Author Archives: Fredricko

Dancing through Parkinson’s

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Written by Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn Friday, 21 September 2012 10:30

Although people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease face many physical challenges, this oft debilitating illness cannot rob its victims of the joy of dancing. Moreover, when patients engage in creative movements set to music on a regular basis, there are inevitably great improvements to their overall physicality and brain functions.

Recent research has shown a strong correlation between dancing and short- and long- improvements in the range of motion, gait, balance, hand movements and rigidity in facial muscles for those diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, said Dr. J. Antonelle de Marcaida of Eastern Connecticut Neurology Specialists.

Marcaida led a discussion about the relationship between dance and Parkinson's disease during the Mark Morris Dance Group's Dance for PD program at Fairfield University.

Led by David Leventhal of the Mark Morris Dance Group, more than 50 individuals with Parkinson's and their care partners participated in two dance sessions at Fairfield's Quick Center for the Arts. A company dancer for 14 years, Leventhal is pleased to devote himself full time to this program since his retirement last year. Since 2011, Dance for PD classes have been held in the United States and abroad.

"The dancers in the class are so eager to learn, so open and so courageous to the way they approach the movements," Leventhal explained.

After the Mark Morris Dance Group performed to an enthusiastic crowd at the Quick Center Saturday, the company's founder, Mark Morris, answered questions from the audience. About Dance for PD, Morris said those with Parkinson's disease do not leave the dance class feeling the way they did when they first walked in the doors of the Brooklyn studio.

"It's a 'fix' in that they want more of it," Morris said.

Accompanied by a pianist playing an eclectic mix of music show tunes, standards and classical participants begin the class in a seated position. Leventhal said that if they chose, they could experience the entire class in the chair.

"This is a dance class and we are here to have fun," he said. "And, you know your bodies best. So, if something doesn't feel right, don't do it, or modify it."

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Dancing through Parkinson's

Van Andel Showcases Latest Parkinson’s Research

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Wikimedia Commons Photo. Photo by Grcommons

GRAND RAPIDS Van Andel Institute hosted a scientific symposium Sept. 19-20 that gathered some of the worlds most noted experts in Parkinsons disease and reinforced the regions growing reputation in the field of Parkinsons research.

Grand Challenges in Parkinsons Disease features experts from a dozen nations including Australia, Malaysia and Sweden. The purpose of the event was to showcase the latest research in the field and to honor Andrew B. Singleton, of the National Institutes of Health with the first Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Parkinsons Disease Research.

This is truly a gathering of some of the worlds greatest minds in Parkinsons disease research, said chief event organizer PatrikBrundin, M.D., chair of the Jay Van Andel Translational Parkinsons Disease Research Laboratory and Director of Van Andel Institutes Center for Neurodegenerative Science.

The event featured keynote addresses by noted Parkinsons experts Ted Dawson, M.D., of The Johns Hopkins University, who spoke on the topic of Looking Forward to Tomorrows Therapies for Parkinsons Disease, and Roger Barker, Ph.D., of University of Cambridge, who spoke on Matching Therapies to Patients: The Complexities of Disease Heterogeneity in Parkinsons Disease.

Dr. Andrew Singleton is best known for his work aimed at understanding the genetic causes of Parkinsons disease work that is opening entire new fields of research.

His first well-known work described the discovery of a duplication and triplicationof the alpha-synucleingene that causes a severe, early-onset form of Parkinsons disease. Scientists already knew that a few extremely rare mutant forms of the protein were bad, but Singleton showed that too much of the normal protein also has ramifications.

One year later he led the group that was the first to identify mutations in the LRRK2 gene as a cause of familial Parkinsons disease. Occasionally new mutations arise in this gene, which can explain some of the cases of the more common, sporadic Parkinsons disease.

For more information, please visit http://www.vai.org

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Van Andel Showcases Latest Parkinson’s Research

Parkinson's Patients Benefit From Walking To The Beat

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Parkinson's Disease Article Date: 21 Sep 2012 - 0:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Parkinson's Patients Benefit From Walking To The Beat

4 (3 votes)

Parkinson's Disease is a brain disorder characterized by tremors and difficulty walking. Eventually stiffness becomes prominent, muscles become weaker, and posture is affected. Many studies have recommended certain rehabilitation paths, acupuncture being one of them..

In a new study published in PLOS One, findings suggest further studies should be completed to investigate visual, auditory, and tactile signals and their role in rehabilitation.

