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Mayo Clinic physician to discuss Parkinson's

by: KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer, Thursday, May 14, 2009, 5/14/2009 4:51:29 AM
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/artic...7_MostPa191200
Most Parkinson's disease sufferers or caregivers know about the motor symptoms of the disease, such as tremors and shuffling, said Dr. Keith Josephs, a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

But it can be difficult to learn about nonmotor symptoms, such as hallucinations, memory loss, depression and constipation, he said.

On Saturday, Josephs will be the keynote speaker at the Tulsa Parkinson Conference, which is sponsored by the Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland.

The event, from [Saturday] 9:30 a.m. to noon, is free, but space is limited, so registration is required.


$10 Million Gift to Transform Neuromedicine at URMC

RedOrbit, Posted on: Wednesday, 13 May 2009, 14:54 CDT
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/...ource=r_health
ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A multi-million dollar gift from one of Rochester's hometown entrepreneurs promises to launch the University of Rochester Medical Center's (URMC) neuromedicine program into a nationally recognized, comprehensive center for investigating and treating neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, muscular dystrophy, stroke, and trauma to the brain and spinal cord.

Ernest J. Del Monte, chairman of E.J. Del Monte Corporation, a Rochester-based company that owns and operates 17 hotels in New York State, chose to make the gift with his wife, Thelma, after getting to know neuromedicine leaders at the Medical Center. He's impressed that scientific studies in Rochester are providing critical insight into neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, stroke, brain tumors and injuries to the brain and spinal cord, all of which are rapidly becoming more prevalent. At a URMC news conference today, Del Monte said that his family's $10 million gift is the first installment toward what he hopes will amount to a $20 million commitment to the Institute over time. At $10 million, the Del Monte contribution is the second largest gift in the history of the Medical Center.


Medicinal Plant, St John's Wort, May Reduce Neuronal Degeneration Caused By Parkinson's Disease

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0511181252.htm

ScienceDaily (May 13, 2009) — A research team from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) has carried out a study entitled, “Hypericum perforatum. Possible option against Parkinson's disease”, which suggests that this plant with antidepressant properties has antioxidant active ingredients that could help reduce the neuronal degeneration caused by the disease.


UPDATE / U.S. FDA nominee moves closer to confirmation

By Susan Heavey, Rueters, Wed May 13, 2009 5:51pm EDT
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssP...54405220090513

* Senate health committee approves Hamburg - spokeswoman
* FDA nomination moves to full Senate for vote

WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate committee approved President Barack Obama's pick to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, sending Dr. Margaret Hamburg's nomination one step closer to final approval.


Easing of international stem cell research regulations

PGH Foundation, 13 May 2009 | By Dr Philippa Brice
http://www.phgfoundation.org/news/4577/

In other countries with restrictive regulations on stem cell research, the US developments have further increased pressure from scientists to ease restrictions. South Korea recently reversed a ban on stem cell research using human oocytes (eggs), granting approval to a new research project using oocytes from aborted human fetuses. The ban was originally imposed in 2006 following a scandal surrounding Professor Hwang Woo-suk, a prominent South Korean stem cell researcher who in 2004 published a paper reporting the creation of the first cloned human embryo (see previous news). However, this research not only generated ethical controversy leading to his resignation from Seoul National University (see previous news) but was also subsequently discredited (see previous news) and the paper retracted by Science.


Problem Solving Influenced By Body Movements

Medical News Today, Article Date: 13 May 2009 - 5:00 PDT
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149885.php
Swinging their arms helped participants in a new study solve a problem whose solution involved swinging strings, researchers report, demonstrating that the brain can use bodily cues to help understand and solve complex problems.

The study, appearing in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, is the first to show that a person's ability to solve a problem can be influenced by how he or she moves
Even after successfully solving the problem, almost none of the study subjects became consciously aware of any connection between the physical activity they engaged in and the solution they found.


Ancient Drug Kava Could Be Safe and Effective

NewsMax, By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard, Wednesday, May 13, 2009 9:27 AM
http://www.newsmax.com/health/kava_s...13/213811.html

Australian researchers have found that a traditional preparation of the South Pacific herbal medicine Kava, an ancient drug long used for treating stress and insomnia, is safe and effective. A University of Queensland research team conducted a placebo-controlled, world-first clinical trial. It showed that Kava prepared by the traditional method, which uses water, is safe for treating anxiety and improving mood, while the modern European method of preparation, which uses acetone and ethanol, may be responsible for the ill side effects associated with it.


Study Shows Piclozotan Improves Both Dyskinesia and OFF Time in Parkinson's Disease Patients On Levodopa Therapy

Asubio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to Present Data At the Movement Disorder Society's 13th International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders

On Thursday May 14, 2009, 9:00 am EDT
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Study-...-15242464.html

ROCHELLE PARK, N.J., May 14, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asubio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will present new data on the efficacy and safety of Piclozotan in improving both dyskinesia and OFF time in Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients on levodopa who experience motor complications. Such motor complications may substantially reduce the benefit of levodopa, the gold-standard of therapy. In a two-day pilot study, Piclozotan increased dyskinesia-free ON time and reduced OFF time in patients controlled on levodopa. Patients seemed to acclimate rapidly to the main adverse events (nausea/vomiting, headache and dizziness) of Piclozotan. Overall safety was consistent with other 5-HT1A agonists. ``An agent that improves both OFF time and dyskinesia would allow for better optimization of levodopa, which would be of significant benefit to PD patients,'' said Dr. Jacob Sage, MD, Professor of Neurology at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ, the study's Primary Investigator.

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