Men are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease (PD) than women, and the onset of PD in men happens at a younger age. However, women with PD have a higher mortality rate, and once they have Parkinson’s, progression is faster. Research suggests that women get the disease at later in life when compared to men, at least in part, due to the natural protection estrogen provides. There are studies that have demonstrated that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can provide dopaminergic neuroprotection in both young and menopausal female mice.

Could the female sex hormone, estrogen, be a therapeutic approach for delaying or reducing PD symptoms for men?

Recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience, a study titled, “Female Sex and Brain-Selective Estrogen Benefit α-Synuclein Tetramerization and the PD-like Motor Syndrome in 3K Transgenic Mice” (Rajsombath, Nam, Ericsson, & Nuber, 2019) investigated this possible therapeutic neuroprotective effect.

Using mice called 3K that show motor and neural changes associated with PD, researchers injected male mice under the skin with the hormone therapy DHED. What makes DHED so special is that it was designed to only activate estrogen in the brain. This matters because estrogen therapy has been associated with an increase in cancer in other parts of the human body.

The motor performance and brain health of the 3K male and female mice were compared along with whether DHED affects the progression of PD-like symptoms in males. The motor evaluations included their ability to clasp, climb down a pole, gait (walk) and balance on an accelerating rotarod, which is a lot like lumberjack logrolling. There were also highly sophisticated tests to determine possible changes in the build-up or clearing of protein clumping in the brain, along with the decline or increase in the health of dopamine neurons.

Results

Like the sex differences found in people with PD, 3K male mice developed PD-like symptoms faster than female mice. Furthermore, male mice treated with DHED had:

• Improved clasping abilities
• Improved downclimbing
• Improved gait
• Improved balance
• Better clearing of risky alpha-synuclein (protein clumps in the brain)
• Healthier dopamine neurons

What Does This Mean?

This study focused on the 3K male mice and how they responded to the estrogen therapy, DHED. When the male mice were treated with the DHED, they showed improvements in all the motor functions tested. They also showed significant improvements in the brain, including healthier dopamine neurons and lower amounts of alpha-synuclein at risk for clumping. Remember, clumped alpha-synuclein becomes Lewy Bodies ― a hallmark of PD.

It is also important to note that the successful development of the 3K model itself – which duplicates many differences in male and female PD at motor, cellular and molecular levels – is a significant step forward in closing the gender gap in PD research. Having a model that helps unravel how the pathology differently affects the two sexes informs new avenues of research that could lead to the development of tailored medications and interventions to meet the distinct needs of men and women with PD.

Learn More
The Parkinson’s Foundation believes in empowering the Parkinson’s community through education. Learn more about the Parkinson’s and Gender differences in the below Parkinson’s Foundation resources or by calling our free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).

• Center of Excellence Series: University of Pennsylvania Movement Disorder Center Is a Leader in Women’s Parkinson’s Research
• Parkinson’s Foundation Identifies First Woman-Focused Parkinson’s Research Agenda
• Alpha-synuclein & DNA: The Ties that Bind

Over the next three years the Parkinson’s Foundation will invest more than $50 million to Parkinson’s disease (PD) research and clinical care. At the heart of our research initiatives are scientists and researchers who have received Foundation awards to improve our understanding of Parkinson’s, which will ultimately lead us to a cure.

While there is no known single cause for non-genetic (idiopathic) Parkinson’s disease, most cases are likely caused by interaction between a person’s genetics and their environment. Genetics cause about 10% to 15% of all Parkinson's. This is called familial PD. However, not everyone who carries PD gene mutations develop the disease.

Briana De Miranda, PhD, received a Postdoctoral Fellowship for Basic Scientists from the Parkinson’s Foundation to study the role environmental exposures play in the risk for both idiopathic and familial PD. Environmental factors that are linked to increased PD risk include pesticides, such as rotenone and paraquat, and the industrial solvent trichloroethylene (TCE).

These chemicals disrupt the functioning of the mitochondria, the “powerhouse” of the cell. In addition, Dr. De Miranda has found that rotenone, paraquat and TCE cause activation of the protein affected by one of the most commonly inherited PD genetic mutations, LRRK2.

Her goal is to investigate whether mutations in LRRK2 increase susceptibility to the damaging effects of these chemicals, even when a person is exposed to low levels. She will also assess whether inhibiting the LRRK2 protein protects against these effects.

