MIAMI & JUPITER, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

OPKO Health, Inc. (NYSE: OPK - News) and The Scripps Research Institute today announced a global agreement for the development and commercialization of SR 3306, a novel compound discovered by scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute that blocks the destruction of brains cells in animal models of Parkinsons disease. Under the terms of the agreement, The Scripps Research Institute has granted to OPKO Health exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize SR 3306 and related compounds that inhibit a class of enzymes called jun-N-terminal kinsases (JNK) that play an important role in neuron survival. The new compound, a small molecule known as SR-3306, would potentially be the first to protect the brain from the ravages of Parkinson's disease.

This licensing agreement will help insure that the development of this promising compound keeps moving forward, said Scripps Research Professor Philip LoGrasso, whose laboratory has led the research on the compound to date. This is one of the best opportunities we have for the development of an effective neuroprotective treatment for Parkinsons patients.

We are excited to be working with Dr. LoGrasso and The Scripps Research Institute to develop this important compound which could prevent the progression of Parkinsons disease and not just treat the symptoms of the disease, said Phillip Frost, M.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OPKO. Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurological disorder that reduces the brain's ability to produce dopamine, affects about one million Americans. Currently prescribed drugs for Parkinsons disease including levodopa and so-called MAO-B inhibitors can counteract symptoms of the disease but not stop its progression.

SR-3306 was described in a pair of studies led by Dr. LoGrasso and published in February 2011 in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. Over the past decades, Scripps Research has developed a lengthy track record of major contributions to science and health, including laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. The institute employs about 3,000 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists including three Nobel laureates work toward their next discoveries. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. For more information, see http://www.scripps.edu.

About OPKO Health, Inc.

OPKO is a multi-national biopharmaceutical and diagnostics company that seeks to establish industry-leading positions in large and rapidly growing medical markets by leveraging its discovery, development and commercialization expertise and novel and proprietary technologies.

Forward Looking Statements:

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OPKO Health and The Scripps Research Institute Announce Global License Agreement for a Novel Compound That Blocks ...

Nearly one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's Disease. Although there is no cure, there are medications and surgical options that can help manage symptoms optimally.

Winthrop-University Hospital's Perspectives in Health series will offer a free seminar for the public, "Discover New Treatments for Parkinson's Disease," on Tuesday,

March 20, at 7:00 PM. The program will be held at Winthrop's Community Outreach Center, located at 101 Mineola Boulevard at the corner of Second Street in Mineola. The speakers, who are two leading experts in the field of Parkinson's, will provide information about the most advanced treatment options and will explain the evaluation process for treating the disease.

Nora L. Chan, MD, Director of the Movement Disorders Program at Winthrop, will discuss how to optimize the medical management of the disease, and address the nonmovement related issues of Parkinson's, such as problems with cognition, depression, fatigue, and sleep.

Brian Synder, MD, will explain surgical techniques, including deep brain stimulation (DBS), an innovative, sophisticated technology that targets regions deep within the brain to control motor symptoms. A question and answer period will be included in the program.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6:45 PM for registration. Parking and the entrance are available in the rear of the building. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. To reserve a space, please call (516) 663-8300.

For information on other programs at the Hospital, please call 1-866-WINTHROP, or visit http://www.winthrop.org/communityprograms.

Original post:
Discover New Treatments For Parkinson's Disease

ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2012) Millions of people suffer from Parkinson's disease, a disorder of the nervous system that affects movement and worsens over time. As the world's population ages, it's estimated that the number of people with the disease will rise sharply. Yet despite several effective therapies that treat Parkinson's symptoms, nothing slows its progression.

While it's not known what exactly causes the disease, evidence points to one particular culprit: a protein called -synuclein. The protein, which has been found to be common to all patients with Parkinson's, is thought to be a pathway to the disease when it binds together in "clumps," or aggregates, and becomes toxic, killing the brain's neurons.

Now, scientists at UCLA have found a way to prevent these clumps from forming, prevent their toxicity and even break up existing aggregates.

