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

The handwriting disorder ‘micrographia’ is a common symptom of Parkinson’s where the patient’s handwriting gets smaller and smaller as they write, to the point when it’s no longer legible.

This often results in the loss of the everyday usefulness and simple pleasure of writing – from to-do lists to birthday day cards for loved ones.

But a new pen, which has been shown in tests to help people with Parkinson’s overcome their micrographia, offers fresh hope that the gift of writing may be restored to many.

Share this story

Comments

Cheryl Troup

Loss of my pretty writing has changed my life. :-* am frustrated that I can’t write my own checks or receive a package without the postman helping. Writing letters was so enjoyable. Computers just aren’t my style. I miss handwriting very much and would like to hear about this new pen. Thanks for anything you have about this new device.
Cheryl Troup

So how do I get one?

Tremor-reducing GyroGlove set to launch in 2017

Volunteer testers wanted as launch date nears

Parkinson’s podcast: L-dopa – waiting for the next act

Discussion: Why has it taken so long to improve levodopa delivery?

The ‘Starbucks formula’: a new approach to Parkinson’s treatment that’s going global

Parkinson’s healthcare scheme where the patient is a partner

‘Dopamine-boosting’ BT13 molecule could be used to slow Parkinson’s

Researchers have discovered that a molecule called BT13 could have potential to treat Parkinson’s. The study, conducted by scientists from the University of Helsinki, Finland, found that mice injected with the BT13 molecule had an increase in dopamine levels in the brain. Their findings also suggested that the molecule could lead to a new drug treatment to protect the brain cells that produce dopamine. Dopamine helps coordinate movement, but people with Parkinson’s have normally lost between 70 and 80% of the brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter when they are diagnosed with the condition. Professor David Dexter, Deputy Director of Research at Parkinson’s UK – which co-funded the study – said: “People with Parkinson’s desperately need a new treatment that can stop the condition in its tracks, instead of just masking the symptoms. “More research is needed to turn BT13 into a treatment to be tested in clinical trials, to…

Students develop wearable device to track Parkinson’s tremors

A wearable device has been developed to monitor Parkinson’s tremors and their severity through the tracking of body movements. The device – Tremor Tracker – was created by two students, Julie Gaudin and Elizabeth Hummel, at Louisiana Tech University, US, as part of a design class project. The students designed an algorithm using data recorded from volunteer participants at Rock Steady, a boxing programme for people with Parkinson’s. They then applied the algorithm to a GENEActiv, a wrist-worn device that has been scientifically validated for clinical research. Hummel, co-creator of the Tremor Tracker, said: “Through supervised machine learning, the device predicts whether a patient’s tremors are parkinsonian or non-parkinsonian, as well as the severity of these tremors. A quantitative analysis of parkinsonian tremors provides a more detailed disease state.”

Can awakening dormant neurons reverse Parkinson’s motor symptoms?

Reawakening dormant neurons could help reverse Parkinson’s motor symptoms, researchers in South Korea have found. While Parkinson’s is typically believed to be caused by neuronal death, a new study – published in ‘Current Biology’ journal – suggests that dormant neurons could be another cause. After completing an animal test – which treated the subjects with two compounds that block dopamine-producing neurons from becoming dormant – the researchers found these neurons to be “awakened”, allowing them to resume dopamine production. The researchers hope that this will lead to a disease-modifying treatment, especially for people in the early stages of Parkinson’s. Hoon Ryu, a senior author of the study and researcher at KIST Brain Science Institute, South Korea, said: “This research refutes the common belief that there is no disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson’s due to its basis on neuronal cell death.”

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.

New pen designed to improve handwriting for people with Parkinson’s

News

Author: AdminPublished: 12 April 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Advances

Tremor-reducing GyroGlove set to launch in 2017

Resources & Tools

Parkinson’s podcast: L-dopa – waiting for the next act

PD in Practice

The ‘Starbucks formula’: a new approach to Parkinson’s treatment that’s going global

‘Dopamine-boosting’ BT13 molecule could be used to slow Parkinson’s

Students develop wearable device to track Parkinson’s tremors

Can awakening dormant neurons reverse Parkinson’s motor symptoms?

{title}

Subscribe

New pen designed to improve handwriting for people with Parkinson’s

News

Author: AdminPublished: 12 April 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Advances

Tremor-reducing GyroGlove set to launch in 2017

Resources & Tools

Parkinson’s podcast: L-dopa – waiting for the next act

PD in Practice

The ‘Starbucks formula’: a new approach to Parkinson’s treatment that’s going global

‘Dopamine-boosting’ BT13 molecule could be used to slow Parkinson’s

Students develop wearable device to track Parkinson’s tremors

Can awakening dormant neurons reverse Parkinson’s motor symptoms?

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in