Neuro Talk: Accelerating Drug Discovery Through the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech
Launching a new Parkinson’s disease (PD) drug can take years and cost upwards of one billion dollars.
In our latest Neuro Talk, John L. Lehr, president and CEO of the Parkinson's Foundation, and Arthur Roach, director of the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech at Parkinson’s UK, discuss how the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech is accelerating PD drug discovery and development. This international collaboration will help find the next life-saving Parkinson’s drug in years, not decades.
This week’s Fitness Friday will offer a workout that will focus on proper boxing form, breaking down the individual moves from basic stance to more complex punching combinations.
Our instructors will share how Rock Steady Boxing makes adaptations to a traditional boxer’s training regimen to address Parkinson’s symptoms. Instructors will offer basic boxing moves and the Rock Steady Boxing “brand” with fun, upbeat music, and humor. We will feature a personal connection to someone with Parkinson’s, offering words of encouragement and inspiration to viewers.
Equipment needed: sturdy chair and water bottle.
Instructor
Chris Timberlake, ACSM CIFT, CPT
Jessica Eckelbarger, ACE CPT
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends, and the community.
Each month, Dr. Rush invites you to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with yourself and your Parkinson’s community through a guided mindfulness practice. Together, we’ll explore simple ways to ground the body, calm the mind, and cultivate compassion and clarity that you can carry into your week.
Acompáñenos para un programa educativo virtual. Escuche a especialistas en Parkinson, además de conocer recursos y enterarse acerca de la oportunidad de participar en el estudio de PD GENEration. Aprenderá acerca de la salud mental y la enfermedad de Parkinson, el rol de la genética y la salud mental. También tendrá la oportunidad de escuchar a profesionales hablar de temas importantes durante segmentos paralelos específicamente para hombres o mujeres.
Este programa es gratuito y está disponible para cualquier persona interesada, incluyendo a las personas con Parkinson y sus familiares, amigos, personas de apoyo y promotores de salud.
Bienvenida
Anny Coral, Parkinson's Foundation
Salud mental y la enfermedad de Parkinson
Xavier Cagigas, PhD, University of California Los Angeles
La genética y la salud mental
Ignacio Mata, PhD, Cleveland Clinic
Preguntas y respuestas
Moderadora: Rebeca De León, Parkinson's Foundation
¡Ejercicio - Muévase con nosotros!
Erik Ojeda, Movement Revolution
El Parkinson y el hombre
Juan Ramirez-Castañeda, MD, Methodists Physicians
Ian Rodriguez Preguntas y respuestas
Moderador: Ignacio Mata, PhD, Cleveland Clinic
El Parkinson y la mujer
Paulina Gonzalez-Latapi, MD, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
Claudia Danker, PD Avengers Preguntas y respuestas
Moderador: Priscilla Hodges, CGC, Indiana University
Despedida y agradecimiento
Anny Coral, Parkinson's Foundation
La conferencia se transmitirá en vivo utilizando la aplicación de videollamadas Zoom.
Advancing Research
Meet the Researcher Working to Evolve Parkinson’s Therapies Through the Blood-Brain Barrier
The blood-brain barrier, a network of blood vessels that act as a security system to protect cells in the brain, is an understudied but vital area in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. This barrier allows essential nutrients to enter the brain and keeps unwanted substances out, but the barrier deteriorates in people with PD. Aurélie de Rus Jacquet, PhD, is working to understand how inflammation can affect the permeability of the blood-brain barrier and identify potential therapies to address the problem.
“The blood-brain barrier is sort of the filter that allows good molecules to enter the brain, but prevents others from entering, therefore keeping them in the blood,” said Dr. de Rus Jacquet. “If that barrier stops working properly, a number of molecules that should stay in the blood may actually enter the brain and could end up triggering inflammation, neurodegeneration and all kinds of features that are really detrimental to the brain and are features of Parkinson’s disease.”
Using a 3-D cellular model of the blood-brain barrier, Dr. de Rus Jacquet studied brain cells called astrocytes, which typically regulate the blood-brain barrier, from both people with and without the PD-related LRRK2 G2019S mutation. She found that the Parkinson’s astrocytes secrete harmful molecules and impair the filter function of the blood-brain barrier.
Now, she will study how astrocytes communicate with the immune system and look to identify the molecules that sneak through the blood-brain barrier and trigger neurodegeneration.
While a lot of existing and developing pharmacological therapies are focused around dopamine replacement, Dr. de Rus Jacquet’s research is looking to tackle Parkinson’s from a different angle.