UCLA professor of neurology Jeff Bronstein and UCLA associate professor of neurology Gal Bitan, along with their colleagues, report the development of a novel compound known as a "molecular tweezer," which in a living animal model blocked -synuclein aggregates from forming, stopped the aggregates' toxicity and, further, reversed aggregates in the brain that had already formed. And the tweezers accomplished this without interfering with normal brain function.

The research appears in the current online edition of the journal Neurotherapeutics.

There are currently more than 30 diseases with no cure that are caused by protein aggregation and the resulting toxicity to the brain or other organs, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Type 2 diabetes. It is therefore critical, Bronstein said, to find a way to stop this aggregation process. Over the last two decades, researchers and pharmaceutical companies have attempted to develop drugs that would prevent abnormal protein aggregation, but so far, they have had little or no success.

While these aggregates are a natural target for a drug, finding a therapy that targets only the aggregates is a complicated process, Bronstein said. In Parkinson's, for example, the protein implicated in the disorder, -synuclein, is naturally ubiquitous throughout the brain.

"Its normal function is not well understood, but it may play a role in aiding communication between neurons," Bronstein said. "The trick, then, is to prevent the -synuclein protein aggregates and their toxicity without destroying -synuclein's normal function, along with, of course, other healthy areas of the brain.

Molecular tweezer

Bronstein collaborated with Bitan, who had been working with a particular molecular tweezer he had developed called CLR01. Molecular tweezers are complex molecular compounds that are capable of binding to other proteins. Shaped like the letter "C," these compounds wrap around chains of lysine, a basic amino acid that is a constituent of most proteins.

Read more:
Parkinson's disease stopped in animal model: Molecular 'tweezers' break up toxic aggregations of proteins

Swim coach Laurie Lawrence.

APN

OLYMPIC and world champion swim coach Laurie Lawrence will add his support to a call for the establishment of a national network of community-based nurses following the publishing of new research into Parkinson's disease.

The findings of the Australian-first Shoalhaven Project reveal the valuable role played by community-based nurses in supporting people living with this devastating, neurodegenerative disease.

This study reveals the crucial role nurses play in significantly improving the quality of life of more than 1-in-350 (64,000) Australians affected by this disease.

One of those 64,000 is Ian Findlay, the former Australian butterfly champion and life-long friend of Lawrence. Findlay was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's at 40 years of age in 2004.

Lawrence is now urging the Government to fund more community-based Parkinson's nurses in support of Findlay and other sufferers.

"I coached Ian as a young athlete and I know of no one who trained harder than he did. Once he finished his competitive career, I asked Ian to become my assistant coach. We've been friends for 28 years.

"He is a true champion. Ian has tremendous courage and has overcome many obstacles - physical and mental - throughout his distinguished career. Since his diagnosis, he has changed from being an outgoing, bouncy fella to someone who is more introspective and cautious.

"He works incredibly hard to fight the symptoms of Parkinson's with assistance from his hospital-based nurse and his wife, Nicole, who has given up her career as a school teacher to care for him. Both are integral to his physical and mental wellbeing. Having access to a local, community-based nurse would further complement his support network," said Mr Lawrence.

Original post:
Lawrence dives in for Parkinson's

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6e1829/global_parkinsons) has announced the addition of the "Global Parkinson's Disease Drug Pipeline Capsule - 2012" report to their offering.

Fore Pharma's latest report Global Parkinson's Disease Drug Pipeline Capsule - 2012 is an outline of all the key research and development (R&D) activities of the global parkinson's disease drug market. It covers information on key pipeline molecules in various stages of R&D including all the phases of clinical trials, preclinical research, and drug discovery. The report is up-to-date with full coverage of the licensing activities and partnerships.

This report helps executives to keep a track of their competitors and understand their pipeline molecules. The information presented in this report can be used for identifying the partners, prioritizing, evaluating opportunities, developing business development strategies, and executing in-licensing and out-licensing deals.

