12-09-2011 16:02 Taylor French before and after treatments of Medical Cannabis for Parkinson's Disease. Please help us to save Taylor's life and make him healthy again. Any help on your part will aid him and provide hope for others who are afflicted with this terrible disease. Make checks payable to Health Village Seminars (Bank of America) and email frenchtaylor@gmail.com so we can keep track. Send donations and ship items to: Health Village Seminars, c/o Taylor French 2936 Calle Frontera, San Clemente, CA 92673 Phone 949-842-9291 Thanks so much in advance for your help, Mike Paulus (long time friend), Janet (caregiver)

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Taylor French on Medical Cannabis for Parkinson's Disease - Video

February 14, 2012, 4:03 PM EST

By Nicole Ostrow

Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Tai chi, a Chinese martial art of precise, gentle movements, helps patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease improve their balance, a study found.

Patients who did tai chi twice a week for six months had improvement in steadiness that was 2.5 times greater than those who engaged in resistance training and 4 times greater than those who did only stretching exercise, according to research published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Doctors recommend exercise for patients with Parkinson’s disease, a brain disorder that causes trembling, stiffness and balance impairment and increases the risk of falls, the authors wrote. Tai chi, known for its series of exact postures that flow one into the next, requires concentration and weight shifting that may have extra benefits for those with mild to moderate Parkinson’s, said lead study author Fuzhong Li.

“We have clearly shown that tai chi has the potential to help patients ease some of the movement disorder,” Li, a senior research scientist at the Oregon Research Institute in Eugene, Oregon, said in a Feb. 6 telephone interview. “It will definitely help people improve their balance. My recommendation would be to build it into daily activity.”

The study is the first to show that an alternative form of exercise can benefit Parkinson’s patients, Li said.

Tai chi uses a set of slow, self-initiated movements to move people away from their base of support in a controlled fashion, he said. Resistance training is more like aerobics and uses less conscientious movements, Li said.

10 Million Affected

About 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s each year and as many as 10 million people worldwide are living with the disorder, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, based in New York. Men are more probable than women to have the disease.

Researchers in the study included 195 patients with mild- to-moderate Parkinson’s disease. The patients were assigned to participate in tai chi, resistance training or stretching for 60 minutes twice a week for 24 weeks.

Those in the tai chi group improved in how far they could shift their center of gravity without falling by 15 percent over the course of the study, while those in the resistance group improved 6 percent. Those who were in the stretching group had a 4 percent decline over the study period, Li said.

The research indicated that participants in the tai chi group performed better on movement control, showing a 12 percent improvement, while those in the resistance training group declined 4 percent and the people in the stretching group dropped 5 percent, Li said.

Better Than Stretching

The tai chi group performed better than the stretching group in walking and strength. They also fell less than those who stretched. There was no difference in falls between the resistance group and the tai chi group, the paper showed.

The findings will receive a lot of attention in the Parkinson’s community, said Blair Ford, medical adviser with the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation and a professor of clinical neurology at Columbia University in New York.

“Tai chi and probably equivalent methods are helpful at improving balance and decreasing falls and that’s very, very important for Parkinson’s disease,” Ford said in a Feb. 7 telephone interview. The study “might just get tai chi on the map as a conjunctive treatment for Parkinson’s. Medications alone don’t prevent falling.”

Andrew Feigin, a neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s disease at the North Shore-LIJ Medical Group in Great Neck, New York, said the findings give scientific backing to doctor recommendations that patients try exercises like tai chi to improve balance.

“Balance and gait are problems that people with Parkinson’s disease have,” said Feigin, who wasn’t an author of today’s paper, in a Feb. 6 telephone interview. “Things like stretching and resistance aren’t really working on balance. Tai chi really focuses on improvements in balance. It’s nice to get some actual data that shows doing those things can be helpful.”

--Editors: Angela Zimm, Bruce Rule

To contact the reporter on this story: Nicole Ostrow in New York at nostrow1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net

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Tai Chi Makes Parkinson’s Patients Steadier on Feet, Study Says

11-08-2011 06:59 This work was made to explain Parkinson's Disease by Abraham Adberstein.

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Parkinson's Disease - Video

11-01-2012 15:26 Anthony Farinella: Parkinson's disease From Monroe, NJ / Treated at Riverview Medical Center Parkinson's disease disabled Anthony for over 15 years. Dr. Peter Zahos and the expert care team at Riverview Medical Center in New Jersey gave him his life back through deep brain stimulation (DBS). http://www.meridianneuroscience.com

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Meridian Neuroscience - Deep Brain Stimulation - Anthony Farinella: Parkinson's Disease - Video

Parkinson's Disease: New Non-Surgical treatment. Watch Dr. Demerjian help improve his Parkinson's symptoms of Gait and Balance with a TMJ mouth piece.