To achieve this goal, she will study the interactions of these environmental toxicants with LRRK2 in brain nerve cells. She will also use an animal model to study LRRK2 activation following exposure to these toxicants.

Clinical trials are currently underway for LRRK2 inhibitors for use in inherited PD cases. Our hope is this research may provide evidence that these drugs may help prevent PD induced by environmental toxicant exposure and lead to expanded use of LRRK2 inhibitors to treat those with idiopathic PD who have been exposed to these chemicals.

Parkinson's Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships for Basic Scientists are two-year fellowships for young scientists, fresh from their PhD training, to study at major research institutions. Postdoctoral Fellowships for Clinical Neurologists are awarded to young clinicians who have completed their neurology residency and want research experience.

What's Next: Reporting Our Findings

Parkinson’s Foundation research awards fund Parkinson’s studies than can span up to three years. Scientists submit yearly progress reports to the Parkinson’s Foundation, and we report findings once the studies have concluded. Stay up to date with our latest research findings at Parkinson.org/Blog.

One of the only facts we know about Parkinson’s disease (PD) and medical marijuana is that more research is needed to understand the utility of marijuana or cannabis to treat Parkinson’s symptoms. In its latest research endeavor, the Parkinson’s Foundation has launched a survey to identify themes in cannabis and marijuana use and perceived benefits and risks to inform the design and priorities of future PD clinical trials.

The Parkinson’s community has looked to marijuana or cannabis to provide some relief from PD-related movement and non-movement symptoms. However, little is known about the effects of marijuana or cannabis for Parkinson’s. Unknown information includes benefit to symptoms, potential side effects and safety issues.

The Parkinson’s Foundation “Cannabis and Parkinson’s disease” survey will hear directly from people with Parkinson’s about their:

• Reasons for or against marijuana or cannabis use
• Methods and frequency of marijuana or cannabis use
• Benefits or risks of marijuana or cannabis use

“We exist to help the PD community, and right now they are interested in knowing if and how cannabis can be beneficial or if it can lead to a better quality of life. We want to help answer that question,” said James Beck, PhD, Parkinson’s Foundation Chief Scientific Officer. “When it comes to research, this is an unexplored area that has the potential to treat Parkinson’s symptoms.”

The Parkinson’s Foundation plans to administer the anonymous survey to both men and women with Parkinson’s, across all racial and ethnic groups. The Foundation hopes to reach 10,000 people with Parkinson’s. The survey has received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval ― a high research standard approved by an independent oversight committee and governed by Federal Regulations. 

The survey will be administered in January and February 2020. The Foundation will publish survey results in early fall 2020.

How the Foundation Has Addressed Medical Marijuana and Parkinson’s

Few clinical studies have enrolled people with Parkinson’s to investigate the effects of medical marijuana on PD symptoms. As part of its research initiatives, the Foundation remains committed to addressing the needs and priorities of the Parkinson’s community.

In July 2019, Dr. Beck provided testimony to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the agency’s proposed rule concerning scientific data and information about the safety, manufacturing, product quality, marketing, labeling and sale of products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds. “Special warnings to consumers with neurologic disease such as PD, should be included in the labeling of cannabis-derived products,” said Dr. Beck during the FDA session. “Information is key for consumers to make decisions that are appropriate to their health needs.” 

The Foundation held its first-ever medical marijuana research conference in March 2019. At the conference PD experts and people with Parkinson’s discussed the evidence for use of medical cannabis in PD, including gaps in knowledge, potential health effects and safety concerns in an effort to establish a consensus to guide the patient community and future research efforts.

In 2016, the Foundation, in partnership with Danny Bega, MD, from Northwestern University and other researchers, published the attitudes about cannabis at 40 Centers of Excellence. This is the Foundation’s first study to provide data on the practices, beliefs and attitudes of expert PD physicians concerning cannabis use. While there is no general agreement on what the benefits might be for people with PD, the survey confirmed that cannabis is a popular subject within Parkinson’s Foundation centers as 95 percent of neurologists reported having been asked to prescribe cannabis.

