Join the Parkinson’s Foundation on Thursday, July 25 via Zoom for a Parkinson’s 101 program highlighting important resources, such as online exercises, hospital safety, our toll-free Helpline, and more.
There is no need to register! Simply click the 'Join Program' button below on Thursday, July 25 at 5 p.m. Mountain Time. JOIN PROGRAM
This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
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In-person check-in, Lunch, and Vendor Expo start at 12 p.m.
Exercise is an essential part of overall Parkinson’s management. In addition to helping with movement symptoms, exercise can have a positive impact on non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s. This program focuses on how exercise supports brain health and can lead to improved emotional and cognitive well-being.
Expert Speakers
Aspen Balthazor, DPT
Joy of Movement Physical Therapy and Wellness, LLC
Shana Gatschet, OT
Club Parkinson's
Parking: Parking is available in the parking garage adjacent to the hotel, with parking fees waived for the event. Note: A circle drive for convenient drop-off is available at the entry off W. Waterman St. See Map for parking options and building access. For driving directions, click here.
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends, medical providers, and the community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
A hospital stay can be a stressful situation for everyone, whether you are the person receiving care or the support person providing comfort. People with Parkinson’s (PD) are at a higher risk of hospitalizations, so it is crucial to be prepared ahead of time for when the situation arises. The Parkinson’s Foundation recently created the Hospital Safety Guide, which is the updated and improved version of the former Aware in Care kit. The Guide incorporates information from the kit, but now highlights the “Five Parkinson’s Care Needs”, which is a tool for communicating your needs and priorities with hospital staff. It also includes a Hospital Planner checklist with step-by-step instructions on how to create a hospital “go bag” for emergencies. The Guide provides infographics and real-life examples from people with Parkinson’s and loved ones who have solved common problems relating to their PD when in the hospital.
In this episode, Annie Brooks, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Parkinson’s Foundation, discusses features of the new Hospital Safety Guide and how best to use it.
Released: July 9, 2024
Annie Brooks, MSW serves as the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Parkinson’s Foundation. In this role, Annie provides leadership and day to day management of Foundation priority programs including the Newly Diagnosed initiative and the Hospital Care Initiative. Since 2018, Annie has helped to lead the expansion of the Parkinson’s Foundation Hospital Care initiative including the publishing of the Foundation’s seminal report, Making Hospital Safer for People with Parkinson’s Diseaseand theParkinson’s Foundation Hospital Care Recommendations.
Her current portfolio of work includes coordinating research collaborations related to improving hospital care and launching and directing the first Parkinson’s Foundation Hospital Care Learning Collaborative. She works closely with colleagues across the foundation to support community programs and resources including the Newly Diagnosed Guide and the Hospital Safety Guide.
Annie completed her Master of Social Work with a focus in Community and Social Justice from The Ohio State University and her Bachelor of Social Work from Florida State University. She is passionate about empowering diverse communities to achieve their best health and social outcomes.
A Protein that Protects Against Brain Cell Degeneration Associated with Parkinson’s
Guanylyl cyclase C (GUCY2C) is protective against dopamine neuron degeneration, a hallmark of Parkinson’s, by helping the cell’s powerhouse.
A new study is the first to identify a brain receptor called GUCY2C as a potential way to fight dopamine loss.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is caused by the death of neurons that produce dopamine — a feel-good chemical related to movement, mood and more — in the brain. Dopamine neurons are involved in movement and the loss of these neurons disrupts the brain's ability to regulate movement, leading to hallmark PD symptoms, such as tremors, rigidity and slowness.
One of the reasons that dopamine neurons die is due to dysfunction of mitochondria, the small oxygen-consuming and energy-producing powerhouses inside cells. Recent research has found a receptor on the surfaces of those Parkinson’s-associated dopamine neurons that may provide therapeutic ways to protect the mitochondria and prevent the progression of the disease.
The receptor, called guanylyl cyclase C (GUCY2C), was first discovered on the surfaces of cells in the intestine, but was recently found in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). This area of the brain is affected in PD.
A new study led by Scott Waldman, MD, PhD, and funded by the Parkinson’s Foundation 2023 Impact Award, gives a clearer picture of how GUCY2C signaling can provide protection against mitochondrial dysregulation and dopamine neuron degeneration that leads to PD. According to the study, in people with Parkinson’s, dopamine neurons make extra GUCY2C receptors.