The report provides information on pipeline molecules by company and mechanism of action across the different stages of R&D. It includes registered / preregistered stage, phase 3 clinical trial, phase 2 clinical trial, phase 1 clinical trial, preclinical research, and drug discovery. It also provides information on pipeline molecules developed in leading geographies including the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, U.K., Italy, and Spain by various stages of R&D. Licensing activities and partnerships in the parkinson's disease drug market is thoroughly covered by company and licensee with the deal summary.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Parkinson's Disease: Disease Definition

2. Parkinson's Disease Drug Pipeline Overview

3. Parkinson's Disease Phase 3 Clinical Trial Drug Pipeline Insights

4. Parkinson's Disease Phase 2 Clinical Trial Drug Pipeline Insights

5. Parkinson's Disease Phase 1 Clinical Trial Drug Pipeline Insights

6. Parkinson's Disease Preclinical Research Drug Pipeline Insights

7. Parkinson's Disease Drug Discovery Pipeline Insights

8. Geographic Landscape of Parkinson's Disease R&D Activities

8.1 Parkinson's Disease R&D Activities in North America

8.2 Parkinson's Disease R&D Activities in Europe

9 Licensing Activities / Partnerships in the Global Parkinson's Disease Drug Market

10 Research Methodology

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6e1829/global_parkinsons

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Research and Markets: Global Parkinson's Disease Drug Pipeline Capsule - 2012

Newswise Millions of people suffer from Parkinson's disease, a disorder of the nervous system that affects movement and worsens over time. As the world's population ages, it's estimated that the number of people with the disease will rise sharply. Yet despite several effective therapies that treat Parkinson's symptoms, nothing slows its progression.

While it's not known what exactly causes the disease, evidence points to one particular culprit: a protein called -synuclein. The protein, which has been found to be common to all patients with Parkinson's, is thought to be a pathway to the disease when it binds together in "clumps," or aggregates, and becomes toxic, killing the brain's neurons.

Now, scientists at UCLA have found a way to prevent these clumps from forming, prevent their toxicity and even break up existing aggregates.

UCLA professor of neurology Jeff Bronstein and UCLA associate professor of neurology Gal Bitan, along with their colleagues, report the development of a novel compound known as a "molecular tweezer," which in a living animal model blocked -synuclein aggregates from forming, stopped the aggregates' toxicity and, further, reversed aggregates in the brain that had already formed. And the tweezers accomplished this without interfering with normal brain function.

The research appears in the current online edition of the journal Neurotherapeutics.

There are currently more than 30 diseases with no cure that are caused by protein aggregation and the resulting toxicity to the brain or other organs, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Type 2 diabetes. It is therefore critical, Bronstein said, to find a way to stop this aggregation process. Over the last two decades, researchers and pharmaceutical companies have attempted to develop drugs that would prevent abnormal protein aggregation, but so far, they have had little or no success.

While these aggregates are a natural target for a drug, finding a therapy that targets only the aggregates is a complicated process, Bronstein said. In Parkinson's, for example, the protein implicated in the disorder, -synuclein, is naturally ubiquitous throughout the brain.

"Its normal function is not well understood, but it may play a role in aiding communication between neurons," Bronstein said. "The trick, then, is to prevent the -synuclein protein aggregates and their toxicity without destroying -synuclein's normal function, along with, of course, other healthy areas of the brain.

Molecular tweezer

Bronstein collaborated with Bitan, who had been working with a particular molecular tweezer he had developed called CLR01. Molecular tweezers are complex molecular compounds that are capable of binding to other proteins. Shaped like the letter "C," these compounds wrap around chains of lysine, a basic amino acid that is a constituent of most proteins.

Continued here:
Parkinson's Disease Stopped in Animal Model

The future treatment of Parkinson's disease may target the spinal cord instead of the brain to help alleviate the slow, rigid movements and tremors that are the hallmarks of the disease.

Continued here:
Spinal Cord Stimulator Sparks Hope for Parkinson's Disease - Video

Editor's Choice Main Category: Parkinson's Disease Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS Article Date: 28 Jul 2012 - 0:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Severe Flu Increases Risk Of Parkinson's

1 (1 votes)

5 (1 votes)

British Columbia University researchers have discovered that the odds of developing Parkinson's disease later in life doubles with severe influenza, although the discovered that those who contracted a typical case of red measles as children have a 35% lower risk.

