Fifteen Additional Myths and Common Misconceptions About Parkinson’s

"Myths are made for the imagination to breath life into them." Albert Camus "The trouble with the world is not that people know too little; it's that they know so many things that just aren't so." Mark Twain Introduction: Parkinson's continues to expand in numbers of people worldwide and firmly stands as the second most …

Journey With Parkinson’s: Some Future Blog Topics and A Personal Science Story

"The only living works are those which have drained much of the author's own life into them." Samuel Butler "The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge." Daniel J. Boorstin Introduction: Listed below are 20 topics related to Parkinson's that I will likely write a blog post on …

Update on My Strategy Using Supplements in Treating Parkinson’s

"Be the kind of person who takes supplements - then skip the supplements." Michael Pollan "One, I am skeptical of the effectiveness of nutritional supplements." Michael Shermer Supplementing Our Treatment Plan: We all contribute to this collective knowledge, using various supplements and over-the-counter compounds to manage our Parkinson's. Besides exercise, what other strategies can we …

An Overview of Dopamine

“I tell everyone: ‘I am not my disease. I am a person with Parkinson’s, and I aim to live life fully.’ For me, it’s all about giving back. How can I leave the world a shade more beautiful?” Barbara Salsberg Mathews “Before, when I was asked about my condition, I would go into defence mode. …

Parkinson’s: The Eyes Have It

"It never hurts your eyesight to look on the bright side of things." Barbara Johnson "Vision is seeing visibly the light of hope within the range of the eyesight." Anuj Introduction: There is no doubt that with age comes a worsening of vision. Furthermore, there is also an effect on one's eyesight by Parkinson's. Consider …

Brief Report: Pallidothalamic Tractotomy by Focused Ultrasound for Parkinson’s Disease

"Patience and fortitude conquer all things." Ralph Waldo Emerson "I know of no higher fortitude than stubborness in the face of overwhelming odds." Louis Nizer Overview: Recently, I reviewed a clinical trial involving ablation of the globus pallidus by focused ultrasound to treat Parkinson's (click here to read this blog post). Some time ago, I …

The Complex Role of Neurotransmitters in Parkinson’s

"Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it's less good than the one you had before." Elizabeth Edwards "Health is wholeness and balance, an inner resilience that allows you to meet the demands of living without being overwhelmed." Andrew Weil Introduction: The goal is to review the role(s) played by dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine (also …

Sudden Unexpected Death in Parkinson’s (SUDPAR)

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin "The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible." Oscar Wilde Introduction: I have been reading and learning about the "normal heart" in Parkinson's, ultimately trying to better understand the autonomic nervous system. While reading, I ran …

Exercise and Neuroprotection in Human Parkinson’s: The Long and Winding Road

"It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor." Marcus Tullius Cicero "Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being." Plato Introduction: I have been convinced for a while that exercise is medicine. This blog post summarizes two publications: Crotty, Grace F., and Michael A. Schwarzschild. "Chasing …

The Aging Immune System and Parkinson’s

"Come grow old with me. The best is yet to be." William Wordsworth "As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning." Criss Jami Introduction: Recently, an exciting and in-depth review article about inflammation and the immune system and their dysfunction in the pathway of Parkinson's was published. The citation for …