About the Study & Results
Dr. Waldman and his team studied mice with and without the GUCY2C receptor. They found that loss of GUCY2C led to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and cell death within the part of the brain impacted by PD, suggesting a protective nature of GUCY2C.
When the researchers gave the two groups of mice a toxin that induces PD symptoms by targeting mitochondria in dopamine neurons, only mice that did not have GUCY2C receptors had higher rates of dopamine neuron death. In contrast, mice with GUCY2C increased their production of the protein upon treatment with the toxin, further indicating a protective role.
The researchers also found that cyclic GMP (cGMP), a byproduct of GUCY2C activation, protected dopamine neurons from oxidative stress. In neurons grown in a petri dish, adding a molecule that increases cGMP protected dopamine neurons from oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction when they added the PD-inducing toxin.
These results indicate that in Parkinson’s disease, the increase in GUCY2C might be the body's attempt to protect dopamine neurons from damage. It may be possible to develop a molecule that targets GUCY2C or use existing drugs that increase cGMP to protect dopamine neurons from damage.
Highlights
Loss of the receptor GUCY2C led to dopamine neuron degeneration in mice — in other words, not having the GUCY2C receptor led to neuronal dysfunction in brain regions implicated in PD.
A molecule that increases cGMP (a byproduct of GUCY2C activation) protected neurons grown in a petri dish from mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death when the researchers added a toxin that induces neurodegeneration.
Because GUCY2C is increased in people with Parkinson’s, the study results suggest that the increase in GUCY2C may be the body's attempt to protect dopamine neurons from damage.
What does this mean?
This study is the first to identify the receptor GUCY2C as a possible defense mechanism against dopamine loss. This research marks the beginning of what can be a new way to significantly slow down the progression of Parkinson’s.
Since GUCY2C appears to protect dopamine neurons in the brain, researchers could explore the possibility of stimulating GUCY2C as a treatment for PD. They could also try increasing cGMP, a byproduct of GUCY2C activation. This could potentially prevent the degeneration of dopamine neurons, a hallmark of the disease.
The study also found that people with PD have high levels of GUCY2C, which may also serve as an early indicator of Parkinson’s.
What do these findings mean to the people with PD right now?
With more research, GUCY2C could be a potential biomarker doctors can use to detect PD earlier. Having access to early biomarkers are critical for early therapeutic interventions for people with PD.
In addition, GUCY2C is a promising therapeutic target to prevent or treat PD. While developing a treatment that targets GUCY2C or its byproducts could take time, it remains important for researchers to identify as many potential treatments as possible. People who are currently experiencing Parkinson’s symptoms should talk to a healthcare provider.
Learn More
The Parkinson’s Foundation believes in empowering the Parkinson’s community through education. Learn more about PD and the topics in this article through our below resources, or by calling our free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for answers to your Parkinson’s questions.
Moving Day is an inspiring and empowering annual fundraising walk event that unites people around the country living with Parkinson’s disease (PD), their care partners and loved ones to help beat PD. Moving Day is more than just a walk. It’s a celebration of movement – proven to help manage Parkinson’s symptoms.
Leading up to the event, participants and teams fundraise to help the Parkinson’s Foundation provide vital resources and deliver quality care to more than 364,000 people living with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders, while improving Parkinson’s treatments through research.
Moving Day proceeds help bring quality care to more people with Parkinson’s, further Parkinson’s research, education and outreach initiatives. Moving Day raises awareness of Parkinson’s both nationally and in the local community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Dr. Oksana Suchowersky 00:00:05
Some patients with Parkinson's disease develop problems with their walking, particularly in more advanced stages. For example, when you stand up and first start to walk, or if you come to a doorway or come to a corner where you have to turn around, you may freeze, and that's called freezing.
Music may be helpful. For example, if the individual starts to hum a song, sings to themselves or even counts to themselves, then that rhythm or that music may get their walking going again, and they will be able to walk quite well.
Dr. Oksana Suchowersky 00:01:05
There's also another interesting phenomenon in PD where individuals who have a lot of problems with their gait may be able to dance to music quite normally.
We have a number of examples where people have a lot of problems with freezing of gait, but as soon as a song that they enjoy comes on, they'll be able to waltz or even polka to the music.
When the music stops, their gait improves for a short period of time. Unfortunately, the effect of this music on walking is transient and goes away after a few minutes.
Dr. Oksana Suchowersky 00:01:46
In patients who do have problems with freezing of their gait, we think that this may in part be due to a problem with multitasking. For example, if you're walking and you come to a doorway, then your attention is focused on the doorway rather than on walking.