The findings of the collaboration between researchers from UBC's School of Population and Public Health and the Pacific Parkinson's Research Center are published online in the July issue of Movement Disorders.

The researchers led by Anne Harris surveyed 403 Canadian Parkinson's patients and 405 healthy Canadian controls to determine whether occupational exposure to vibrations, like operating construction equipment, had any impact on the risk of developing Parkinson's. Harris and her team demonstrated in an earlier study, which appeared online in this month's edition of American Journal of Epidemiology, that occupational exposure actually lowered the risk of developing Parkinson's by 33% in comparison with those who were not exposed to vibrations during their work.

The team discovered in the meantime that people exposed to high-intensity vibrations, as caused by driving snowmobiles, military tanks or high-speed boats, had a consistently higher risk of developing Parkinson's compared with those exposed to lower-intensity vibrations like operating road vehicles. Harris states that although the higher risk was statistically not significant to establish a correlation, it was nevertheless adequately strong enough and consistent to warrant further investigations.

Harris, who is working on her doctorate at UBC, concludes:

Written by Petra Rattue Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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Severe Flu Increases Risk Of Parkinson's

GENEVA, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today the creation of Prexton Therapeutics, the first spin-off company resulting from its Entrepreneur Partnership Program launched in April 2012. Prexton Therapeutics will be formed around Merck Seronos R&D portfolio in the field of Parkinsons disease and will focus on programs that target the metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluR3 and mGluR4.

"We are really proud and satisfied that this first project is now coming to life. Through such initiatives, not only will we be able to maintain jobs in the Geneva area but also unique expertise, " said Franois Naef, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Merck Serono S.A. "The newly founded company will be headed by a highly experienced scientist and entrepreneur, which gives us a lot of confidence in the success of Prexton Therapeutics."

With a team composed of seasoned Merck Serono scientists with long-standing experience in neurology and a significant portfolio of chemical compounds stemming from Merck Seronos pre-clinical research, Prexton Therapeutics will be well positioned in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. The newly founded company will develop the mGluR programs from lead optimization up to clinical Phase I and seek partnership and licensing opportunities for further development. The company will be hosted in the offices and laboratory of Eclosion, a biotech start-up incubator located in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, and supported by the Geneva authorities. Merck Serono will invest EUR 2.1 million as seed funding. Merck Serono Ventures will manage the investment and will be represented on the companys board of directors.

"Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) have been shown recently to be a key target to tackle the onset of Parkinsons disease. Therefore, modulating their response is certainly among the most promising ways to develop future treatments for one of the most severe brain diseases, " said Franois Conquet, founder and CEO of Prexton Therapeutics. "I have long been interested in the potential of mGluR-targeted therapies and now there is a great opportunity to further develop Merck Seronos programs in Parkinsons disease and offer new hopes to patients."

Announced in April 2012 in the framework of the efficiency measures being taken by Merck Serono, the Entrepreneur Partnership Program (EPP) is part of a EUR 30 million commitment to support the creation of spin-off and start-up companies focused on continuing activities and compounds that originated at Merck Serono. This program is aimed at reducing the impact on employment following closure of the Geneva headquarters due to the restructuring.

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Merck Serono offers leading brands in 150 countries to help patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, infertility, endocrine and metabolic disorders as well as cardiovascular diseases. In the United States and Canada, EMD Serono operates as a separately incorporated subsidiary of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines of both chemical and biological origin in specialist indications. We have an enduring commitment to deliver novel therapies in our core focus areas of neurodegenerative diseases, oncology and rheumatology.

About Merck

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Merck Serono Announces Creation of First Spin-Off Company From its Entrepreneur Partnership Program

CERE-120 is an experimental drug currently in clinical trials. It employs a vector to transfer the gene that makes neurturin directly into brain cells most affected by Parkinson's disease. Neurturin is a neurotrophic factor shown in laboratory experiments to restore damaged dopamine cells and protect them from further degeneration.