A team of collaborators led by Ervin Sejdic, an assistant professor of engineering at the University of Pittsburgh studied the effects of a mechanically produced beat using different stimuli, on 15 healthy adults ages 18 to 30. Participants took part in two separate sessions of five 15-minute trials in which they walked with different cues.

During the first session, participants walked at their own pace. Then, in later trials, the patients walked to a metronomic beat made by either visuals, touch or sound. Lastly, they walked with all three signals simultaneously with the pace that was set by the first trial.

Sejdic commented:

Regarding Parkinson's Disease, there is a big question whether researchers can become better informed about changes that come with this deterioration. This study suggests visual signals could be considered as a substitute approach in rehabilitation and need to be explored additionally in the laboratory.

Sejdic explains that a large limitation to their studies is the confinement of the laboratory. With Parkinson's Disease, patients can complete a walking test easily, and shortly thereafter, fall down in an outside environment. A real-life space will need to be created to account for sidewalks, streetlights, and noises such as cars honking, in order to obtain a more accurate gait measure (manner of walking).

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Parkinson's Patients Benefit From Walking To The Beat

Parkinson’s Patients Benefit From Walking To The Beat

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Parkinson's Disease Article Date: 21 Sep 2012 - 0:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Parkinson's Patients Benefit From Walking To The Beat

4 (3 votes)

Parkinson's Disease is a brain disorder characterized by tremors and difficulty walking. Eventually stiffness becomes prominent, muscles become weaker, and posture is affected. Many studies have recommended certain rehabilitation paths, acupuncture being one of them..

In a new study published in PLOS One, findings suggest further studies should be completed to investigate visual, auditory, and tactile signals and their role in rehabilitation.

A team of collaborators led by Ervin Sejdic, an assistant professor of engineering at the University of Pittsburgh studied the effects of a mechanically produced beat using different stimuli, on 15 healthy adults ages 18 to 30. Participants took part in two separate sessions of five 15-minute trials in which they walked with different cues.

During the first session, participants walked at their own pace. Then, in later trials, the patients walked to a metronomic beat made by either visuals, touch or sound. Lastly, they walked with all three signals simultaneously with the pace that was set by the first trial.

Sejdic commented:

Regarding Parkinson's Disease, there is a big question whether researchers can become better informed about changes that come with this deterioration. This study suggests visual signals could be considered as a substitute approach in rehabilitation and need to be explored additionally in the laboratory.

Sejdic explains that a large limitation to their studies is the confinement of the laboratory. With Parkinson's Disease, patients can complete a walking test easily, and shortly thereafter, fall down in an outside environment. A real-life space will need to be created to account for sidewalks, streetlights, and noises such as cars honking, in order to obtain a more accurate gait measure (manner of walking).

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Parkinson's Patients Benefit From Walking To The Beat

Acupuncture May Benefit Parkinson's Patients

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Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Parkinson's Disease Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine Article Date: 20 Sep 2012 - 11:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Acupuncture May Benefit Parkinson's Patients

4.75 (4 votes)

The scientists explained that several studies had shown that acupuncture treatment relieved symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease in human and animal subjects. Some studies using fMRI had found that neural responses in extensive brain regions were much lower among Parkinson's patients compared to healthy individuals. Brain areas particularly affected by Parkinson's include the thalamus, putamen, and the supplementary motor area.

Scientists have been carrying out more and more studies on the possible therapeutic benefits of acupuncture. An article published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) in September 2012 found that acupuncture may help in the treatment of chronic pain.

Yeo, S., Lim and team used fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to measure what the specific effects of needling acupuncture point GB34 (Yanglinqquan) were on parts of the brain that are affected by Parkinson's Disease.

Certain brain centers become too inactive in people with Parkinson's disease. The authors explained that acupuncture seems to reactivate them.

The authors divided the participants into two groups:

Acupuncture reactivated neural activity in the basal ganglia, substiantia nigra, thalamus, putamen (not shown) and caudate (not shown).

The authors wrote:

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Acupuncture May Benefit Parkinson's Patients

Acupuncture May Benefit Parkinson’s Patients

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Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Parkinson's Disease Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine Article Date: 20 Sep 2012 - 11:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Acupuncture May Benefit Parkinson's Patients

4.75 (4 votes)

The scientists explained that several studies had shown that acupuncture treatment relieved symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease in human and animal subjects. Some studies using fMRI had found that neural responses in extensive brain regions were much lower among Parkinson's patients compared to healthy individuals. Brain areas particularly affected by Parkinson's include the thalamus, putamen, and the supplementary motor area.