“A lot of effort over the past decades has been focused on trying to find a therapy for dopaminergic neurons,” she said. “But maybe the question is, do we need to find a therapy that addresses dopaminergic neurons and other brain cells as well? One of the goals of this research is to find a way to target the potentially toxic molecules entering the brain from the blood early in Parkinson’s disease, before the neurons die. If we can identify and target those molecules before they enter the brain, it will facilitate drug discovery and success for future therapies.”
Dr. de Rus Jacquet started this important research during her Parkinson’s Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship at Université Laval, Québec, Canada. Afterward, she went on to receive a Parkinson’s Foundation Launch Award to continue this research and has successfully transitioned to her own independent faculty position at Université Laval, where she now operates her own research lab. She recently published a paper on her research in Nature Communications.
“The support of the Parkinson’s Foundation has made a profound impact on my research and my career,” Dr. de Rus Jacquet said. “This work is very complicated and expensive, and the Foundation’s continued support allowed me to smoothly transition everything from my postdoctoral research into my own lab without any gap in timing.”
Dr. de Rus Jacquet is excited to continue to learn more about the blood-brain barrier and how better understanding of how it functions in people with PD can lead to new treatment options.
“Innovative research is what is necessary to make a difference in PD,” said James Beck, PhD, Parkinson’s Foundation chief scientific officer. “But innovation is not something you buy in a store — it takes people. This is why the Parkinson’s Foundation invests in scientists like Dr. de Rus Jacquet who have the insight, creativity and dedication to find new strategies to halt or prevent neurodegeneration in people with PD.”
Now that she is running her own research lab, Dr. de Rus Jacquet is excited to work with students who are interested in PD research and is working to promote diversity in the patient population involved in research studies.
“I have moved on to a new stage where I can continue doing this promising research but also be impactful in other ways,” she said. “I can train the next generation of scientists and get them excited about this work. I can serve on committees working to reach out to a more diverse Parkinson’s population, which is so important to better understanding this disease. None of this work would be possible without the support I’ve received from the Parkinson’s Foundation and the donors who believe in this cause and this research. I’m deeply touched, and I am so grateful.”
Neuro Talk: Strategies for Managing Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
What are common Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms and what causes them? Each person’s experience with Parkinson’s is unique, as are their symptoms and management strategies.
In our latest Neuro Talk, Chief Scientific Officer James Beck, PhD, discusses common movement and non-movement symptoms of Parkinson’s, as well as available treatments and ongoing research. Learning how to navigate symptoms can take time, but ultimately helps empower you to live better with PD.
Episode 160: Atypical Parkinsonism Series: Treatment and Interdisciplinary Approach to Care
Considered “atypical Parkinsonian syndromes,” over half of people with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are initially misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) due to similarities in early symptoms as well as lack of awareness of these rare, neurodegenerative diseases among many healthcare professionals and the general public.
This is the second of three podcast episodes within our atypical parkinsonism podcast series, organized in partnership with CurePSP and designed to address the treatment interdisciplinary approach of PSP, CBD and MSA.
In this second episode of the series, Heather Cianci, Outpatient Neurological Team Leader and founding therapist of the Dan Aaron Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center, Penn Therapy & Fitness at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Julia Wood, Director of Professional and Community Education at the Lewy Body Dementia Association, cover the treatment and interdisciplinary approach to care for atypical parkinsonism.
Julia Wood, Heather Cianci, and podcast host, Dan Keller, have disclosed that they have no relevant financial disclosures.
Released: October 3, 2023
Heather is the founding therapist of the Dan Aaron Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center (Penn Therapy & Fitness) at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, PA – a partner with the University of Pennsylvania’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center (PDMDC). Heather received her Bachelor’s in Physical Therapy from the University of Scranton in Scranton, PA and her Master’s in Gerontology from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. She has been a physical therapist since 1994 and received her board certification in geriatrics in 1999 from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. She is a LSVT® BIG certified clinician, PWR! certified clinician, graduate of the Rock Steady Boxing for Parkinson’s, certified in Music and Memory®, and is an ACTIVATOR® Trainer. She serves as an LSVT® BIG Faculty Instructor for LSVT Global, Inc., and Co-coordinator and PT Faculty for the Parkinson’s Foundation’s (PF) Team Training Program. Heather has authored book chapters on rehabilitative strategies for PD and Frontotemporal Degeneration. She also is the author of the PF educational manual “Fitness Counts.”