Learn More

Check out the below Parkinson’s Foundation marijuana and Parkinson’s resources:

• Marijuana and Parkinson’s: What Do We Really Know?
• Expert Briefing webinar: Marijuana & PD: What Do We Really Know?
• Ask the Experts: The Challenges of Using Marijuana as a Parkinson’s Treatment, Part 1
• Podcast: Episode 26: Medical Marijuana: Going Green for PD?

The Parkinson’s Foundation has provided funding to more than 550 researchers since 2010. These scientists and researchers receive Foundation awards to improve our understanding of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which will ultimately lead us to better treatments and a cure. We recently sat down with nine of them to get the latest highlights of their ongoing PD research:

Stay up-to-date on the latest Parkinson’s research:

1. Join our email list at Parkinson.org
2. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
3. Watch the latest Parkinson’s disease videos on our YouTube channel.

One of the major genetic risk factors believed to contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is having a mutation in the gene called GBA1 (glucocerebrosidase). Unable to do its job correctly, this damaged gene leads to the build-up of unhealthy, misfolded clumps of alpha-synuclein in the brain. These clumps, called Lewy bodies, impact dopamine production and are the hallmark of PD. What if there was a way to prevent the build-up of Lewy bodies in the first place?

A 2020 study published in JAMA Neurology, titled, “Ambroxol for the Treatment of Patients with Parkinson Disease with and Without Glucocerebrosidase Gene Mutations: A Nonrandomized, Noncontrolled Trial” (Mullin et al., 2020), investigated whether an over-the-counter cough syrup, called Ambroxol, may be the key. The cough syrup, specifically, an expectorant, is used to break up phlegm.

Shown in previous studies to improve GBA1 function in neurons, this 2a study (known as a proof-of-concept study) set to find out if Ambroxol could cross the blood/brain barrier, and function as a molecular chaperone (in other words, physically help the GBA1 protein function properly).

This 186-day clinical trial of 17 people with PD ― with and without the GBA1 mutation ― involved participants taking progressively increasing doses of Ambroxol in the form of an oral tablet. Baseline measurements included physical and neurological examination, an electrocardiogram, blood sampling and spinal fluid examination obtained by lumbar puncture. Three additional in-person clinical visits were held on day 11, day 93, and day 186. Of note, at baseline, Ambroxol was undetectable in both the blood serum and spinal fluid. All study participants continued their normal L-dopa therapy throughout the trial.

Results

In study participants both with and without the gene mutation:

• Ambroxol successfully crossed the blood-brain barrier.
• Ambroxol was safe and well-tolerated at the administered dose. 
• Ambroxol successfully bound to the mutated genes’ protein, which physically helped the protein function properly.
• Healthy levels of alpha-synuclein increased in the spinal fluid. 

What Does This Mean?

This study showed that Ambroxol is safe to use as a treatment in people with Parkinson’s. Ambroxol may slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease. How? Taking Ambroxol as a medication can prevent the negative effects of the GBA mutation ― including possibly reducing the formation Lewy bodies at the source. Ambroxol shows promise, and warrants further investigation ― including conducting larger, placebo-controlled trials.

Of note, while Ambroxol has been used as a safe and effective over the counter expectorant for adults and children in more than 50 countries for 30-plus years, the administered dose in this trial was approximately 10 times the specified dosage. Additionally, Ambroxol is currently not approved for prescription or over the counter use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any indication, at this time.

Learn More

The Parkinson’s Foundation believes in empowering the Parkinson’s community through education. Learn more about the Parkinson’s and the GBA mutation in the below Parkinson’s Foundation resources or by calling our free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).

• GBA Mutation May Lead to Novel Therapeutics
• Genetic Testing

At the Parkinson's Foundation, one of the ways we make life better for people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is through research. Every day, your generous donations help us fund cutting-edge PD research initiatives and support scientists working on the causes and treatments for Parkinson’s that could one day lead to a breakthrough.

In this Neuro Talk, our Chief Scientific Officer, James Beck, PhD, walks us through the research we’re supporting right now and how your support goes a long way at the Parkinson's Foundation. 

Learn more about the research you fund.

Does Parkinson’s disease (PD) only affect movement? Can doctors predict its progression? Can stem cells cure Parkinson’s? In this Neuro Talk, our Chief Scientific Officer, James Beck, PhD, debunks seven common myths about Parkinson's disease.