Scientists have been carrying out more and more studies on the possible therapeutic benefits of acupuncture. An article published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) in September 2012 found that acupuncture may help in the treatment of chronic pain.

Yeo, S., Lim and team used fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to measure what the specific effects of needling acupuncture point GB34 (Yanglinqquan) were on parts of the brain that are affected by Parkinson's Disease.

Certain brain centers become too inactive in people with Parkinson's disease. The authors explained that acupuncture seems to reactivate them.

The authors divided the participants into two groups:

Acupuncture reactivated neural activity in the basal ganglia, substiantia nigra, thalamus, putamen (not shown) and caudate (not shown).

The authors wrote:

More:
Acupuncture May Benefit Parkinson's Patients

Van Andel Institute Research Symposium Showcases Latest Developments In Parkinson's Research

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Van Andel Institute (VAI) hosts a scientific symposium September 19-20 that gathers some of the world's most noted experts in Parkinson's disease and reinforces the region's growing reputation in the field of Parkinson's research.

Grand Challenges in Parkinson's Disease features experts from a dozen nations including Australia, Malaysia and Sweden. The purpose of the event is to showcase the latest research in the field and to honor Andrew B. Singleton, Ph.D., of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the first Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Parkinson's Disease Research.

"This is truly a gathering of some of the world's greatest minds in Parkinson's disease research," said chief event organizer Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., Chair of the Jay Van Andel Translational Parkinson's Disease Research Laboratory and Director of Van Andel Institute's Center for Neurodegenerative Science. "We will be sharing the results of recent and ongoing research that will become the building blocks for therapies that may be commonplace a decade from now."

The event features keynote addresses by noted Parkinson's experts Ted Dawson, M.D., Ph.D., of The Johns Hopkins University, who will speak on the topic of Looking Forward to Tomorrow's Therapies for Parkinson's Disease, and Roger Barker, Ph.D., of University of Cambridge, who will speak on Matching Therapies to Patients: The Complexities of Disease Heterogeneity in Parkinson's Disease.

Dr. Andrew Singleton is best known for his work aimed at understanding the genetic causes of Parkinson's disease work that is opening entire new fields of research.

His first well-known work described the discovery of a duplication and triplication of the alpha-synuclein gene that causes a severe, early-onset form of Parkinson's disease. Scientists already knew that a few extremely rare mutant forms of the protein were bad, but Dr. Singleton showed that too much of the normal protein also has ramifications.

One year later he led the group that was the first to identify mutations in the LRRK2 gene as a cause of familial Parkinson's disease. Occasionally new mutations arise in this gene, which can explain some of the cases of the more common, sporadic Parkinson's disease.

For more information, please visit http://www.vai.org

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Van Andel Institute Research Symposium Showcases Latest Developments In Parkinson's Research

Van Andel Institute Research Symposium Showcases Latest Developments In Parkinson’s Research

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Van Andel Institute (VAI) hosts a scientific symposium September 19-20 that gathers some of the world's most noted experts in Parkinson's disease and reinforces the region's growing reputation in the field of Parkinson's research.

Grand Challenges in Parkinson's Disease features experts from a dozen nations including Australia, Malaysia and Sweden. The purpose of the event is to showcase the latest research in the field and to honor Andrew B. Singleton, Ph.D., of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the first Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Parkinson's Disease Research.

"This is truly a gathering of some of the world's greatest minds in Parkinson's disease research," said chief event organizer Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., Chair of the Jay Van Andel Translational Parkinson's Disease Research Laboratory and Director of Van Andel Institute's Center for Neurodegenerative Science. "We will be sharing the results of recent and ongoing research that will become the building blocks for therapies that may be commonplace a decade from now."

The event features keynote addresses by noted Parkinson's experts Ted Dawson, M.D., Ph.D., of The Johns Hopkins University, who will speak on the topic of Looking Forward to Tomorrow's Therapies for Parkinson's Disease, and Roger Barker, Ph.D., of University of Cambridge, who will speak on Matching Therapies to Patients: The Complexities of Disease Heterogeneity in Parkinson's Disease.

Dr. Andrew Singleton is best known for his work aimed at understanding the genetic causes of Parkinson's disease work that is opening entire new fields of research.

His first well-known work described the discovery of a duplication and triplication of the alpha-synuclein gene that causes a severe, early-onset form of Parkinson's disease. Scientists already knew that a few extremely rare mutant forms of the protein were bad, but Dr. Singleton showed that too much of the normal protein also has ramifications.