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CERE-120 for Parkinson's Disease - Video

Public release date: 19-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Deb Song deb_song@rush.edu 312-942-0588 Rush University Medical Center

(CHICAGO) In the 19th century, Jean-Martin Charcot, the celebrated neurologist, developed a "vibration chair," to relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Charcot reported improvements in his patients, but he died shortly thereafter and a more complete evaluation of the therapy was never conducted. Now, a group of neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center have replicated his work in a study to see if Charcot's observation holds true against modern scientific testing.

Results from the study indicate that while vibration therapy does significantly improve some symptoms of Parkinson's disease, the effect is due to placebo or other nonspecific factors, and not the vibration. The findings are published in the April issue of Journal of Parkinson's Disease.

"We attempted to mimic Charcot's protocol with modern equipment in order to confirm or refute an historical observation," explains lead investigator Christopher G. Goetz, MD, director of the Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders Center at Rush. "Both the treated group and the control group improved similarly, suggesting other factors had an effect on Parkinson's disease motor function."

Charcot's patients told him that during long carriage rides or train journeys, uncomfortable or painful symptoms of Parkinson's disease seemed to disappear, and the relief lasted quite some time after the journey. He developed a chair that mimicked the continuous jerking of a carriage or train.

Goetz and his colleagues randomly assigned 23 patients to either a vibrating chair or the same chair without vibration. During the treatment sessions, both groups of study participants listened to a relaxation CD of nature sounds. Study participants underwent daily treatment for a month.

The patients in the vibration treatment group showed significant improvement in motor function after daily 30-minute treatments for four weeks. Although not as high, motor function scores for the no vibration group also improved significantly. Both groups showed similar and significant improvement in depression, anxiety, fatigue, and nighttime sleep and both groups reported similar high satisfaction with their treatment.

"Our results confirm Charcot's observation of improvement in Parkinson's disease symptomology with chronic vibration treatment, but we did not find the effect specific to vibration," said Goetz. "Instead, our data suggest that auditory sensory stimulation with relaxation in a lounge chair or simply the participation in a research protocol has equivalent benefit as vibration on motor function."

"While we can agree that our results may not change scientific thinking on treatment mechanisms, our results will allow clinicians to guide patients to at least one apparatus that is safe and associated with objective changes in parkinsonian impairment scores," said Goetz. "Charcot's advice to colleagues resonates as one places vibration therapy in the context of potential options for patients. 'It is no small gain to be able to relieve the sufferers of paralysis agitans.'"

The rest is here:
19th century therapy for Parkinson's disease may help patients today

iStockphoto.com

Getting a diagnosis for Parkinson's disease might be as easy as placing a phone call.

There's currently no cure for Parkinson's, a debilitating neurological disease. There's also no blood test that can detect it, meaning early intervention is almost impossible.

But soon there might be a shockingly easy way to screen for Parkinson's disease. It would be as simple as picking up the telephone and saying "ahhh."

One of these voices tests positive for Parkinson's disease. Can you tell the difference? Find out if you're right at the bottom of this story.

"There's some evidence, admittedly weak, that voice disturbances may well be one of the first or early indicator of the disease," mathematician Max Little tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz.

Little is head of the Parkinson's Voice Initiative and he's created an algorithm that can determine whether or not a person has Parkinson's just by the sound of their voice.

Right now, the algorithm has a 99 percent success rate.

A Surprising Result

Little worked on this algorithm while he was getting his PhD at Oxford. It didn't occur to him that it could be used to detect Parkinson's disease until a chance encounter with a researcher from Intel.

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Say 'Ahhh': A Simpler Way To Detect Parkinson's

Raleigh Neurology/Flickr

Flexibility testing at a Parkinson's clinic.

A possible breakthrough has happened in the treatment of Parkinsons disease. UCLA researchers have found a way to stop the progression of the disease in animal tests.

Parkinsons is a disease that strikes the nervous system, affecting ones movements. So far, there are no treatments to stop its progression. Medical professionals aren't even sure what actually causes it.

