Spinal Cord Stimulator Sparks Hope for Parkinson’s Disease

31.07.10 / parkinson disease / Author: Alex
Tags: Cord, Disease, Hope, parkinsons, Sparks, Spinal, Stimulator

The future treatment of Parkinson’s disease may target the spinal cord instead of the brain to help alleviate the slow, rigid movements and tremors that are the hallmarks of the disease. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have developed and tested a first-of-its-kind device that rapidly restored motor function in mice with the symptoms of Parkinsons disease. Miguel Nicolelis, MD, Ph.D., senior study investigator and Anne W. Deane Professor of Neuroscience: “We have discovered a new, semi-invasive way to produce a relief of Parkinson’s disease motor symptoms that is very consistent, can last for long periods of time, that reduces significantly the risks for these patients, and can be done in the early stages of the disease in combination with small doses of pharmacological therapy.” The prosthetic device applies electrical stimulation to the part of the spinal cord that carries tactile information from the body to the brain. Researchers attached the device to the surface of the spinal cord in mice and rats with depleted levels of the chemical dopamine to mimic the biologic characteristics of someone with Parkinsons disease which produced impaired motor skills. When the device was turned on (could have the video timed to have the mouse become active here), the researchers saw an almost immediate and dramatic change in the animals ability to move. Miguel Nicolelis, MD, Ph.D., senior study investigator and Anne W. Deane Professor of Neuroscience: “This shows that a …
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It Is Hard To Know When You Have Parkinson Diseases

While Parkinson’s disease has very distinctive features, it is rather a difficult disease to identify, particularly while it is in its early stages. Unfortunately there are no precise tests, which doctors can do to establish an exact diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and regrettably especially in its early stages it might be mistaken for other diseases. If and when this happens, it delays or prevents the appropriate action being administered in the quickest feasible time.

The trouble with diagnosing Parkinson’s disease accurately is just that the symptoms are not always as clear as doctors would like them to be, Actually there are suggestions that up to 25% of those people presently being treated for Parkinson’s disease might have been wrongly diagnosed and are thus getting inappropriate treatment.

Generally patients that are suspected of suffering from Parkinson’s disease are given tests to guarantee they are certainly not suffering from an illness that can be diagnosed using common methods such as CT scanning, urine sampling X-ray and blood tests etc. However just because these tests may have an inconclusive answer, it doesn’t always mean the person is definitely suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Regrettably some doctors think this is the case, and will automatically offer a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Tests that can be carried out to test for Parkinson’s disease involve systematic neurological assessments that comprise testing the person’s reflexes, balance, muscle strength walk and common movement. Because there are a range of neurological disorders that have similar characteristics to Parkinson’s disease, it’s not very surprising that Parkinson’s disease is so regularly misdiagnosed. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, it doesn’t always hurt to ask your doctor for a second opinion or even better to request to be referred to a physician who specialises in this kind of disease.

An early accurate diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is normally the key to the sufferer being able to preserve their independence and a decent quality of life for fairly a long time.

Some neurological conditions that are regularly confused with Parkinson’s disease include: -
Multiple system atrophy

Supranuclear palsy

Benign Essential Tremor
Multiple Sclerosis

Huntington’s disease

Striato-Nigral Degeneration

Brain tumour

Remaining as independent as feasible is vital to the wellbeing of most sufferers of Parkinson’s disease, and ensuring the symptoms are kept to a minimum by both an accurate diagnosis and treatment is the key to achieving this.

Roger Overanout

Living Well with Parkinson’s Disease: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You….That You Need to Know

A complete guide to Parkinson’s from two people with the disease who cofounded a national support and advocacy organization. In Living Well with Parkinson’s Disease, Gretchen Garie and Michael J. Church, a couple who both have Parkinson’s and live daily with the effects of the disease, thoroughly discuss diagnosis, treatment options, and the emotional consequences of this difficult illness. With a conversational, pragmatic, and personal tone, they offer advice on such topics as: how Parkins

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Question by shosh272: Is it possible that I can get parkinson disease from my father?
My father have parkinson and Im wondering if it can be passed to me or something!!?
I don’t mean like catching flu or somthing!
I mean genetaically or whatever!

Best answer:

Answer by Common Sense
no, you can’t catch it.

Give your answer to this question below!

Grandpa and the puppy take a nap


Image by Ed and Lex
It looks like my dad is not asleep. But, he is. Parkinson’s Disease makes his face muscles squish up in his sleep. Look at the toy on the floor just under Cutie’s head. It’s his favorite: a squeaky reindeer. Ed said it fell off the couch and in the middle of trying to wriggle down and get closer to it, he just fell asleep.