One year later he led the group that was the first to identify mutations in the LRRK2 gene as a cause of familial Parkinson's disease. Occasionally new mutations arise in this gene, which can explain some of the cases of the more common, sporadic Parkinson's disease.

For more information, please visit http://www.vai.org

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Van Andel Institute Research Symposium Showcases Latest Developments In Parkinson's Research

Addex mGluR4 Allosteric Modulator Effective in Multiple Sclerosis Model – A Novel Oral Small Molecule Approach for the …

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GENEVA--(Marketwire - Sep 24, 2012) - Addex Therapeutics / Addex mGluR4 Allosteric Modulator Effective in Multiple Sclerosis Model - A Novel Oral Small Molecule Approach for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis.

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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Addex Therapeutics (SIX: ADXN), a leading company pioneering allosteric modulation-based drug discovery and development, announced today achievement of a positive Proof of Concept for its lead metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGluR4) positive allosteric modulator (PAM) compound series in a validated rodent model for multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating auto-immune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS), leading to serious disability.

"We are very excited that this promising Addex mGluR4 PAM series may offer a differentiated approach to treating MS," said Professor Ursula Grohmann, of University of Perugia, Italy, in whose laboratories one of these studies was performed. "These data confirm our previous observations, using an mGluR4 PAM tool compound called PHCCC, which demonstrated efficacy in the industry standard neuroinflammation model of MS, the Relapsing-Remitting Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis (RR-EAE) model. In this study, the mGluR4 PAM worked by promoting regulatory T-cell (Treg) formation and reversing pro-inflammatory T-cell release. Therefore, we believe that positive modulation of mGluR4 could potentially stop the destruction of myelin in MS in a robust and durable manner."

Addex lead chemical series is a highly selective orally available mGluR4 PAM and shows good pharmacokinetic properties for potential once-daily dosing. When administered once a day for 3 weeks at 10, 30 and 60 mg/kg sc, Addex mGluR4 PAM demonstrated a dose-dependent, statistically significant reduction in paralysis (clinical score) and the relapse rate in the RR-EAE model of MS in mice. The presentation of these data is being planned for a major international conference.

"Current MS therapies are primarily focused on reinstating motor function after an inflammatory attack, preventing new attacks, and preventing or treating disability and symptoms, such as spasticity. In addition, most of these therapies are primarily based on immunomodulatory strategies, and have serious compliance-limiting side effects", noted Graham Dixon, CSO of Addex Therapeutics. "We believe a well-tolerated, oral mGluR4 PAM would represent a major advance in the treatment of MS because of the novel and potentially broader mechanism; having the potential to not only treat symptoms, but slow disease progression and offer neuroprotection. We are now rapidly advancing this lead series towards a clinical candidate and conducting experiments to further elucidate the biological role of mGluR4 PAM in MS."

"Moving the lead compound from this series into full development in 2012 clearly illustrates our strategy of advancing innovative novel selective oral small molecule drug candidates against previously "undruggable" targets" said Bharatt Chowrira, CEO of Addex Therapeutics. "These data along with the recently announced data on the role of the mGluR4 PAMs in Parkinson's disease, the positive Phase 2 data for dipraglurant in Parkinson's disease levodopa-induced dyskinesia, the two Phase 2 clinical trials being conducted by our partner Janssen, and our GABABR PAM program advancing towards an IND filing later this year, demonstrate the power of Addex platform that continues to generate multiple, novel high value product opportunities."

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis, is an idiopathic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, characterized pathologically by demyelination and subsequent axonal degeneration. The disease commonly presents in young adults and affects twice as many women as men. Common presenting symptoms include numbness, weakness, visual impairment, loss of balance, dizziness, urinary bladder urgency, fatigue, and depression. Approximately 2.5 million people worldwide are affected with prevalence ranging from 2 and 150 per 100,000, depending on the country and specific population. MS takes several forms. The most common affecting around 85 per cent of everyone diagnosed with MS is relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). It means that symptoms appear (a relapse), and then fade away, either partially or completely (remitting). Secondary progressive MS (SPMS) is a stage of MS which comes after RRMS in many cases. Although the pathogenesis of MS is complex and not fully understood, it is believed that RRMS is characterized by repeated episodes of inflammation which eventually leads to the axonal degeneration through damage to, and loss of the myelin sheath characteristic of SPMS. Given the prominence of immune generated inflammation in MS, treatments for the disease have focused particularly on immunosuppressive anti-inflammatory strategies. Currently approved treatments for RRMS are only partially effective in reducing MS relapses and in particular do not halt disability progression. As these drugs alter immune function, patients can experience serious and sometimes life threatening side effects (e.g. opportunistic infections, emergent malignancies, alopecia, cardiotoxicity and myelosuppression). Furthermore, many of these agents also require regular injection, or parenteral infusions which are uncomfortable and inconvenient for the patient.

