Tips and suggestions for encouraging success for persons with Parkinson’s Disease Dementia (PDD). Prevent overstimulation Keep the environment simple and quiet Ensure that background noises are kept at a minimal level (TVs, talking, dishwasher, etc.) Keep frequently used rooms free of clutter and with minimal distracting photos Use simple words-do…
This was an interesting study by Dr. Wang in Dennis Steindler’s laboratory at the UF McKnight Brain Institute. This group was able to harvest stem-like cells from post-mortem brains (after-death brains donated by Parkinson’s disease patients), and also stem-like cells from discarded DBS leads. They were also able to place…
Why is it that a decline in energy is common with the diagnosis of Parkinson’s? There are a variety of factors that can lead to an increase in fatigue with Parkinson’s, including: stress, muscle stiffness, impaired sleep, depression and even certain medications. Parkinson’s symptoms create a decrease in efficiency…
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…
Former UF graduate student, now at Brown University published an important paper examining longitudinal trajectories of apathy, depression and motor changes in Parkinson’s Disease.Neuropsychology. 2011 Dec 5. [Epub ahead of print] Mood and motor trajectories in Parkinson’s disease: Multivariate latent growth curve modeling. Zahodne LB, Marsiske M, …
Dr. Steindler and colleagues published an article in one of the Nature series of journals (Modern Pathology) about the potential role of stem cells in neurological diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Brain Tumors. Stem cell pathologies and neurological disease. Steindler DA, Okun MS, Scheffler B.
Natlada Limotai, a fellow at the University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration, published an important paper on addiction-like manifestations in Parkinson’s disease. The data is drawn from a 9 year experience and reveals important information for patients and clinicians using Parkinson’s disease medications. Dr. Limotai has recently…
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…