Sometimes, if you can refocus your attention on stepping and getting walking again, that will help with the freezing of gait.
As Parkinson’s disease (PD) progresses, people with PD may experience freezing of gait or “freezing” episodes. Freezing of gait is the temporary, involuntary inability to move. Not all people with PD experience freezing episodes, but those who do have a greater risk of falling. Usually, freezing only lasts a few seconds, but it is one of the more frustrating and dangerous symptoms of PD.
You may not always be able to prevent a freezing episode, but you can recognize when this Parkinson’s symptom may happen and what you can do to minimize injury.
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Check-in and vendor visits start at 4 p.m. and the program starts at 4:45 p.m.
Navigating Parkinson’s disease involves looking ahead, learning and adjusting as symptoms and needs change. This program addresses some of the challenges of advancing PD and explores strategies to prepare for the future, including how to evolve your care plans and treatments throughout progression, and understanding the importance of financial and legal planning, so you can live your best life with PD now.
Speakers
Elizabeth Zauber, MD
IU Health, A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence
Justin Schuhmacher, Attorney at Law
Indiana Estate and Elder Law
There is no charge to attend, but pre-registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
What can you expect as Parkinson’s disease (PD) progresses? What are the signs and symptoms of each stage? Although the loss of dopamine is universal for people with PD, each person experiences a unique combination of movement and non-movement symptoms and disease progression.
In our latest Neuro Talk, Chief Scientific Officer James Beck, PhD, discusses the different stages of Parkinson’s disease progression and strategies for living well.
Parkinson's Foundation and Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center present: Parkinson's Disease Patient and Family Symposium.
This program will feature experts discussing: Tips from a Movement Disorder Specialist, Advances in Parkinson’s Research, and the Benefits of the Creative Arts for PD. Q&A with the experts, will follow each presentation.
Speakers
Tanya Simuni, MD, FAAN
Northwestern Medicine
Danny Bega, MD, MSCI
Northwestern Medicine
Paulina Latapi, MD, MSc
Northwestern Medicine
Carly Liegel
The Joffrey Ballet
Linda Jedrzejek, MT, BC
Neurologic Music Therapist
Lisa Bany
The Second City
Annie Arnold, MA, ATR-BC, LCPC, CATAP
Institute for Therapy through the Arts
This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required.
10 a.m. Welcome / Opening Remarks Danny Bega, MD, MSCI, Northwestern Medicine Jessica Bartsch, MS, NCC, Parkinson's Foundation
10:15 a.m. Key Note: Top Tips from a Movement Disorders Specialist Paulina Latapi, MD, MSc, Northwestern Medicine (Q&A to follow presentation)
11:05 a.m. Therapeutic Pipeline and Research Update Tanya Simuni, MD, FAAN, Northwestern Medicine (Q&A to follow presentation)
12:05 a.m. Break
12:10 p.m. Be Creative: The Benefit of Visual Art, Music, Dance, and Improv for Parkinson's Disease Danny Bega, MD, MSCI, Northwestern Medicine Carly Liegel, The Joffrey Ballet Linda Jedrzejek, MT-BC, Neurologic Music Therapist Lisa Bany, The Second City Annie Arnold, MA, ATR-BC, LCPC, CATAP, Institute for Therapy through the Arts (Q&A to follow presentation)
Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center provides innovative, multidisciplinary care for patients and families affected by Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. The Center's care team works to promote health, education and support for patients. It also supports caregivers, family members, healthcare providers and the community. We continually strive to meet the needs of the Parkinson's community in a variety of ways. In doing this, we have adapted our annual symposium to a virtual setting for the safety and accessibility of the larger Parkinson's community.
This is a virtual program, taking place live, using the online Zoom platform. Instructions on joining the webinar are provided after registering.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
There are many daily challenges associated with Parkinson’s disease that may lead to social discomfort and ultimately isolation. This webinar will focus on a few that may be less talked about including drooling, urinary incontinence, dyskinesia and even eating in public. We will discuss how each impacts the person with Parkinson’s and address ways to speak to family and friends about how these visible symptoms cause self-consciousness in social situations.
Speaker
Taylor Rush, PhD - Health Psychologist
Director of Behavioral Services and Interdisciplinary Programs
Center for Neurological Restoration
Cleveland Clinic, A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence
There is no charge to attend, but registration is required.
Parkinson’s Champions athletes raise funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation while competing in some of the world’s most popular races. Every step we take brings us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease, because Parkinson’s isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