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Addex mGluR4 Allosteric Modulator Effective in Multiple Sclerosis Model - A Novel Oral Small Molecule Approach for the ...

New drug shows promise in multiple sclerosis treatment, researchers say

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(CBS News) There's a new treatment for multiple sclerosis, or MS, which affects more than 400,000 Americans.

MS can strike anyone at any time, but it usually hits adults in the prime of their lives. But researchers say a new drug is proving very promising.

FDA approves new multiple sclerosis treatment Aubagio

As an electrician, 49-year-old Stephen O'Malley depends on good vision. But seven years ago, things suddenly began to go dark.

O'Malley recalled, "I was scared to death. I went to work at 6:00 in the evening and I was completely blind in one eye six hours later."

The Cleveland father of two was diagnosed with MS. MS is a neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. They usually get worse over time, leaving many patients greatly disabled.

While there is no cure for MS, there are effective treatments. Kate Lodge gets monthly infusions requiring a two-hour visit to the hospital, but there are scary potential side effects, including fatal brain infections.

"The symptoms of the brain infection can mirror the symptoms of MS, so you can't know," Lodge said. "And so you go into a panic mode."

Dr. Robert Fox is medical director at the Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis. He said what was needed in an MS treatment is a combination of effective therapy that's well tolerated and safe.

And now, that therapy may finally be here in an easy-to-take pill form.

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New drug shows promise in multiple sclerosis treatment, researchers say

Dozens walk to support Multiple Sclerosis cause

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Readmore: Local, Health, Education, Community, Economy, News, Science, Technology, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, People Living with MS, Walk to End MS, Superior Dome, Fight MS, Marquette, Cause, Community Outreach

MARQUETTE -- Dozens who helped an important cause in Marquette this Sunday didn't have to worry about the rain in order to do so. They did it all inside the Superior Dome.

This is the first walk the regional Multiple Sclerosis organization has done in a few years. The walk for Multiple Sclerosis is part of a national push that supports cutting edge research and providing services to help people with MS move their lives forward.

"The money for this walk and for MS in general is very important for research and hopefully to find a cure," said Lisa Taylor, an organizer and head of the local support group in Marquette.

"And it goes to people who can't afford medication, or people who need walkers or canes or wheelchairs."

To find out more about their cause, click here.

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Dozens walk to support Multiple Sclerosis cause

Experimental multiple sclerosis pill reduces flare-ups in studies, adding hopes for new treatment option

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New drug shows promise in multiple sclerosis treatment, researchers say FDA approves new multiple sclerosis treatment Aubagio Commonly prescribed interferon beta does not delay multiple sclerosis progression in study

Each week 200 or more Americans are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The autoimmune disease causes the body's natural defenses to attack the central nervous symptom, resulting in symptoms that range from mild, including numbness in the limbs, to severe symptoms like disability, loss of vision or paralysis. Most people are diagnosed between 20 and 50, NMSS says.

There are four types of MS, with 85 percent of patients initially diagnosed with what's called relapsing-remitting MS. People with relapsing-remitting MS often have attacks - called relapses, flare-ups or exacerbations - that may worsen neurological function, which are followed by partial or complete recovery (remission) periods.

The trials for BG-12 were phase III, which is often the step closest to a drug's approval when scientists gather more data on its safety and efficacy. BG-12 is manufactured by Massachusetts based-Biogen Idec, which is seeking FDA approval on the drug. The drugmaker funded the new studies, which were published online Sept. 20 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The first study - known as the DEFINE trial - looked at 1,200 people to determine whether a BG-12 pill could reduce the frequency of relapses compared to people with MS who were taking a placebo pill.

Participants were split into three groups: those taking 240 milligrams of the pill twice a day, those taking 240 milligrams three times a day and those taking a placebo. At two years, both groups taking BG-12 experienced significant reductions in relapses (49 percent and 50 percent reductions respectively) compared with placebo-takers.

Taking BG-12 also led to significant reductions in risk of MS progressing to disability for the patients. MRI scans confirmed pill-takers had fewer new or active MS lesions than scans of people taking placebo.