Watch the latest Parkinson’s disease videos on our YouTube channel.

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is currently part of our daily lives, the Parkinson’s Foundation is addressing the top questions about the virus and Parkinson’s disease (PD). On March 18, 2020 Michael S. Okun, MD, Parkinson’s Foundation Medical Advisor, and Fred Southwick, MD, Infectious Disease Expert and Author, both from the University of Florida Health, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, answered the top COVID-19 questions from our community. View the event recording now. Of course, our Helpline Specialists, 1-800-4PD-INFO, are here to assist you with any other questions that are not covered here.

FAQ on COVID-19 and PD:

1. Are people with Parkinson’s more at risk of developing COVID-19?

Those living with Parkinson’s disease are in a “high risk group,” this includes all ages. We are learning that COVID-19 tends to be more severe in the elderly and those with chronic diseases. Currently, there is no evidence that a PD diagnosis makes you more vulnerable to contracting illness. The best advice for those with PD is prevention.

2. Do people with PD have a compromised immune system?

In short, those with PD have an intact immune system that functions well. We believe that in general the Parkinson’s disease immune system functions at a high level and is similar to the immune system in those without Parkinson’s.

3. Should I get the pneumonia vaccine?

Yes, regularly get pneumonia vaccinations if you have Parkinson’s.

4. Are people with PD more prone to lung issues?

Yes, people with PD are more prone to pneumonias and infections. Respiratory issues can make it difficult to take deep breaths, getting enough oxygen into the lungs. These potential issues are a reason those with PD are considered a high-risk group.

5. Should I get the flu vaccine?

Yes, every person with Parkinson’s should get the flu shot.

6. ​​Are over-the-counter cold and flu medications safe to use with levodopa-carbidopa? For example, Mucinex Fast-Max has a caution about MAOI drug interactions.

Over the counter medications are safe in general, but a few things to watch out for include MAO-B inhibitors (selegiline, rasagiline, Xadago, others) should not be mixed with dextromethorphan which is common in many cough syrups. Also, if you have high blood pressure avoid drugs with pseudoephedrine. Read our blog article on the topic.

7. Should I keep going to my scheduled doctor’s appointments?

Call your doctor’s office and ask if it is necessary to come in person for a visit. In many cases medication refills and adjustments can be performed over the phone or by telemedicine. If it is recommended you attend in person, wash your hands, call ahead and avoid crowded waiting areas.

8. Should I prepare for my doctor’s appointments being cancelled?

Yes, prepare for your routine doctor’s appointments to be cancelled and try to set up a phone or telemedicine follow-up.

9. When my mother goes to the hospital for other issues related to her Parkinson’s they usually keep her overnight for observation. If her symptoms are not severe or lasting 24 hours, should she stay home?

In general, try to avoid hospitalizations or clinic appointments if possible. In emergencies call the doctor’s office or emergency room and let them know you are coming, so preparations can be made for your arrival. Try to avoid crowded waiting rooms.

10. My Parkinson’s affects my blood pressure. How might COVID-19 affect me?

In general Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s medications both lower blood pressure. Watch out for “passing out” or dizziness when changing position (e.g. standing). Hydration, compression stockings, abdominal binders, and in some cases medications may be helpful. If the problem is blood pressure that is too high, then a conference between your Parkinson’s doctor and the internist would be the next step.  Sometimes it is supine hypertension and the head of the bed needs to be elevated.  Sometimes it is simply wearing off of the Parkinson's medications. It is important to establish cause before treatment is initiated.

11. Should I travel? Should I fly?

No. We do not recommend that people with Parkinson’s fly at this time. We recommend staying home and socially distancing.

12. If my state has a low incidence is it safe to travel within it?

No, do not travel.

13. Should I stay home? Should I go to group exercise classes and support groups?

Stay home, temporarily suspend going to in-person group exercise classes and support groups. We recommend safe exercise and support through resources on the internet such as the Parkinson’s Foundation YouTube channel and PD Conversations.

14. Rehabilitation facility and nursing home questions:

• Is it safer to keep my loved one in a nursing home or bring her/him home?

