Exenatide, a commonly prescribed drug for type 2 diabetes, could possibly be repurposed as a modifying therapy for patients diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. Injections of exenatide showed signs of improving movement in Parkinsons patients over a one year period versus those who took placebo, suggested a new study. Researchers at the University College London followed 60 people with Parkinsons disease as they self-injected either exenatide or a placebo once a week for 48 weeks in addition to regular medications. Results indicated the patients who performed the exenatide injections exhibited better motor function at 48 weeks when they came off the treatment. This effect persisted after the 12-week follow up. By contrast, the group who injected the placebo showed a decline in their motor scores at both the 48-week and 60-week tests, according to the announcement. Overall, the control group had an advantage of four points on a 132 point scale of measures like tremors and agility, which was deemed statistically significant. Exenatides mechanism of action is that it activates receptors for the GLP-1 hormone in the pancreas in order to stimulate insulin release. These receptors can also be found in the brain where prior research has shown that activating them … Continue reading →

by Leanne Tokars, WSBT 22 Anchor There's a program happening right now in our area that's turning back the clock for some people with Parkinson's disease. It's called the LSVT program at Goshen Health, and physical therapists there say it's changing lives both for patients and their families. The LSVT program is a two-part research based therapy program. It's an intense four weeks, four days a week of work. One part focuses on getting people with Parkinson's back what they once had when it comes to movement. It uses eight repetitive exercises to help with everyday tasks. "So more or less what we're trying to do is induce a change within the brain and remap how we go about doing kind of everyday things we take for granted," Physical therapist Zak Lusk says. "It's actually unbelievable the change it makes. It's really fun to see spouses and family members that around the holidays will come in and say, 'Man, this is my old father who we haven't been able to see him get out of a couch like that - we've always had to pull him up or help him up,' - that sort of thing." Speech language pathologist Annie … Continue reading →

Theres a new report of progress in Parkinsons disease, and from an unexpected direction. Well, it was unexpected for me, anyway. Parkinsons is, famously, a condition that is driven by the steady deterioration of dopamine-rich neurons in the brain, most particularly in the substantia nigra region. An impressive amount of research over the years has gone into the study of this part of the brain and to dopamine handling in general. What sets off Parkinsons and how to interrupt its progress are still very much open questions. Its almost certainly a combination of genetic and environmental causes, but the details of that tangle are yet to be made clear. This latest work, though, involves dosing a known diabetes medication, the GLP-1 agonist exenatide. Thats a peptide drug, famous among those who follow these things (Im one) as having been derived from an active protein found in Gila monster saliva. Type II diabetes does seem to be a risk factor for Parkinsons (as well as for Alzheimers), and theres been a lot of work onthe gut-brain axis and whats connected to what. Exenatide has effects on appetite, crosses the blood-brain barrier to some degree, and has shown protective and growth-factor effects … Continue reading →

A drug that is primarily used by people with diabetes could possibly be the key to help the millions of people with Parkinsons disease. The drug may work as a treatment that not only stops the diseases symptoms, but could also eventually prevent the disease itself from getting worse in the long-run. Exenatide is a drug thats primarily used to treat diabetes. It is a glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP 1) receptor agonist that is used to regulate blood sugar levels in people with the disease. Now, apart from being a diabetes shot, researchers found evidence of its effectiveness in possibly treating Parkinsons disease. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, researchers from the University College London tested the drugs capability to treat Parkinsons disease. Eligible participants between the ages of 25 and 75 years were randomly given either the exenatide or a placebo drug, 32 of which were on exenatide and 30 on the placebo drug. During the duration of the study, neither participants nor the administrators knew which people were being given the placebo and which ones were taking exenatide. After 48 weeks of treatment and 12 weeks of additional study when participants were not given any injections, researchers found that the participants … Continue reading →