The next trial, led by Dr. Robert J. Fox, medical director at the Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, included 1,400 people with MS to determine whether BG-12 could reduce the average yearly relapse rate for patients at two years.

Similar to DEFINE, this study - known as the CONFIRM trial - measured relapse rates of patients taking either a 240 milligram dose of BG-12 twice a day or three times a day, comparing them a group taking placebo. A fourth group was assigned to receive the injectable MS drug, glatiramer acetate, which is sold as Copaxone and was FDA-approved in 1996 to reduce the frequency of relapses in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.

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Experimental multiple sclerosis pill reduces flare-ups in studies, adding hopes for new treatment option

Slipper clad dementia sufferer far from home

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A man suffering from dementia and reliant on a walking frame has been found nearly 200km from a Hobart nursing home after going missing.

The 67-year-old man, diagnosed with severe dementia, has been unable to tell police why he walked out of the St Anns home wearing slippers in wet weather and caught a bus to Launceston.

Locals found the confused man wandering a South Launceston street, to the relief of police who had concentrated their search around the home after hed gone missing at about midday on Sunday.

Because of his walking frame our focus was making sure he wasnt somewhere in the complex, and then we focused on about a 500m radius, police inspector Colin Riley told AAP.

With dementia youre more likely to have just stumbled into someones yard and fallen over or something like that.

The search was made more urgent by the possibility that the man could have collapsed because hed missed his scheduled dose of insulin, Inspector Riley said.

A bus ticket was found in one of his pockets and relatives told police he had lived in Launceston 20 years ago, but nowhere near the street where he was found.

He didnt know where he was and he didnt know how he got there, Riley said.

The man was taken to Launceston General Hospital before being transported back to Hobart.

Police have thanked the public for their help.

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Slipper clad dementia sufferer far from home

UK stars reveal dementia heartbreak

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FORMER England footballer Gordon Banks and Sir Michael Parkinson have relived their personal experiences with dementia to inspire the nation to reduce the stigma about the condition.

The pair, alongside broadcaster Fiona Phillips, are also encouraging people who think they have any symptoms of the condition to seek medical advice.

New research from Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) found that a quarter of people hide their diagnosis because of negative connotations surrounding dementia.

Phillips, whose parents both had dementia, said if her mother had been diagnosed earlier then she could have handled the situation better.

"I would have been able to plan more for mum instead of doing everything in a big rush," she said.

"Our house always smelt of baking when we were little and I used to love helping mum make cakes and there were always cakes in the tin.

"She rung me up at 3am one morning crying her eyes out and she said, 'I've forgotten how to make cakes.' And my childhood went then."

"The ultimate problem you have to face with anyone who has any form of dementia is that you lose them before they die," Parkinson said.

"I lost my mother 18 months to a year before she died and that is the ultimate desperate tragedy."

Banks, whose brother David suffered from the condition, recalled, "We sat in the lounge talking to him and we would ask him a question and he would just go blank - he wouldn't answer it - he couldn't remember what we were discussing."

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UK stars reveal dementia heartbreak

World Alzheimer Report Reveals Negative Perceptions About People With Dementia

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CHICAGO, Sept. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Seventy-five (75) percent of people with dementia and 64 percent of caregivers believe there are negative associations for those diagnosed with dementia in their countries, according to survey fielded by Alzheimer's Disease International and published today in the World Alzheimer Report 2012: Overcoming the Stigma of Dementia. The report was released on Alzheimer's Action Day as part of World Alzheimer's Month activities engaging people in the cause and raising awareness about the disease.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/57800-world-alzheimer-report-2012-overcoming-negative-stigma-dementia

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120921/MM77915 )

In response, Alzheimer's Association Early-Stage Advisors, men and women from across the U.S. living with the disease, and their caregivers developed tips on how to cope with the stigma surrounding Alzheimer's based on their personal experiences.

"The Report reveals that people with dementia and their care partners often feel disconnected from society, and sometimes even by their own friends and family members," said Beth Kallmyer, MSW, vice president of constituent services at the Alzheimer's Association. "The misconceptions and stigma create unnecessary barriers to progress such as improving care and support services and increasing funding for research."

In the current Report, nearly one in four people with dementia (24 percent) who responded to the survey said they hid or concealed their diagnosis, citing stigma as the main reason. They expressed concerns that their thoughts and opinions would be "discounted and dismissed," and that they would be "treated more positively" if they did not reveal their diagnosis.