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

What it means to be touched by Parkinson's disease. Find out more at http://www.parkinson.ca.

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Parkinson's Disease - The Lived Canadian Experience - Video

Scientists have discovered a new avenue for the treatment of vision loss, one of the complications of Parkinson's disease.

Gentle, non-invasive treatment with a soft infra-red light can potentially protect and heal the damage that occurs to the human retina in Parkinson's disease, says Professor Jonathan Stone from The Vision Centre and the University of Sydney.

"Near infra-red light treatment has long been known to promote the healing of wounds in soft tissues such as skin. Our recent studies are showing that it can also protect the retina of the eye from toxins which attack its nerve cells," Professor Stone said.

"We have been studying a mouse 'model' of Parkinson's disease, in which such a toxin is used to create a Parkinson-like condition. The toxin targets brain cells which use a particular signalling molecule called dopamine, and the infrared light - in the right dose and with the right timing - blocks the toxic effect."

The toxin also kills certain key retinal cells which are important in giving sharpness to the retina's coding of visual images. Infrared light also protects these retinal cells and reduces the damage.

The new results suggest that infra-red radiation will be effective in Parkinson's disease, Professor Stone said. Because the radiation is effective at low intensities, with no known toxicity, there are few barriers if any to trials in humans.

"As shown in these studies on mice, protection or rescue of neurons in the brain - and as we know now, in the retina - is better than the best established treatments for Parkinson's disease," Professor Stone said. "The challenge now is to translate these findings, made in mouse models, to human patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.

"Diseases such as Parkinson's are seriously debilitating; for the individual the need is immediate. There is every reason for clinical trials to be carried out as soon as possible."

As to the potential benefits for Parkinson's patients, he says: "Principally, we anticipate there would be a preservation of acuity, the clarity with which we can see detail and contours in the visual world. The same treatment should be protective for the brain as well, preventing or slowing the otherwise relentless progress of the disease. As always, we will need rigorous trials, to know what can be achieved."

It is no surprise, Professor Stone observed, that the same treatment works for both the brain and the retina. "The retina of the eye is really part of the brain - the only part outside the skull. It has to be outside the skull, so it can function as an eye. In many ways the retina is the most accessible part of the brain, and many discoveries about the brain have begun in the retina.

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New hope for eyes damaged by Parkinson's disease

Information about Parkinson's Disease from a Parkinson's Disease Patient

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Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease - Video

This second video of Neil's shows him doing baseline neurological tests (tapping of fingers and foot 64 times each etc - before and after exercise). This was requested by Prof.

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Parkinson's Disease - Vigorous Exercise. Neil Sligar June 2011 - Video

August 3, 2012

Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Coffee lovers take note: coffee may have health benefits related to Parkinsons disease. A new study examined the influence coffee has on the disorder. Based on the results, researchers believe that coffee can help control movement, easing the symptoms of Parkinsons. The findings are featured in the online issue of Neurology, a journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Studies have shown that people who use caffeine are less likely to develop Parkinsons disease, but this is one of the first studies in humans to show that caffeine can help with movement symptoms for people who already have the disease, explained study author Dr. Ronald Postuma, a member of the American Academy of Neurology and a researcher at the Researchers Institute of the McGill University Health Center, in a prepared statement.

In the study, 61 participants who showed symptoms of Parkinsons disease, such as daytime sleepiness, were split into two groups. One group took a placebo and the other group took a pill with 100 milligrams of caffeine twice a day for three weeks then 200 milligrams twice a day for three weeks. The second group consumed the equivalent of caffeine from two to four cups per day.

Following a six-week exam period, the group that was given caffeine supplements showed a five-point average in improvement in Parkinsons severity rating as compared to participants who were given the placebo.

This is a modest improvement, but may be enough to provide benefit to patients. On the other hand, it may not be sufficient to explain the relationship between caffeine non-use and Parkinsons, since studies of the progression of Parkinsons symptoms early in the disease suggest that a five-point reduction would delay diagnosis by only six months, noted Postuma in the statement.

The group that took caffeine also showed an average of three-point improvement in body stiffness and body movement as compared to those who were in the placebo group.

The people who received caffeine supplements experienced an improvement in their motor symptoms (a five-point improvement on the Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale, a rating scale used to measure the severity of the disease) over those who received the placebo, suggested Postuma in the statement. This was due to improvement in speed of movement and a reduction in stiffness.

