Newswise STRATFORD, NJ The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research has awarded Durin Technologies, Inc., a grant of $351,200 to expand the development of Durins novel blood test that can detect the presence of Parkinsons disease. The test was created by Robert Nagele, PhD, a professor of medicine and the director of the Biomarker Discovery Center at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, and the founder of Durin Technologies. In a pilot study published last year, the test was remarkably accurate (93.1 percent sensitivity and 100 percent specificity) in detecting specific autoantibody biomarkers that indicate the presence of Parkinsons disease. Using current diagnostic methods, it can take months or even years to make an accurate Parkinsons diagnosis, and by that time, at least a third of the neurons in the affected area of the brain will have already died, Nagele said. A reliable blood test for Parkinsons would have a huge impact on patient care and on research into potential disease-modifying medications. Without the support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, however, we would be hard pressed to find the resources that would enable us to move this technology forward. The reliance on clinical observation of Parkinsons disease … Continue reading →

A Christian Science perspective. My world got smaller four simple words from a father in New Zealand to explain in a poem to his children how he felt after being diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. Subscribe Today to the Monitor Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition Many more have gained some sense of the effect of this condition from Michael J. Fox, star of the Back to the Future trilogy. He became the most famous face of the disease when he disclosed his condition in 1998 and launched a successful Foundation for Parkinsons Research two years later. Wittily terming himself an incurable optimist, the actors world looks far from smaller. In addition to being a father of four and directing his primary focus and energies toward his foundation, Mr. Fox continues acting, has written bestselling books, and is launching a sitcom in which he plays a newsman persuaded to return to work despite having Parkinsons. Beyond that continuing career trajectory, Fox exudes qualities that inspire: humor, commitment, humility, generosity, love, and that optimism. These are indomitable spiritual qualities that truly define us all. Perhaps theyre the kind of qualities that that New … Continue reading →

Research has linked the disease to a genetic defect that stops cells clearing out defective mitochondria, tiny metabolic generators that supply energy. Dysfunctional mitochondria can be very harmful. Cells normally dispose of them through a process called mitophagy that breaks them down. Scientists have now discovered a biological pathway that allows mutations in a gene called FBxo7 to interfere with mitophagy. In people with Parkinson's, this causes a build-up of defective mitochondria that may kill brain cells. A study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience indicates mitophagy might be the key to new treatments for the disease. Dr Helene Plun-Favreau, one of the researchers from the University College London Institute of Neurology, said: "Treatment strategies that target mitophagy might be developed to benefit patients with Parkinson's disease in the future. "What makes the study so robust is the confirmation of defective mitophagy in a number of different Parkinson's models." Professor Hugh Perry, chair of the neurosciences and mental health board at the Medical Research Council which part-funded the study, said the work raised interesting questions about brain-cell death related to Parkinson's. He added: "The more we understand about the basic molecular events which contribute to the onset and progression of … Continue reading →

Research has linked the disease to a genetic defect that stops cells clearing out defective mitochondria, tiny metabolic generators that supply energy This may result in death of brain cells, say researchers 'Waste management system' called mitophagy might be the key to new treatment options for the disease By Anna Edwards PUBLISHED: 23:30 EST, 11 August 2013 | UPDATED: 06:05 EST, 12 August 2013 150 shares 18 View comments Breakthrough? Scientists have found dysfunctional mitochondria are potentially very harmful when it come to Parkinson's, which could help with treatment Parkinson's disease is caused by a genetic defect that produces poor 'housekeeping cells', claim scientists who believe they are closer to treating the debilitating condition. Research has linked the disease to a genetic defect that stops cells clearing out defective mitochondria, tiny metabolic generators that supply energy. Dysfunctional mitochondria are potentially very harmful. Read the original post: Parkinson's disease caused by a 'genetic defect' claim scientists who believe they are closer to treating condition … Continue reading →

Targeting poor housekeeping in cells could lead to new treatments for Parkinson's disease, scientists believe. Blog: Living Life in the Slow Lane Boxing Training May Delay Parkinson's Disease Symptoms Research has linked the disease to a genetic defect that stops cells clearing out defective mitochondria, tiny metabolic generators that supply energy. A recent study in the journal Neurology showed that simple activities like cooking, cleaning and washing the dishes -- as well as good, old-fashioned exercise -- is associated with a decreased Alzheimer's disease risk, even among people who are age 80 and older. Researchers found that the people who were the least active each day -- in the bottom 10th percentile in the study -- were two times more likely to go on to develop Alzheimer's disease, compared with people who were in the top 10th percentile for daily activity. The results were even more marked when evaluating the intensity of physical activity: Those who were in the bottom 10th percentile for physical activity intensity were three times more likely to develop Alzheimer's, compared with those in the top 10th percentile. Being bilingual could strengthen your brainpower and protect against dementia, according to a recent study published in the … Continue reading →

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - Aug 12, 2013) - MRI Interventions, Inc. (OTCQB: MRIC) today announced treatment of the first patient in a Phase I clinical trial utilizing uniQure B.V.'s glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) for treatment of Parkinson's disease. This gene therapy holds promise in the battle against the degenerative and debilitating disorder, which affects 1.5 million people in the United States.MRI Interventions' ClearPoint Neuro Intervention System is being used in the clinical trial to enable direct infusion of the gene therapy into an area of the brain affected by Parkinson's disease. Dr. Krystof Bankiewicz, MD, PhD at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Dr. John D. Heiss, MD at the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are leading the trial.uniQure B.V., a leader in human gene therapy, is providing the GDNF gene. uniQure made headlines last November by receiving regulatory approval in Europe of a first-in-class gene therapy to treat orphan diseases. The hypothesis of the Parkinson's disease trial is that GDNF's neuro-regenerative and protective properties may protect and strengthen brain cells that produce dopamine, a chemical that affects brain function.In Parkinson's disease, dopamine production is reduced in an … Continue reading →