The authors noted that social exclusion was a "major theme" with 40 percent of people with dementia in the survey reporting they have been avoided or treated differently because of their dementia. Respondents said their friends and family "say they don't know how to behave 'normally' around me anymore," and many have "drifted away."

A survey respondent with dementia from the U.S. said: "It's very interesting to see how people close to me act. It's almost as if they are afraid of bringing up the subject. Being a cancer survivor, I know that I was constantly asked how I was doing while I was going through treatment. With Alzheimer's, no one asks."

The report found that when people with dementia are able to make new connections, it is often with people in similar circumstances. Sixty-six (66) percent of survey respondents who have dementia said that they have made friends who are connected to dementia, often finding each other through community-based support groups, online chat or bulletin boards, or through Alzheimer associations.

"People with dementia, especially in the early and middle stages, can take part in many everyday activities. They have the same needs as everyone else for social interaction and engagement in meaningful activities, even in the later stages of the disease. We encourage people living with Alzheimer's or another dementia to be involved in making decisions that affect them for as long as they can, to help maintain their autonomy, dignity and self-esteem," Kallmyer said.

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World Alzheimer Report Reveals Negative Perceptions About People With Dementia

Balloons raise dementia awareness

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Dementia campaigners and supporters gathered in Queens Park on Saturday to release coloured balloons in support of Alzheimers Queensland.

Claudia Baxter

THE Ipswich sky was dotted with turquoise coloured spots on Saturday as Ipswich dementia campaigners released 100 balloons to raise awareness of the deadly disease.

Led by dementia awareness campaigner Debbie Phipps, friends, family and supporters gathered at Queens Park for the second balloon release.

Mrs Phipps hoped the event, held for the first time last year, would continue to push their case for increased funding to find a cure.

Dementia affects 280,000 Australians, and by 2050 the number of people suffering from the disease is expected to reach one million.

Mrs Phipps said since beginning to campaign for the cause last year she had educated many people unaware of the devastating effects of dementia.

"A lot of people are really happy and have learnt things about dementia they didn't know about. A lot of people don't know much about it," she said.

"It's that support and knowing someone else cares and understands."

Among the supporters on Saturday was Patti Gerchow, who watched her mother succumb to dementia symptoms.

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Balloons raise dementia awareness

Dementia sufferer found 200km from home

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The man told police he had lived in Launceston 20 years ago.

A man suffering from dementia and reliant on a walking frame has been found nearly 200 kilometres from a Hobart nursing home after going missing.

The 67-year-old man, diagnosed with severe dementia, has been unable to tell police why he walked out of the St Ann's home wearing slippers in wet weather and caught a bus to Launceston.

Locals found the confused man wandering a South Launceston street, to the relief of police who had concentrated their search around the home after he'd gone missing at about midday on Sunday.

"Because of his walking frame our focus was making sure he wasn't somewhere in the complex, and then we focused on about a 500-metre radius," police inspector Colin Riley told AAP.

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"With dementia you're more likely to have just stumbled into someone's yard and fallen over or something like that."

The search was made more urgent by the possibility that the man could have collapsed because he'd missed his scheduled dose of insulin, Inspector Riley said.

A bus ticket was found in one of his pockets and relatives told police he had lived in Launceston 20 years ago, but nowhere near the street where he was found.

"He didn't know where he was and he didn't know how he got there," Inspector Riley said.

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Dementia sufferer found 200km from home

Annual ceremony keeps ataxia in the public eye

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Mary Jane Damiano poses at her "Proclamation Wall" located in her home. She holds the 2010 joint proclamation from County Executive Joanie Mahoney and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner.

North Syracuse So that their condition is not forgotten, people afflicted with a disease commonly known as ataxia, along with families and friends, observe a national day that brings attention to the affliction and to the need for research to find a cure. Spearheading the observance locally is Mary Jane Damiano of North Syracuse, who has a hereditary version of the crippling affliction known as Friedreich's ataxia.

Damiano will again host a ceremony marking the 2012 International Ataxia Day at 1 p.m. Sept. 22 at the North Syracuse Community Center, 700 South Bay Road. Each year, elected leaders from the community, county and state send proclamations recognizing the disease and the need for research to find a cure. A candle is lit symbolizing hope and unity in the fight against Ataxia.

The public is invited to the ceremony. Refreshments will be served.

This year, people can also bring used cell phones to the ceremony for recycling. Proceeds from this will go to ataxia research through the National Ataxia Foundation.