However, caffeine did not positively improve daytime sleepiness, depression, or quality of life in the participants; its also important to take note that, as the study was done in a short amount of time, the influence of caffeine may decrease over time.

Excerpt from:
Coffee May Help Control Symptoms Of Parkinson's Disease

Drinking coffee may help people with Parkinsons disease move with greater ease, although getting steady jolts of caffeine doesnt appear to alleviate the daytime sleepiness that affects certain patients, a study suggests.

In the Canadian-led study, researchers set out to see if caffeine could help overcome whats called daytime somnolence, a symptom that affects some patients with the progressive neurological disease.

While they didnt find an appreciable wake-up effect among subjects taking caffeine, the researchers were surprised to find that javas main ingredient appeared to enhance patients mobility.

What was significant was the movement improvement, said principal investigator Dr. Ronald Postuma, a neurologist at McGill University Health Centres research institute. And this was present both on motor symptoms, but also on the objective scoring in the motor exam.

To conduct the study, 61 people with Parkinsons disease who showed symptoms of daytime sleepiness and some motor impairment were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo pill or a caffeine tablet. Participants chosen for the study were not big coffee drinkers on average, they drank only about one cup per day.

Those in the treatment group took a pill containing 100 milligrams of caffeine twice daily for three weeks, then 200 milligrams twice daily for three weeks the equivalent of between two and four cups of coffee per day.

After six weeks, those getting caffeine supplements averaged a five-point improvement in Parkinsons severity ratings compared to those getting placebo, the researchers report in Wednesdays online issue of the journal Neurology.

The biggest problem with Parkinsons disease that affects peoples lives is the slowing of movements, Postuma said from Montreal. You move less, you have smaller movements and you do them more slowly. And then you also have some stiffness and rigidity.

And those were the things that improved, he said. So patients would move faster, their movements were more fluid, they can get dressed quicker, they can walk quicker. Their muscles are less stiff because their underlying disease is essentially improved.

The caffeine group averaged a three-point improvement in the speed of movement and amount of stiffness compared to the placebo group. However, there were no changes in reported quality of life, depression or sleep quality in participants.

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Caffeine helps Parkinson’s patients move: study

BOGOTA (Herald Malaysia): The testimony of a Colombian man who says he was miraculously cured of Parkinsons Disease through the intercession of Blessed John Paul II could allow for the canonization of the Polish pope.

According to the newspaper El Tiempo, the case involves Marco Fidel Rojas (pic), the former mayor of the town of Huila, whose testimony has been sent to the Vatican office heading the sainthood cause for the late pontiff.

Recounting his story to the Colombian paper, Fidel remembers experiencing the first symptoms of the disease in December of 2005. After a series of examinations, doctors determined he had suffered a stroke, which led to the development of Parkinsons.

Little by little the disease began to get worse. I felt like I could collapse at any moment. Various times I fell down outside on the street, he recalled, adding that once he was almost run over by a taxi.

As the years went by and his health continued to deteriorate, Fidel suddenly remembered on the evening of Dec. 27, 2010, that during a trip to Rome he had met Pope John Paul II after Mass and spoke with him for a few moments.

I have a friend up there, Fidel thought that night, amid his pain. And he had Parkinsons. Why didnt I pray to him before? Venerable Father John Paul II: come and heal me, put your hands on my head.

After praying, Fidel said he slept perfectly that night, and that the next morning he woke up with no symptoms of the illness.

Yes, John Paul II gave me the miracle of curing me, he said. My great promise to my healer is to spread devotion to him wherever I can.

El Tiempo reported that Dr. Antonio Schlesinger Piedrahita, a renowned neurologist in Colombia, has certified Fidels healing and says he is in good health.

The miraculous healing of a French nun, Sr Marie Simon-Pierre who also suffered from Parkinsons Disease paved the way for the beatification of Pope John Paul II, which took place in Rome in May 2011. --CNA

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A new, small study found people with Parkinson's disease who took caffeine pills saw slight but noticeable improvements in movement problems related to the condition.

The findings warrant further study, Canadian researchers said. And there are still questions - such as if patients would develop a caffeine tolerance, eventually blunting the benefits of coffee or caffeine pills.

"It's a bit too early to say, Everybody should be drinking coffee,'" said lead researcher Dr. Ronald Postuma, from McGill University in Montreal.

"Does it really make a difference over years of Parkinson's disease? I don't think we know."

Still, he said, caffeine is generally safe, so it could be worth trying for some patients with Parkinson's who aren't doing great and also have trouble with sleepiness.

