The tools to slow the progression of Parkinson's disease might one day come from the kitchen cabinet instead of the medicine cabinet, according to a new study. Long lauded for its antimicrobial properties, cinnamon might soon be called into service to help Parkinson's patients. Michael Franco/CNET Parkinson's disease, a neurological condition that causes body tremors and mobility troubles, affects an estimated 7-10 million people worldwide. While there is much research being done to create drugs that combat the illness, researchers at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center might have found a much simpler way to combat it. Cinnamon. In a recent paper released in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, the scientists reported that when they gave the spice to lab mice, it was metabolized into sodium benzoate. The study found that this compound, which is often used as a food preservative, then enters the brains of the rodents and "stops the loss of Parkin and DJ-1, protects neurons, normalizes neurotransmitter levels, and improves motor functions in mice with PD," according to a statement about the work. Both Parkin and DJ-1 are proteins that have been found to be deficient in the brains of Parkinson's patients, so it is believed that stopping … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 10-Jul-2014 Contact: Daphne Watrin d.watrin@iospress.nl 31-206-883-355 IOS Press Amsterdam, NL, 10 July 2014 Up to 70% of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients experience sleep problems that negatively impact their quality of life. Some patients have disturbed sleep/wake patterns such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, while other patients may be subject to sudden and involuntary daytime sleep "attacks." In the extreme, PD patients may exhibit REM-sleep behavior disorder (RBD), characterized by vivid, violent dreams or dream re-enactment, even before motor symptoms appear. A review in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease discusses the underlying causes of sleep problems in PD, as well as medications, disease pathology, and comorbidities, and describes the most appropriate diagnostic tools and treatment options. Sleep problems in PD patients can have wide-ranging adverse effects and can worsen in later stages of the disease. Sleepiness socially isolates patients and excessive sleepiness can put patients at risk of falls or injury, and can mean patients must give up driving. Sleepiness can impair cognition and concentration, exacerbate depression, and interfere with employment. Wakefulness at night impairs daytime wakefulness and may also cause mood instabilities and can exhaust caregivers. "Diagnosis and effective treatment and management of these problems … Continue reading →