Damiano is leader of the Central New York Ataxia Support Group. Even while confined to a wheelchair and having her own difficulties with muscle and nervous system coordination, Damiano is determined to bring her ailment to the attention of the community. Because of its similarity to muscular dystrophy, the Muscular Dystrophy Association locally and nationwide helps support people afflicted with ataxia. More information on ataxia is available on the web at ataxia.org/chapters/CentralNewYork/default.aspx.

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Annual ceremony keeps ataxia in the public eye

Midlander helps spread awareness about ataxia at Detroit Walk and Roll

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Denise Keyser said she had no clue what ataxia was when first diagnosed with the disease by her neurosurgeon.

I had no idea what he was talking about, the Midland resident said. Until I started trying to walk, and I would randomly fall.

Ataxia.org says ataxia is a group of degenerative diseases connected with the nervous system, the hereditary and sporadic ataxias, which cause a lack of coordination that can affect the fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech and eye movements.

Keyser was diagnosed after she went through brain stem surgery in May 2011. On Saturday, she will be walking in the Detroit Walk and Roll with her husband and daughter to help raise awareness about ataxia.

Ataxia can affect anyone at any time, said Michael Parent, the executive director of the National Ataxia Foundation in a news release. Many times people do not know that they carry an ataxia gene until they have children displaying signs of ataxia.

There are about 150,000 people in the United States who are diagnosed with ataxia, and to help spread the word about the disease and find a cure, an annual International Ataxia Awareness Day was created by the National Ataxia Foundation in conjunction with several other organizations. The 13th year of awareness will be recognized on Sept. 25.

Keyser said it took her a while to feel comfortable sharing her story.

Three months ago I kind of came out of my fog, she said. I decided that Im stuck with this, so I may as well do something about it.

Keyser recently spoke to a class of psychology students at Central Michigan University about ataxia, and said being involved with distributing information is something she hopes to keep doing.

I thought, Theres a reason for this happening to me, Keyser said. Now Im starting to let people know about it.

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Midlander helps spread awareness about ataxia at Detroit Walk and Roll

Drug Shows Promise Against Fragile X Syndrome, Possibly Autism

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By Randy Dotinga HealthDay Reporter Latest Mental Health News

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- In a preliminary study, scientists are reporting that an experimental pill designed to treat fragile X syndrome -- a genetic condition tied to intellectual impairment, or "mental retardation," and some cases of autism -- may help patients develop better social skills.

The scientists are continuing to study the medication and have launched research into whether it may also help social withdrawal in those with autism. However, it's still not clear if the drug works, nor do its developers know how much it might cost. It's also not known whether other medications in development might do a better job, either in conjunction with the new drug or instead of it.

Still, the results so far are promising, and the medication "could be an important model for developing treatments for autism," said Dr. Michael Tranfaglia, medical director of the FRAXA Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization seeking better treatments for fragile X syndrome.

Fragile X syndrome is caused by the loss of the gene for fragile X mental retardation protein. The condition affects an estimated 100,000 people in the United States, potentially leading to mental retardation, epilepsy, autism and abnormal body growth. There is no cure for fragile X syndrome.

Essentially, the lack of the gene weakens the wiring of the brain, said Stephen Warren, chairman of human genetics at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. People with the condition usually must live in group homes, although they're often able to work, he added.

Several studies have been launched into the drug -- known as arbaclofen -- as a treatment for fragile X syndrome and related autism-type conditions. The new study was funded by Seaside Therapeutics, the drug's manufacturer, and done jointly by scientists at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and the MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis. It was the second of three phases of research required for drugs before they can be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In the study, Dr. Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, a professor of pediatrics, neurological sciences and biochemistry at Rush, and colleagues tested the drug over a 15-month period by giving either the drug or an inactive placebo to 63 people between the ages of 6 and 39 who have fragile X syndrome in a six-week treatment. Of those who participated, 55 were boys or men; the condition is more common in males.

Those who took the drug were better able to deal with other people on a social level, said Warren, who didn't work on the new research but has consulted for Seaside Therapeutics. "Their social anxiety was diminished. That's the real problem with these kids. They get real anxious in novel situations, and it's very difficult consequently for families to go out and have a hamburger at a restaurant."

The amount of improvement isn't easily understood on a layperson level. But Dr. Paul Wang, a vice president with Seaside Therapeutics, said families told researchers that children who took the drug were more interested in talking to, and playing with, others instead of staying in their room, for example.

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Drug Shows Promise Against Fragile X Syndrome, Possibly Autism