About 50,000 to 60,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease every year, according to the National Parkinson Foundation. Typical symptoms include shaking and trouble with movement and coordination.

There's no cure for the disease, but some medications can make symptoms less severe.

As much as four cups of coffee

For the new study, Postuma and his colleagues randomly assigned 61 people with Parkinson's and in their mid-60s, on average, to six weeks of caffeine pills or identical drug-free placebo pills.

Participants in the caffeine group took 100 milligrams when they woke up and again after lunch for the first three weeks, then were bumped up to 200 milligrams twice a day for the rest of the study.

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Caffeine may provide some Parkinson's relief

By Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Caffeine has previously been linked to a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, but now new research says the ubiquitous stimulant may also help treat disease symptoms.

In a small study of 61 people with Parkinson's disease, Canadian researchers found that giving the caffeine equivalent of about three cups of coffee per day improved motor symptoms, such as slow movement and stiffness. Interestingly, caffeine didn't significantly improve daytime sleepiness, a common symptom in Parkinson's disease.

"Caffeine treats Parkinson's disease," said the study's lead author, Dr. Ronald Postuma, an associate professor in the department of neurology at McGill University in Montreal.

"There was a modest effect on sleepiness that didn't reach statistical significance, but I think it was clear that it helps patients," he said. "Where we saw the most potential benefit from caffeine was on motor aspects and symptoms. People felt better and were more energetic. You could see on the exam that they were better."

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder that causes shaking, stiffness, slow movements and difficulty with balance. More than one million Americans have Parkinson's disease, and more than 50,000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year, according to the National Parkinson Foundation.

In the current study, published in the Aug. 1 online edition of the journal Neurology, half of the group of Parkinson's patients was randomly assigned to receive caffeine treatment, while the other half received an inactive placebo.

To be included in the study, the volunteers had to consume less than 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine daily -- about two cups of coffee -- and they couldn't have any heart rhythm problems, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or an active ulcer.

For the first three weeks of the study, those receiving caffeine were given 100 mg of caffeine twice daily -- once when they got up and again at lunchtime.

During the second three weeks, the dose was increased to 200 mg twice daily.

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Caffeine May Help Treat Parkinson's Disease

Public release date: 2-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: George Hunka ghunka@aftau.org 212-742-9070 American Friends of Tel Aviv University

Parkinson's disease, a disorder which affects movement and cognition, affects over a million Americans, including actor Michael J. Fox, who first brought it to the attention of many TV-watching Americans. It's characterized by a gradual loss of neurons that produce dopamine. Mutations in the gene known as DJ-1 lead to accelerated loss of dopaminergic neurons and result in the onset of Parkinson's symptoms at a young age.

The ability to modify the activity of DJ-1 could change the progress of the disease, says Dr. Nirit Lev, a researcher at Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and a movement disorders specialist at Rabin Medical Center. Working in collaboration with Profs. Dani Offen and Eldad Melamed, Dr. Lev has now developed a peptide which mimics DJ-1's normal function, thereby protecting dopamine- producing neurons. What's more, the peptide can be easily delivered by daily injections or absorbed into the skin through an adhesive patch.

Based on a short protein derived from DJ-1 itself, the peptide has been shown to freeze neurodegeneration in its tracks, reducing problems with mobility and leading to greater protection of neurons and higher dopamine levels in the brain. Dr. Lev says that this method, which has been published in a number of journals including the Journal of Neural Transmission, could be developed as a preventative therapy.

Guarding dopamine levels

As we age, we naturally lose dopamine-producing neurons. Parkinson's patients experience a rapid loss of these neurons from the onset of the disease, leading to much more drastic deficiencies in dopamine than the average person. Preserving dopamine-producing neurons can mean the difference between living life as a Parkinson's patient or aging normally, says Dr. Lev.

The researchers set out to develop a therapy based on the protective effects of DJ-1, using a short peptide based on the healthy version of DJ-1 itself as a vehicle. "We attached the DJ-1-related peptide to another peptide that would allow it to enter the cells, and be carried to the brain," explains Dr. Lev.

In pre-clinical trials, the treatment was tested on mice utilizing well-established toxic and genetic models for Parkinson's disease. From both a behavioral and biochemical standpoint, the mice that received the peptide treatment showed remarkable improvement. Symptoms such as mobility dysfunctions were reduced significantly, and researchers noted the preservation of dopamine-producing neurons and higher dopamine levels in the brain.

Preliminary tests indicate that the peptide is a viable treatment option. Though many peptides have a short life span and degrade quickly, this peptide does not. Additionally, it provides a safe treatment option because peptides are organic to the body itself.