Heather has taught for several CEU organizations including Medbridge and Elite Learning. Her research includes movement strategies for bed mobility, falls, freezing of gait, and functional movement disorders. She teaches about rehabilitation and PD at Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, PA) and Neumann University (Aston, PA). Heather is a former board member of CurePSP and team member of both the COPE Clinic (Comprehensive Outpatient Atypical Parkinsonism Evaluation) and Huntington’s Disease Clinic at the PDMDC.
Julia Wood, MOT, OTR/L graduated with her master’s degree in occupational therapy (OT) from the University of Minnesota after completion of her clinical fieldwork in neurological rehabilitation from the Mayo Clinic, St. Mary’s Hospital campus in Rochester, Minnesota. Julia has an extensive clinical background in rehabilitation, interdisciplinary and palliative care in Parkinson’s disease and related dementias. She served as the lead OT at the University of Pennsylvania’s Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders Center of Excellence for ten years where she continues to develop and facilitate community engagement programs for people with PD and related dementias and care partners. Julia is currently the Director of Professional and Community Education for the Lewy Body Dementia Association and serves as certification and training faculty for the LSVT BIG® program. Julia has served as faculty for the Parkinson’s Foundation’s Team Training for Parkinson program since 2016 and served on the Parkinson’s Foundation Rehabilitation Task Force in 2021. She co-authored the first American Occupational Therapy Association Practice Guideline for Adults with Parkinson’s Disease in 2022. Julia served on the steering committee for the 2022 International Lewy Body Dementia Conference and on the Comprehensive Care Subcommittee for the 2023 World Parkinson’s Congress (WPC).
More than 110,000 veterans with Parkinson’s disease (PD) receive care through the U.S. Department of Affairs (VA). Many U.S. military veterans with Parkinson’s have access to specialized medical care and financial assistance through the VA. We will explore the resources and support services that Veterans have access to through the VA and the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Gretchen Glenn, LCSW
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center
Philadelphia Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center
Social Worker / Associate Director of Education
Christina Ketron, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Neurology Services, Nurse Practitioner
Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center
Mr. Welma James Jackson Jr, MA
Capitol Area Regional Manager
Accreditations, OJT and Department Service Officer (VFW)
Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs
Shawn Katalinas MSOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
OT Clinical Care Coordinator for Education (CCCE)
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center
Videos & Webinars
Veterans and PD: Managing Anxiety, Depression, and Apathy
August 31, 2023
For veteran’s living with Parkinson’s disease, non-motor challenges are not always easy to discuss. With a focus on mood changes, including anxiety, depression, and apathy, this program will provide strategies for coping and talking about it with healthcare providers or loved ones.
Megan Gomez, PhD, Clinical Psychologist
Tibor Rubin Medical Center
Long Beach, CA
Educational Events
Nutrition in Parkinson's
10:00 am to 1:00 pm CDT
FREE
Check-in and exhibitor tables open at 9 a.m. ET.
A balanced diet is important for people with Parkinson's disease. Learn about food that may help ease symptoms and support brain health in addition to understanding how some foods can affect the way Parkinson's medications work. This program will also address the latest information on the gut and brain connection with PD.
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community.
Featured Speakers:
Deborah Boland, DO Boland Neurology
Marty Acevedo, MS, RD Parkinson’s Association of San Diego
COVID SAFETY: The health and safety of our participants, sponsors, volunteers and staff are our top priority. We continue to monitor CDC recommendations and will adhere to state and local COVID guidelines in place on the event day. Adjustments will be made if necessary.
Each month, Dr. Rush invites you to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with yourself and your Parkinson’s community through a guided mindfulness practice. Together, we’ll explore simple ways to ground the body, calm the mind, and cultivate compassion and clarity that you can carry into your week.
Get out and move with your community! Every dollar raised supports the Parkinson’s Foundation mission to make life better for people affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD). At Moving Day Community Walks across the country, we’re fighting Parkinson’s and celebrating movement — proven to help manage Parkinson’s symptoms — and we’re doing it together. The Moving Day Community Walk Program is a complement to the Parkinson’s Foundation Moving Day, A Walk for Parkinson’s. These walks are family-friendly and help the Foundation make life better for people with PD.
The Community Walk program offers volunteers an opportunity to organize a walk in their own community that does not have a Moving Day event. The program leverages the personal experiences and community leadership of passionate volunteers to promote Parkinson’s awareness and raise funds for the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Each month, Dr. Rush invites you to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with yourself and your Parkinson’s community through a guided mindfulness practice. Together, we’ll explore simple ways to ground the body, calm the mind, and cultivate compassion and clarity that you can carry into your week.