But researchers do believe one particular protein in the brain plays a role. Its found in clumps in all Parkinson's patients.

Researchers at UCLA have created a compound that prevents the protein from clumping. They call it a "molecular tweezer." In live animal tests, the compound binds to that protein, prevents it from aggregating and even breaks up existing clumps.

Most importantly, the compound did this without appearing to harm normal brain cells.

The study was done with transparent zebrafish. Now the findings are being applied to mice. Human trials, they hope, will be next.

Continue reading here:
UCLA researchers stop Parkinson's progression in animal tests

03-01-2012 22:13 http://www.NewHopeNow.Info

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Parkinson's Disease - New Hope from New Old Discovery! - Video

VALLEY VIEW, Ohio, March 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies announced today that they have received allowance of claims from the U.S. Patent Office for an application covering their Movement Disorder Monitoring System and Method for quantitative assessment of motor symptoms associated with movement disorders. The claims cover a system and method of wireless patient-worn motion sensors that assess tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and dyskinesias associated with diseases like Parkinson's and essential tremor. This innovative medical technology has applications for both in-clinic and home-based patient care, optimizing programming for deep brain stimulation, and providing quantitative endpoints to determine efficacy of clinical trials. When used in telemedicine applications, physicians utilize a web interface to track symptom responses and fluctuations.

To address the growing market need for standardized and ambulatory assessment of movement disorders, Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies has been committed to the commercialization of the Kinesia and Kinesia HomeView medical technology platforms since 2003. "The allowance of our patent claims continues a successful commercialization path for our Parkinson's assessment systems intended to help physicians maximize therapeutic benefits and ultimately improve patient quality of life," says Joseph P. Giuffrida, PhD, President. "Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is uniquely positioned in the movement disorders market as a world leader in medical device development and manufacture of technologies to standardize, automate, and remotely capture patient assessments. This heightened intellectual property position builds on and protects our previous commercialization efforts and continued market growth." Dr. Giuffrida also thanked the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Aging for their continued support of these technologies.

The company is committed to building its intellectual property portfolio which will cover new applications arising from several on-going clinical studies. "We have a broad range of patent applications in the pipeline and expect this to be the first of many to cover our innovative product base of movement disorder technologies," says Brian Kolkowski, PhD, Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "In addition, this patent represents a first step as wecontinue with international filings to protect our technology portfolio to support our growth into international markets."

About Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is committed to pioneering innovative biomedical technologies to serve research, education, and medical communities, improving access to medical technology for diverse populations and positively impacting quality of life for people worldwide.

Media Contact Amelia Earhart, Marketing Manager - 216-446-2413 - aaearhart@GLNeuroTech.com

Continue reading here:
Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Awarded Patent for Technology to Assess Parkinson's Disease

19-01-2012 18:26 Joanne M. Hamilton, PhD, a research scientist at UC San Diego discusses Parkinson's disease. She said tremors are the most common physical signs of the disease. Problems with memory, language and decision making can also signal a problem. A free memory screening is available Feb. 7 with UC San Diego health care professionals http://www.youtube.com

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UC San Diego researcher discusses Parkinson's disease - Video

Test Has High Degree of Accuracy; Parkinson's Experts Cautiously Optimistic

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Feb. 22, 2012 -- An experimental blood test for Parkinson's disease is more than 90% accurate in diagnosing the progressive disorder that affects movement and balance, according to its developers.

The test requires a single drop of blood, says Robert Nagele, PhD, a professor of medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine.

It looks for specific proteins that are produced by the body in response to Parkinson's disease, he tells WebMD.

Nagele is also the founder of Durin Technologies, the test developer. Another co-researcher is a paid consultant for the company.

No blood test is yet commercially available for Parkinson's, which affects 5 million people worldwide. The study is published in PLoS One.

The news was met with cautious optimism by two experts.

About Parkinson's

In Parkinson's, the nerve cells or neurons in a brain region responsible for muscle movement and coordination deteriorate over time. Normally these cells produce a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine helps regulate such bodily functions as movement.