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Freezing Parkinson's in its tracks

WAPELLO, Iowa Riding a motorcycle takes a steady hand. Although Jeff Weikert doesnt have that luxury anymore, that wont stop him from riding.

In 2009, Weikert, 51, of Wapello, was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The disease hasnt stopped him from riding, though.

The career motorcycle and stock car racer signed up to participate in the 90th edition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, also known as the Race to the Clouds, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

To participate, one has to submit a resume of personal racing history. After Weikert submitted his on Dec. 1, 2011, his wife, Angie, 46, said they were invited to participate in the race.

Its fine with me, and hes been racing since Ive known him, Angie said. Its one more race that was on his bucket list.

Angie said the last race that her husband participated in was in 2010 for District 17, an American Motorcycle Association organization that competes in Illinois. She described that race as featuring specialty made cycles through an obstacle course.

Its timed, but slow and about balancing, Angie said. His Parkinsons prevented him from competing again after he was diagnosed.

For the race in Colorado, Weikert will ride a 1974 Honda 250cc motorcycle. The cycle was built and is owned by Paynes Cycle Center in Rock Island. He is only one of two riders from Iowa to compete in the 200-man race.

Heading to Colorado with Jeff and his wife for the race on July 8 are their two sons, Jonathan and Jacob and Jacobs wife, Jessica. Others include members of Paynes Cycle Center and other friends and family to help with their fundraising.

After Jeff was diagnosed, he and his wife sought information about the disease through the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research. For the race, the Weikerts have teamed up with the foundation to help raise awareness and money.

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Man's 'Race to the Clouds' will help fight Parkinson’s disease

It's a staggering number. More than 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson's disease.

Right now, doctors diagnose it by conducting a physical exam that's often unreliable.

But, that's about to change.

William Hill used to be a professional welterweight fighter. Today, he's fighting a different yet powerful opponent, Parkinson's disease.

Debora Bergstrom is also battling the condition that causes tremors, balance problems and speech issues. The mom of three was diagnosed four years ago by a neurologist. "She told me to stand up, walk," Bergstrom said. "She rotated my arms and hands, and she said, 'Yes, you have Parkinson's.'"

But, many people wait years before getting that diagnosis. Doctors physically examine patients for the tell-tale symptoms to formulate their conclusion. However, their observations aren't always accurate. 40 percent of Parkinson's patients are undiagnosed, and at least 10 percent who are diagnosed don't really have it.

Dr. Louise Thomson says a new imaging test called DAT-scan is giving doctors a glimpse inside the Parkinson's brain. First, doctors inject patients with a tracer. Then, they scan the brain for dopamine, a chemical that Parkinson's patients lack.

Thomson says the test can tell doctors if the patient has Parkinson's or just a tremor disorder, which is treated differently. "This is a game changer," she said. "It's going to lead to earlier diagnosis and clearer diagnosis for patients with tremor."

An earlier diagnosis means patients can start treatments sooner, potentially slowing symptom development of this devastating disease.

For William and Debora, every symptom-free day matters. Now, doctors are one step closer to figuring that out.

DAT-scan is the first FDA approved diagnostic imaging test for the assessment of movement disorders such as Parkinson's.

But, there is some debate about its effectiveness.

Some doctors say a negative test doesn't provide enough evidence to rule out Parkinson's completely, and they believe the cost of the scan is much more expensive than a consultation and follow-ups with a movement disorders expert.

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Picturing Parkinson's

09-11-2011 17:09 David Eidelberg, MD, Director of the Leonard and Susan Feinstein Center for Neurosciences at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, discusses new, innovative and non-invasive methods to capture better images of a patients' brain circuitry, eventually leading to earlier and better diagnoses, and the development of effective treatments for Parkinson's and other diseases. Topics include: The Feinstein Institute's endowment as one of the select Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, the affiliation agreement between the Feinstein Institute and the Thomas Hartman Foundation for Parkinson's Research to better understand Parkinson's, comparisons of MRI, PetScan and other testing methods, the ability to measure side effects from levodopa, and the ability to scan the brain throughout the course of the disease to identify damaged brain circuits at the earliest stage.

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Medical Update: Parkinson's Disease Research - Video

14-11-2011 22:38 Documentary on bilateral pallidotomy showing the dramatic difference it made in the life of Don Berns

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Don Berns New Hope for Parkinson's Disease Video - Video

02-01-2012 20:21 new year's day 2012....exercise and

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parkinson's disease symptoms #18.MP4 - Video