You should do everything you can to try to safely keep your loved one in the facility with the around-the-clock care and resources. Telephone calls and video-chatting may be useful. In rare cases, some families may have the resources and support to bring a patient home, however, remember this virus pandemic could last several months. Don’t be so quick to remove your loved one from a nursing home or facility. Talk to your doctor and medical team first. If you decide to make the move, make sure you have the right gear, medication and support.

• Where is my loved one most likely to get better care and access to treatment if they develop symptoms (at a nursing home or if I take them to the hospital)? 

It is best to employ the screening recommended for COVID-19 by the CDC.  Each nursing facility has a doctor and if the screening tests at the bedside suggest it, a COVID-19 a protocol will be activated, and the doctor will arrange isolation and appropriate next steps for potential transfer and formal testing.

• What should I do if my loved one is quarantined in a nursing home and I am not allowed to visit?

This is a tough situation and we recommend regular phone calls and video chats.

• My husband is in a nursing home and has dementia. He becomes delusional and hallucinates when he doesn’t see me regularly. How can I address the “side effects” of social isolation if I can’t visit?

First, our hearts go out to you and your family. A few strategies we have recommended include regular telephone calls, use of telemedicine and in exceptional situations sometimes moving back home, if support is available. This would apply only to families who have the right supplies and support to keep their loved one safe for several months.

• I live in a nursing home. Should I try to temporarily stay with a relative?

If it is possible and resources are available to completely support you for several months, this is worth consideration and should be discussed with your doctor.

• What can I do if I or my loved one is in a nursing home and plans to stay?

Nursing homes must follow strict CDC guidelines. It does not hurt to ask those in charge if they’re following these guidelines. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to play a role in reminding the people who are taking care of you to follow protocol, like washing their hands. Try to stay clean and socially isolate, staying six feet away from others, when possible. Get on Facetime and call friends and family as often as possible.

15. Is there anything I can do to prevent getting COVID-19?

Regular handwashing, social distancing, avoid crowds and stay home. In your home, limit visitors and ideally take in no outside visitors.

16. Any advice for avoiding social isolation anxiety?

When you socially isolate it can be easy to become distant. Get on Facetime, especially with loved ones in nursing homes/facilities, but also reach out to friends and family. We want people to know they’re cared for, talk on the phone as much as you can. Decrease the anxiety around cabin fever. Reach out. The power of social interaction is powerful to calm people down.

17. Should I get dental work done?

Any elective procedures such as dental cleanings or procedures should be delayed, if possible.

18.  Should I avoid taking ibuprofen if I think I might have COVID-19?

There are many false stories on ibuprofen and COVID-19 circulating. Currently there is no evidence to support a worsening of COVID-19 with ibuprofen use. We will continue to monitor the situation, but in general we are trying to reassure patients that ibuprofen and other medications recommended by your doctor are safe. If you have concerns, consider Tylenol or another alternative.

If you have questions about Parkinson’s contact our free bilingual Helpline at
1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) or Helpline@Parkinson.org. 

“Parkinson’s disease (PD) is not only happening in the brain,” said Malú Tansey, PhD, Director of the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease at the University of Florida (UF), a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence. “It’s a multisystem disease with many non-motor symptoms that manifest in the gastrointestinal system.”

UF in collaboration with Emory University is a newly designated Parkinson’s Foundation Research Center — a medical or academic institution that receives Foundation funding to strengthen its PD research efforts. UF will receive $2 million to conduct three unique, PD-specific studies led by Dr. Tansey, an endowed chair of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health, that seek to establish key connections between the gut and Parkinson’s:

Study 1: Connecting Gut Bacteria to PD

Researchers suspect that alpha-synuclein (a key protein involved in the development of PD) levels change depending on the microbes and pathogens present in the gut. This study in collaboration with Emory School of Medicine led by Tim Sampson, PhD, will seek to find if this connection is a two-way street by assessing protein changes in the microbiome (the body’s storage of bacteria) and how it responds to inflammation in the gut. In short, can balancing your gut bacteria with a probiotic or diet help control alpha-synuclein levels and how the protein travels from the gut to the brain?

Study 2: What Is a PD Genetic Mutation Doing in the Gut?

LRRK2 is a common gene mutation linked to Parkinson’s. This study will help us understand the role LRRK2 plays in the gut-brain highway. In order to find out, researchers will use mouse models that have LRRK2 mutations to track if these mutations change the gut and how they affect the brain. Then, they will put the gut microbiota from the PD models in healthy mice to see how the gut is triggered. From there, researchers can figure out which parts of the system bring proteins to pathology (the potential effect and cause of a disease).

