Although levodopa remains the gold standard to effectively control motor deficits in the treatment of early stage Parkinsons disease (PD), it loses effectiveness as the disease progresses. After four to six years of treatment with oral medications for Parkinsons disease, about 40% of patients experience lack of muscle control (dyskinesias), end-of-dose wearing off, and fluctuations in On/Off states. By nine years of treatment, about 90% will suffer these effects. Continuous dosing via a levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG, now carbidopa and levodopa enteral suspension in the U.S) directly into the small intestine may be the key to reducing the motor complications associated with long-term levodopa use. In the current issue of the Journal of Parkinsons Disease, researchers report on the safety and efficacy of LCIG therapy over a one-year period. This study demonstrated continued safety and tolerability as well as improvement in on time without troublesome dyskinesia in patients with advanced PD, explained lead investigator John T. Slevin, MD, MBA, Professor of Neurology and Vice Chair of Research, Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky. Patients on long-term, open-label LCIG treatment sustain the efficacy and quality-of-life improvement achieved during the first 12 weeks of treatment. The safety profile of the LCIG system … Continue reading →

UK scientists have developed a peptide that sticks to the protein that causes Parkinson's disease, stopping it from killing brain cells. The research highlights a potential new route for slowing the progress of this incurable disease. Parkinson's affects around 1 in 500 people in the UK. It's a progressive neurological condition where brain cells die causing a lack of the chemical dopamine, which acts as a messenger that coordinates movement. Parkinson's causes symptoms of tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement. In Parkinson's, a protein called -synuclein becomes misshapen and stacks together to form long toxic fibrils that kill the brain cells. A team of scientists led by the University of Bath, with funding from Parkinson's UK, has designed a peptide that binds to the faulty -synuclein and stops fibrils from forming. Their research is published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The researchers showed that the peptide halts the formation of fibrils in cells in vitro and stops them dying. The team anticipates that if developed into a treatment, the peptide could help slow the progression of this degenerative disease. Dr Jody Mason, from the University of Bath's Department of Biology & Biochemistry, explained: "In Parkinson's, the protein called -synuclein … Continue reading →

Report in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease presents data from one-year trial on long-term safety, efficacy, and quality of life in advanced PD patients using levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel Amsterdam, NL, February 26, 2015 - Although levodopa remains the "gold standard" to effectively control motor deficits in the treatment of early stage Parkinson's disease (PD), it loses effectiveness as the disease progresses. After four to six years of treatment with oral medications for Parkinson's disease, about 40% of patients experience lack of muscle control (dyskinesias), end-of-dose wearing off, and fluctuations in "On/Off" states. By nine years of treatment, about 90% will suffer these effects. Continuous dosing via a levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG, now carbidopa and levodopa enteral suspension in the U.S) directly into the small intestine may be the key to reducing the motor complications associated with long-term levodopa use. In the current issue of the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, researchers report on the safety and efficacy of LCIG therapy over a one-year period. "This study demonstrated continued safety and tolerability as well as improvement in on time without troublesome dyskinesia in patients with advanced PD," explained lead investigator John T. Slevin, MD, MBA, Professor of Neurology and Vice Chair of … Continue reading →

Tracey Romero, Sports Medicine Editor, Philly.com Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015, 5:30 AM Parkinsons disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system, affects your movement, causing stiffness in your muscles and tremors in your hands. According to the Mayo Clinic, Over time, Parkinsons disease may reduce your ability to move and slow your movement, making simple tasks difficult and time-consuming. Your steps may become shorter when you walk, or you may find it difficult to get out of a chair. Also, you may drag your feet as you try to walk, making it more difficult to move. With this disease, even small movements become a challenge. At Conshohocken Physical Therapy in Conshohocken, however, Parkinson patients are encouraged to think big. Physical therapy has been proven as a great way for these patients to gain more functional independence. Dr. Jory Davis, who is a LSVT-certified specialist, leads her patients struggling with Parkinsons symptoms on a journey to relearn how to create normal movements. She becomes a partner with her patients and their families to help them combat and manage the symptoms of Parkinsons disease. As a patients condition changes, their treatment program will be adjusted to help them be as independent … Continue reading →