Increasing iron intake by 10 micrograms per deciliter of blood can reduce the likelihood of developing Parkinsons disease by 3%, Italian researchers have concluded after performing an extensive literature review. Irene Pichler and her team from the multi-institution research group, EURAC, assessed studies involving more than 130,000 people in Europe, North America and Australia in coming to their conclusions. [Our]study suggests a causal association between increased serum iron levels and decreased risk of developing Parkinsons disease, suggesting that disrupted iron metabolism may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of Parkinsons disease, they wrote. They said the mechanism of action remained unclear, calling on more research into that area, before any specific treatment recommendations can be proposed. But, The effect of dietary iron or drugs capable of altering the balance between serum iron and iron storage compartments, might prove to be suitable to test in experimental models. The development of such disease models is therefore necessary before any public health or clinical recommendation can be made for primary prevention in subjects at high risk of developing Parkinsons disease. Method The researchers assessed the possible link between blood iron levels and the risk of developing Parkinsons disease by using three polymorphisms … Continue reading →

Washington, June 18 (ANI): An artificial sweetener produced by fungi, bacteria, and algae could help treat those suffering from Parkinson's disease, according to a new study. Mannitol that is present in sugar-free gum and candy has been approved by the FDA as a diuretic to flush out excess fluids and used during surgery as a substance that opens the blood/brain barrier to ease the passage of other drugs. Profs. Ehud Gazit and Daniel Segal of Tel Aviv University's Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology and the Sagol School of Neuroscience, along with their colleague Dr. Ronit Shaltiel-Karyo and PhD candidate Moran Frenkel-Pinter, found that mannitol also prevents clumps of the protein a-synuclein from forming in the brain - a process that is characteristic of Parkinson's disease. These results of the study have suggested that this artificial sweetener could be a novel therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. After identifying the structural characteristics that facilitate the development of clumps of a-synuclein, researchers searched for a compound that could inhibit the proteins' ability to bind together. In the lab, they found that mannitol was among the most effective agents in preventing aggregation of the protein in test tubes. … Continue reading →

NATICK, Mass., June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Patients with Parkinson's disease using the Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) Vercise DBS (deep brain stimulation) System showed a significant improvement in motor scores according to interim data from the VANTAGE DBS study. Data from the six month follow-up of up to 40 participants enrolled in the VANTAGE trial were presented at the annual International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders in Sydney, Australia by Prof. Dr. Lars Timmermann, of University Hospital in Koln, Germany. The Vercise DBS System incorporates multiple independent current control, which is designed to selectively stimulate targeted areas in the brain, providing physicians with fine control of stimulation. Preliminary analysis of the VANTAGE study displays approximately 60 percent mean improvement in motor function at six months post implant, as assessed by UPDRS III1 when compared to baseline. The Boston Scientific sponsored study was designed to document patient outcomes. These include effectiveness, safety, and health economic data derived from bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in the brain using the implantable Vercise DBS System for the treatment of levodopa-responsive, moderate to severe idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Forty participants with Parkinson's disease were implanted bilaterally at six European centers. "We are pleased … Continue reading →

It's almost 200 years since Parkinson's disease was discovered, and yet there is no cure for this debilitating disease although some medications are capable of easing the symptoms. One of the hallmarks of this disease is the accumulation of a protein called "alpha-synuclein" within brain neurons. Here's some sweet news. Researchers at Tel Aviv University have found that an artificial sweetener Mannitol could be a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease as it has been found to prevent aggregation of alpha-synuclein protein in brain in lab studies. As part of the study, the locomotive capability of transgenic fruit flies engineered to carry the human gene for alpha-synuclein was assessed by comparing the ability of normal flies and mutated flies to climb the walls of a test tube. Initially, 72 percent of normal flies were able to climb up the test tube, compared to only 38 percent of the genetically-altered flies. The locomotive capability was again tested after feeding the genetically-altered flies with food enriched with Mannitol for a period of 27 days. The second time was surprisingly different - with 70 percent of the mutated flies able to climb up the test tube. In addition, there was a 70 percent reduction … Continue reading →

