Parkinson’s podcast: stopping disease progression

Resources & Tools

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 9 July 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

In the second episode of the Portland Countdown podcast series, Dr Patrik Brundin and Dr Kimberley Gannon discuss how to stop ‘bad’ proteins attacking brain cells

Stopping disease progression: alpha synuclein

Special Guests: Patrik Brundin, MD, PhD and Kimberley Gannon, PhD

Basic researchers are hard at work trying to understand the pathology of Parkinson’s and discover new drug targets. One likely bad actor is a protein called alpha-synuclein.

Hosted by Dave Iverson and Jon Palfreman, Emmy award-winning journalists living with Parkinson’s disease, this episode looks into what we know about how alpha-synuclein kills brain cells and what might be done to stop it, with Dr Patrik Brundin and Dr Kimberley Gannon on hand to offer their expert opinions.

The aim of the Portland Countdown series is to give listeners new perspectives on the latest advances in Parkinson’s research and treatment.

The shows, developed by the World Parkinson Coalition, are aired online on the first Tuesday of every month from June 2015 to September 2016 – when the 4th World Parkinson Congress takes place in Portland, Oregon, USA. The entire series of podcasts will also be downloadable for free.

The full schedule of show topics and guest speaker profiles is available here

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Interviews

Overcoming obstacles: why Parkinson’s won’t stop me competing on Ninja Warrior

Parkinson’s patient hopes to win ‘American Ninja Warrior’

Neurologists should be ‘guides not gods’ – Part 2

Top expert Bastiaan Bloem argues the case for a more holistic approach

Parkinson’s in the news: August

This month’s top Parkinson’s news stories from around the globe

Turmeric oil may offer new ways of treating Parkinson’s disease

Turmeric oil may be beneficial in treating Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers from Kumamoto University in Japan. Their findings support the known properties of aromatic turmerone (ar-turmerone), a compound found in turmeric essential oil, which reduces inflammatory responses caused by cells associated with Parkinson’s-related neurodegeneration. Using midbrain slice cultures – laboratory cellular models that mimic brain activity – the team analysed the effects of a natural form of aromatic turmerone and eight structurally similar derivatives. They tested the derivatives’ anti-inflammatory effects, as well as their ability to protect dopamine-producing neurons. Those with the strongest anti-inflammatory effects were found to prevent the loss of dopamine-producing neurons. Among these were aromatic turmerone and its derivatives, suggesting their role as a “potential candidate for treating Parkinson’s disease”. In a press release, lead author Takahiro Seki said: “Our study elucidated a new mechanism by which ar-turmerone and its derivatives directly protect … [dopamine-producing] neurons.”

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Researchers in Denmark have shared insights on a cause of up to 95% of Parkinson’s disease cases. Using data on gene patterns and three mouse models, scientists at the University of Copenhagen found that a blockage to a pathway regulating mitochondria (‘powerhouses’ that generate energy for reactions in cells) causes a form of the condition known as ‘sporadic Parkinson’s disease’. When the pathway becomes blocked by a protein, damaged mitochondria accumulate, unable to produce enough energy – which in turn causes nerve cells to die. “Just like when people eat, cells take what they need and get rid of … waste products,” explained corresponding study author Professor Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas. “But if our brain cells have this specific kind of signalling blockage, it means that the powerhouse of the cell – mitochondria – cannot get cleaned up after being damaged.” The team now plan to investigate the pathway’s role in neuronal…

Could dance help to treat Parkinson’s disease?

Dance training with music could help slow the progression of mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease, researchers at York University in Canada have found. As part of the study, the researchers followed 16 participants with Parkinson’s disease who attended weekly dance classes between 2014 and 2017. The research team compared them to 16 people with Parkinson’s who did not take part in the classes. The research team found that the motor and non-motor symptoms of those who took part in the dance classes improved or did not progress over time – while those who did not participate showed a continual decline. “Dance is so complex,” said study author, PhD candidate Karolina Bearss. “It’s a multi-sensory type of environment. It incorporates and stimulates your auditory, tactile, visual and kinaesthetic senses and adds an interactive social aspect. Regular exercise does not offer these aspects. There’s so much more to dance.”

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

Parkinson’s podcast: stopping disease progression

Resources & Tools

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 9 July 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Interviews

Overcoming obstacles: why Parkinson’s won’t stop me competing on Ninja Warrior

Special reports

Neurologists should be ‘guides not gods’ – Part 2

Global update

Parkinson’s in the news: August

Turmeric oil may offer new ways of treating Parkinson’s disease

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Could dance help to treat Parkinson’s disease?

{title}

Subscribe

Parkinson’s podcast: stopping disease progression

Resources & Tools

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 9 July 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Interviews

Overcoming obstacles: why Parkinson’s won’t stop me competing on Ninja Warrior

Special reports

Neurologists should be ‘guides not gods’ – Part 2

Global update

Parkinson’s in the news: August

Turmeric oil may offer new ways of treating Parkinson’s disease

Research offers new insights on a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Could dance help to treat Parkinson’s disease?

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in