"Parkinson's affects a specific part of the brain known as the substantia nigra," Nagele says. At least a third of the neurons in this area have already died before symptoms appear, he says.

Symptoms include shaking, tremor, slowness of movement, stiffness in the arms, legs, and trunk, and balance problems.

Doctors diagnose it by taking a medical history and doing a neurological exam.

A blood test could help doctors diagnose and treat the disease earlier. Many teams are working on such tests.

Blood Test for Parkinson's: Study Details

When brain cells die, Nagele says, they explode ''like a water balloon breaking."

The contents of those dying cells spill partially back into the blood. "Their debris is released and your body will sense it and develop autoantibodies to clear that debris," he says.

The new test looks for these autoantibodies in the blood specific to the disease. The researchers narrowed down a list of more than 100 of these autoantibodies to 10 that looked most promising. When these antibodies rise to a certain level, it signals disease, Nagele says.

To evaluate the Parkinson's test, Nagele's team looked at more than 150 blood samples, including:

Overall, the test identified 93% of those who had Parkinson's. It identified correctly 100% of those who did not have it. Both results are considered important.

It could tell the difference between blood samples from patients with Parkinson's, those with the other disorders, and those who were healthy.

Nagele estimates the test, when and if available, would cost about $200.

The new research is a ''proof of principle'' study, he says, and much more research is needed.

Blood Test for Parkinson's: Second Opinion

"It is very exciting to see that many groups around the world have been attempting to develop blood tests for Parkinson's disease," Michael Okun, MD, medical director of the National Parkinson Foundation, tells WebMD. He reviewed the results.

Although Okun calls the new study interesting, he says that ''it only included 29 patients."

However, he remains hopeful that the research will lead to a usable blood test.

"It sounds feasible and probably worth pursuing," says M. Flint Beal, MD, the Anne Parrish Titzell professor of neurology and neuroscience at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He also reviewed the findings. He is also developing an early blood test for Parkinson's disease that uses a different approach.

"This is something that should be validated," he says of the new test. "What frequently happens is, the test looks very good initially. When you expand it to a larger population, the accuracy falls off." Further study is needed, he says.

SOURCES: Robert Nagele, PhD, professor of medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine; founder, Duran Technologies, Inc.PLoS ONE, published online Feb. 22, 2012.Michael Okun, MD, medical director, National Parkinson Foundation.M. Flint Beal, MD, Anne Parrish Titzell professor of neurology and neuroscience, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.

©2012 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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New Blood Test for Parkinson's Studied

FAIRHOPE, Alabama -- Susie Glickman is an amazing line dancer.

It’s not because she can execute the Cupid Shuffle or the Electric Slide better than most.

Rather, it is because every step takes extra effort now that this 67-year-old Fairhope woman has Parkinson’s disease.

“I have it on my left side,” said Glickman, who was diagnosed with the chronic, progressive movement disorder in 2007. “I went in to see my doctor because my left arm didn’t feel like it was part of my body. When I found out it was Parkinson’s, I was shocked. I wanted to find out as much as I could about the disease.”

At first glance, Glickman’s condition isn’t obvious.

While moving a little slower these days, Glickman is fairly nimble. But this spunky grandmother struggles with tremors, weakness and balance issues.

Turning pages can be tiresome — or downright impossible. Often, she succumbs to exhaustion.

Nevertheless, Glickman considers herself lucky.

“The mid 60s is the prime age to get Parkinson’s,” she said. “It usually progresses slowly when you are diagnosed in your 60s. But the younger you have it, the faster it progresses.”

Glickman manages to move steadily while leading line-dancing classes in Mobile and Baldwin counties. The Los Angeles native also moonlights as a part-time joke writer for longtime employer and close friend Dolly Parton.

“I used to be Dolly’s personal secretary,” she proclaimed, her eyes dancing with delight. “Now I write the jokes she uses at her appearances.”

Today, Glickman has combined her dancing and writing talents to pursue her latest passion: educating others about Parkinson’s.