Study 3: Creating a PD-Colitis Molecular Signature

This study will cross-reference those with the inflammation of the gut (such as irritable bowel syndrome) and those living with Parkinson’s. Through analyzing samples of 120 participants, researchers seek to find relationships between inflammatory molecular signatures in the gut and Parkinson’s progression.

Interestingly, should a person with Parkinson’s know they have the LRRK2 genetic mutation, through the Parkinson’s Foundation genetic initiative for instance, they would be able to sign up for a study like this.

“Receiving Research Center funding is a way for me to say that the Parkinson’s Foundation believes in providing us the opportunity to become a truly interdisciplinary multi-center and reach out to experts in the GI, neurology, gut-immunobiology and immunology fields to help us understand the mechanisms of Parkinson’s in order to better develop new treatments,” Dr. Tansey said.

Research gives Dr. Tansey hope. “What is most exciting for me is that by understanding the gut-brain connection and how we can alter the microbiome through things that are in your control — from probiotics, diet, exercise or lifestyle — we may one day be able to delay the onset of Parkinson’s,” Dr. Tansey said.

This article was featured in our spring 2020 Parkinson Report.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is now the world’s fastest growing brain disorder, even faster than Alzheimer’s. Ten million people live with Parkinson's world-wide. Over the past 25 years, the number of people with Parkinson’s has more than doubled. At this current rate, the number will double again in the coming generation. In the U.S., the number of Americans with the condition has increased by 35% in the last 10 years alone. We must act to stop Parkinson’s disease.

Four authors (three PD specialists and a neuroscientist) wrote a book called Ending Parkinson’s Disease that highlights the rise of the disease, the factors contributing to the increase and what steps we can take together to help end the disease.

Our prescription for action includes a “PACT” that details steps we can do to:

1. Prevent the disease

Several environmental factors, including air pollution, heavy metals, certain pesticides, and industrial chemicals like trichloroethylene are linked to PD. One pesticide called paraquat more than doubles the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, kills the weeds that RoundUp cannot and has been banned by 32 countries, including China. Yet, use in the U.S. has doubled in the past decade. Despite a petition signed by more than 100,000 members of the Parkinson’s community, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has failed to act. We need to ban this pesticide and take other actions to minimize the risk of Parkinson’s disease from the foods we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

2. Advocate for better policies and resources 

In addition to better environmental policies, to end Parkinson’s disease will require additional resources. The National Institute of Health (NIH) funds $3 billion per year to enhance our understanding of HIV. This research has likely prevented millions, including many of us from ever developing the disease and led to numerous treatments that now makes a HIV a chronic, rather than rapidly fatal condition. By contrast the NIH funds less than $200 million per year for Parkinson’s disease. We need to change that.

3. Care for all affected 

Many individuals with Parkinson’s do not see a neurologist or specialist for PD. Those who do not are more likely to fracture their hip or be placed in a skilled nursing facility. Expert care models, like ParkinsonNet developed by Bas Bloem, MD, and his colleagues, telemedicine and Centers of Excellence can provide better care to almost anyone anywhere.  We need to embrace such models and ensure that Medicare, supported by taxpayers like you, does the same.

4. Treat the disease with novel therapies 

The most effective medication for Parkinson’s remains a 50-year-old drug, levodopa. While effective, it does not address the underlying disease and has its own complications. To develop a new generation of therapies aimed at the underlying pathology of the disease, we need better, objective measures of the disease and to support efforts to develop gene-targeted therapies.  The PD GENEration study and other efforts can help individuals better understand their genetic risk of the disease. Additional surgical interventions can also advance our treatment of those already affected by the disease.

All of these will require the collective action of all us. The same collective action that changed the course of polio through a March of Dimes and the course of HIV through a Quilt that covered the National Mall.  We hope that the book will help catalyze such action and we look forward to your thoughts and suggestions.  

Visit the Ending Parkinson’s Disease book website or email your suggestions to Info@EndingPD.org.  The book is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 
All proceeds will be donated to efforts to end this debilitating disease.

Article written by: Ray Dorsey, MD, and Michael Okun, MD.