[Stitcher]

Possible Breakthrough Could Help Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Last Edited: Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 9:08 PM CDT
Created: Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 9:08 PM CDT
MyFox Chicago TV

Chicago -- A new development could change the lives of millions of Americans who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease. Medical reporter Margaret Shortridge spoke with a Chicago doctor about a possible breakthrough.

"Chicago -- A new development could change the lives of millions of Americans who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease. Medical reporter Margaret Shortridge spoke with a Chicago doctor about a possible breakthrough."

VIDEO REPORT

[smithclayriley]

Good info, thanks

Bonnie

[Howardh]

this be a replacement for the cumbersome electro wiring contraption that is DBS? The woman in the video showed similar actions as a DBS patient involving tremor. Good stuff.

[lurkingforacure]

and the interesting this is, is that this is very similar to the Texas doctor (from Corpus Christi) who was treating patients for pain with low voltage electrical currents at the hands and feet, and just happened to discover that those patients also suffering from PD got better in their PD symptoms. Another Texas doctor is now using the device on a handful of PD patients with "very promising results"...here's the link (if you can't open it up, google Dr. Izor and/or Dr. Rhodes and it should get you the info.)

http://www.paindefeat.com/wiki/PDFT/Media

[ol'cs]

struck me about this procedure. IOt seems to abolish tremroring which is the bane of a population of PWP who are tremor dominant. This was the same with DBS. A lot of us have the "type" of PD where we can touch our nose Ok, but just can't get out of bed for the weakness and the bad balance, and other symptoms. Thie described form of neural stimulation is centered in the spinal chord, which may be the "sweet spot" for those with tremor dominant PD. They claimed that Muhammed Ali "doesn't have PD, but has PD like symptoms. I think that they are saying that he doesn't have tremor dominant PD. I wonder if this procedure is applicable to us "akinetics" as well?

[Jaye]

Could be it would help our dyskinesias, as DBS is purported to do.
J.

Originally Posted by ol'cs

struck me about this procedure. IOt seems to abolish tremroring which is the bane of a population of PWP who are tremor dominant. This was the same with DBS. A lot of us have the "type" of PD where we can touch our nose Ok, but just can't get out of bed for the weakness and the bad balance, and other symptoms. Thie described form of neural stimulation is centered in the spinal chord, which may be the "sweet spot" for those with tremor dominant PD. They claimed that Muhammed Ali "doesn't have PD, but has PD like symptoms. I think that they are saying that he doesn't have tremor dominant PD. I wonder if this procedure is applicable to us "akinetics" as well?

[ol'cs]

but I sure wish that thye had a better explanation for the "two different kinds of PD" that we observe. I saw "awakenings" for about the tenth time a couple of weeks ago and remember the good doctor asking the chemist if "suppose that the tremors are so fast, that it appears that there is no movement at all". But this was in reference to post- encephalitic PD, and there aren't many of them if any left to study now.
I like what i hear, here, as some of us have recently made us aware of the peripheral effects and the questions that they are asking now, how the overall CNS symptoms may be part and parcel of peripheral effects of PD.
WE all have to think and write down the most untenable queries and opinions here and not be afraid to question and/ or argue over new studies and research. WE are a unique site and i think we give a perspective about PD amongst our contributors (when and if they can write what they are thinking down for all to peruse), I mean we are willing to talk about anything PD related, and don't flame people for questions or queries that seem "off the wall". A hearty disagreement is all that i've seen on this site between members for a long time here. Other PD bloggs are a bit sheepish about contributions. The statement "I have PD not a PhD" doesn't sit with me at all. Spend long enough with any subject and you can easily surpass the knowledge of some of the best PD researchers. Collectively WE are a force to be reckond with, concerning knowledge about PD

[imark3000]

Originally Posted by Carolyn

Possible Breakthrough Could Help Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Last Edited: Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 9:08 PM CDT
Created: Wednesday, 21 May 2008, 9:08 PM CDT
MyFox Chicago TV

Chicago -- A new development could change the lives of millions of Americans who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease. Medical reporter Margaret Shortridge spoke with a Chicago doctor about a possible breakthrough.

"Chicago -- A new development could change the lives of millions of Americans who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease. Medical reporter Margaret Shortridge spoke with a Chicago doctor about a possible breakthrough."

VIDEO REPORT

Thanks Carolyne. IT SEEMS it requires implanting a device BUT where? If it works like IN the video than it may be indeed a BREAKTHROUGH

[Judith]

Hello,

I received an email last night from FoxNews Chicago's vice president of news, Andrew Finlayson, asking for my feedback on this story. Here's a portion of my response to him:

Dear Mr. Finlayson,

Thank you for sending me the link to your news story, “Possible Breakthrough Could Help Parkinson’s Disease Patients.” I have looked at it carefully and also forwarded it to my neurologist, who is a movement disorder specialist at the University of Rochester (NY) Medical Center which is one of the National Parkinson Foundation’s Centers of Excellence. Since you asked for feedback, I’ll share here both of our thoughts about the story.

I found the story interesting, although I questioned whether the wonderful benefits experienced by a woman who has a “tremor similar to Parkinson’s disease” would be likely for someone who actually has PD. As the reporter correctly noted, the procedure would need to be tested in clinical trials before it could be tried on other patients.

According to the National Parkinson Foundation, approximately 30% of people with Parkinson’s don’t experience tremor at all. Other “cardinal” symptoms of PD are slowness of movement, muscle rigidity, and impaired balance and coordination. In addition there are many secondary symptoms. The nature of the disease and rate of progression vary tremendously from one person to another. Therefore, the implication that a person “like” Michael J Fox or Mohammed Ali could potentially be helped by this “possible breakthrough” is stretching things a bit. Fox and Ali’s symptoms are undoubtedly very different from those experienced by the woman in the story.

After viewing the video, my neurologist said that from looking at the patient and samples of her handwriting, it appears that she has Essential Tremor (ET) rather than Parkinson’s. He did find it interesting that a spinal cord stimulator would have that effect on ET because stimulators for that condition are traditionally placed in a part of the brain known as the thalamus. He also said that just as it was for this patient, stimulation is a very effective treatment for tremor “with improvement noted in terms of seconds.” Overall, my doctor felt cautious about reading too much into the story and he found it odd that you would choose to go public with it prior to any scientific peer review. And as a neurologist, he felt a bit dubious about a non-neurologist (Dr. ElBorno) diagnosing PD. He also thought the statement by the reporter that PD has ineffective medical or surgical treatments “a little overstated and dramatic” As he said, “There are lots of very helpful things for patients with PD.”

Finally, thank you for asking for my feedback and for your interest in Parkinson’s disease.

Judith

[smithclayriley]

So well said ol'cs. As a newbie I feel comfortable asking questions, giving an opinion or just letting others know what I experience so I can pick all your very knowledgeable brains. Everyone seems to care and like each other. So refreshing to see.

Bonnie