This past month, the FDA approved DaTscan (Ioflupane I 123 injection, also known as phenyltropane), a radiopharmaceutical agent which is injected into a patient’s veins in a procedure referred to as SPECT imaging. DaTscan is an important addition because it is anticipated to be more widely available than other techniques…
Should I get a DaTscan or PET scan to confirm my diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease? You can find out more about NPF’s National Medical Director, Dr. Michael S. Okun, by also visiting the NPF Center of Excellence, University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration. This past month, the FDA…
This post originally came out in 2007 in the Parkinson Report and has been so popular that our patients asked us to repost on the treatment tips. We will have more on hospitalization soon as we work with NPF on the Aware in Care campaign and on research in this…
Poor posture is a hallmark feature of Parkinson’s disease. This stooped positioning has been associated with increased muscle rigidity or stiffness. The typical Parkinson’s posture includes: forward head, rounded shoulders, increased thoracic kyphosis, increased flexion of the trunk, and bending of the knees.
The National Parkinson Foundation has developed a kit for Parkinson patients that will give them tools to make sure they get the best possible care in the hospital. The “Aware in Care” kit is available for free to patients on the website AwareInCare.org and contains: an action plan to prepare…
Pam Zeilman, ARNP, our DBS Clinical and Study Coordinator, participated in a round table discussion on “Improving Quality of Life in Advanced Parkinson’s Disease” in December 2011. The results of that discussion have been posted as a document intended to help nurse practitioners and physician assistants who treat patients with…
Our favorite tape to use is the blue “painter’s tape” because it is bright and easy to see! At the University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration a patient can partake in a physical therapy evaluation that includes…
By Irene Malaty M.D. 1.) My doctor says I have tics. Does that mean I have Tourette syndrome (TS)? Not everyone that has tics has Tourette syndrome. Tics are sudden recurrent non-rhythmic stereotypical movements or vocalizations that a person makes. Most typically, a person experiences an urge…
What are the problems/challenges of stem cells for Parkinson’s disease that are keeping it from becoming a major treatment? There are significant problems with stem cells as a potential savior therapy for Parkinson’s disease. First, when you take a cell and make it divide you must be able to turn…
What are dyskinesias and how can I manage them? Dyskinesias are abnormal, involuntary movements that occur in response to repeated dopamine-replacement therapy (Brotchie 2005; Olanow 2001). Sometimes, they can be debilitating. These motor complications are typically “choreiform”. Chorea comes from the Greek word meaning “to dance”, so the dyskinesias looks…