Civitas Therapeutics Inc. of Chelsea said Tuesday that it has received a $1 million grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research to advance trials of an experimental treatment of Parkinsons disease. An estimated 6 million people worldwide suffer from Parkinsons disease, a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the diminished production of dopamine, resulting in progressive impairment of motor function including tremors, rigidity, and difficulty in moving. According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation website, the actor was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinsons disease in 1991. Upon disclosing his condition in 1998, he committed himself to the campaign for increased Parkinsons research. Civitas said that the foundations $1 million grant will support a clinical trial of a drug candidate it calls CVT-301. CVT-301 is an inhaled formulation of levodopa, which is also known as L-dopa. CVT-301 is being developed as an adjunct therapy designed to provide rapid and reliable relief from intermittent debilitating motor fluctuations that impact a large proportion of Parkinsons disease patients, the company said. The enthusiasm and support of MJFF (Michael J. Fox Foundation) for CVT-301 has been extraordinarily valuable in our efforts, Rick Batycky, founder and chief scientific officer of Civitas, said in a statement. In … Continue reading →

Grant Will Fund Study to Evaluate Focused Ultrasound for Treatment of Dyskinesia in Parkinsons Disease Newswise CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (June 18, 2013) The Focused Ultrasound Foundation (FUSF) has been awarded a $600,000 grant by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research (MJFF) to help fund a pilot study to determine the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound for the treatment of dyskinesia in Parkinsons disease (PD). This study will open up a new frontier for focused ultrasound therapy, said Dr. Neal Kassell, chairman and founder, The Focused Ultrasound Foundation. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is strategic with how they allocate their donor dollars, and we are pleased they are helping assess focused ultrasound as a potential treatment of dyskinesia in patients with Parkinsons. Surgical options, such as DBS and radiofrequency-pallidotomy, have shown sustained effects on improving PD motor symptoms and reducing levodopa-induced motor fluctuations such as dyskinesia, said Maurizio Facheris, MD, MSc, associate director of research programs, MJFF. The combination of a high-resolution MRI with non-invasive techniques could translate into a successful alternate therapy for addressing levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinsons. The dyskinesia study is designed to treat 15 patients. The study will build on the experience … Continue reading →

June 17, 2013 Mannitol, a sugar alcohol produced by fungi, bacteria, and algae, is a common component of sugar-free gum and candy. The sweetener is also used in the medical field -- it's approved by the FDA as a diuretic to flush out excess fluids and used during surgery as a substance that opens the blood/brain barrier to ease the passage of other drugs. Now Profs. Ehud Gazit and Daniel Segal of Tel Aviv University's Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology and the Sagol School of Neuroscience, along with their colleague Dr. Ronit Shaltiel-Karyo and PhD candidate Moran Frenkel-Pinter, have found that mannitol also prevents clumps of the protein -synuclein from forming in the brain -- a process that is characteristic of Parkinson's disease. These results, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry and presented at the Drosophila Conference in Washington, DC in April, suggest that this artificial sweetener could be a novel therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. The research was funded by a grant from the Parkinson's Disease Foundation and supported in part by the Lord Alliance Family Trust. Seeing a significant difference After identifying the structural characteristics that facilitate the development of clumps … Continue reading →

June 17, 2013 Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online Researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) say an artificial sweetener could be a potential treatment for Parkinsons disease. According to findings reported in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, mannitol, a common component of sugar-free gum and candy, helps prevent clumps of the protein a-synuclein from forming in the brain, which is a process that is characteristic of Parkinsons disease. The artificial sweetener has been approved by the FDA as a diuretic to flush out excess fluids and is used during surgery as a substance that opens the blood/brain barrier to ease the passage of other drugs. TAU researchers said mannitol could be a novel therapy for the treatment of Parkinsons and other neurodegenerative diseases. After the team identified the structural characteristics that facilitate the development of clumps of a-synuclein, they began searching for a compound that could inhibit the proteins ability to bind together. They found mannitol was among the most effective agents in preventing aggregation of the protein in test tubes. In order to test the capabilities of mannitol in the living brain, the team turned to transgenic fruit flies engineered to carry the human gene for a-synuclein. They … Continue reading →