Glickman recently wrote, produced, choreographed and starred in “Dancing Feet Help Defeat Parkinson’s,” a 4-minute, 9-second video featuring 175 dancers at the James P. Nix Adult Activity Center in Fairhope doing the “Parkinson’s Disease Stomp Line Dance.”

She entered the short film in the American Academy of Neurology Foundation’s third annual Film Festival competition to raise awareness about why more research is needed to cure brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, autism, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

Judges will select the first- and second-place winners and the third-place winner will be chosen by popular vote. Nearly 300 films have been submitted since the festival began in 2010 and Glickman’s video is among 104 in this year’s contest.

Voting opened last week and people can view and vote for their favorite video through March 8 at http://www.NeuroFilmFestival.com.

The winner of the “Fan Favorite” award will receive a certificate and recognition at the 2012 Neuro Film Festival on April 22 in New Orleans. The festival will be held in conjunction with the foundation’s 64th annual meeting, the world’s largest meeting of neurologists with 10,000 attendees.

“My goal is to get as many people aware of this as possible and then get them to vote,” Glickman said. “We have a really good chance of winning because of the video’s originality.”

In the film, a room packed with men and women wearing bright red T-shirts and white pants follow Glickman in a dance set to the tune “Jingle Bells.”

As the video begins, participants shuffle their feet and wave their arms in unison, following Glickman’s lead. Before the song plays, Glickman’s voice can be heard reciting “The Parkinson’s Plea,” a poem she penned.

Then the music begins: “Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s, it’s a brain disease. Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s brings us to our knees. Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s makes our bodies freeze. Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s, help us cure it please ...”

Nearly 1 million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson’s disease. The cause is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage its symptoms. The primary motor signs of Parkinson’s disease include the following.

Tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face. Bradykinesia, or slowness of movement. Rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk. Postural instability or impaired balance and coordination.

Glickman is hopeful her film will place in the top three. But, she says, “I think the video already is a winner.”

She asked Parkinson’s patients, their families and caregivers as well as friends from church and her line-dancing students in Fairhope and Mobile to appear in the video.

“I solicited everyone in town,” she said.

When the day of filming arrived, Glickman was overwhelmed.

“We had 175 people in the room and I didn’t know they would come until they showed up — and the mood was captured perfectly,” she said. “Most of the people didn’t line dance, but it turned out to be amazing.”

Glickman has been working for Parton since the 1970s, convincing the entertainer to hire her after showing up consistently at several of Parton’s California appearances, offering her lyric writing services.

“I told everyone I would be working for Dolly Parton one day,” Glickman said. “Eventually, Dolly said, ‘Give that squirrelly fan a job.’”

Glickman moved to Fairhope in the 1980s after working with Baldwin County native and author Fannie Flagg on Parton’s television show.

“I got sand in my shoes and that was it,” she said.

Parkinson’s may have slowed Glickman’s gait. But neither age, nor a progressive neurological disease can erode Glickman’s determination.

The same tenacity that landed her a job with Parton years ago is evident in her recent project.

“I truly believe that if you put your mind to something, you can get it done,” said Glickman, flashing a smile. “This film was a dream of mine.”

By LESLEY FARREY PACEY, Correspondent

See the original post:
Fairhope Parkinson's patient enters film in contest to awareness of disease

25-01-2012 01:43 Parkinson's Disease: New Non-Surgical treatment. Parkinson's symptoms of Gait and Balance stay improved at 9 months with a TMJ mouth piece .

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Parkinson's Disease: Balance, Gait (Walk) and Tremors Improve with New Non-Surgical Treatment Part 2 - Video

06-01-2012 10:18 Parkinson's Disease is a neural disorder which gradually degenerates the central nervous system. One of the harshest chronic illnesses our society deals with, its symptoms include motor malfunction, tremor, as well as impiared cognitive skills. The new Deep Brain Stimulation Treatment to cure Parkinson's Disease is described by Prof. Hagai Bergman, of the Dept. of Physiology at the Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical School and Dr. Zvi Israel, of the Dept. of Neurosurgery at Hadassah University Hospital.

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