A Graph of Your Daily Level of Exogenous Levodopa

"The greatest achievement is to outperform yourself." Denis Waitley "Sometimes, carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman achievement." Albert Camus Introduction: Have you been taking carbidopa/levodopa to treat your Parkinson's? Are you experiencing any off-on periods? Do you have any dyskinesia? Do you think it's time to change your dosing pattern or the timing …

Update on Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) for the Treatment of Parkinson’s

"To the sick, while there is life there is hope. [Lat., Aegroto dum anima est, spes est.]" Marcus Tullius Cicero "We can’t live without hope. When we keep hoping, we keep living." Pete Wilson Introduction: Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA*) is a naturally occurring bioactive lipid that contains a fatty acid moiety and ethanolamide. The molecular formula of …

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 …

Fifteen Myths and Common Misconceptions About Parkinson’s

"A myth is a lie that conveys a truth." C.S. Lewis "Myths are made for the imagination to breath life into them." Albert Camus Introduction: Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Thus, Parkinson's occurs relatively frequently in adults. Unfortunately, it can be a complex disorder for physicians to make a proper diagnosis, and it …

A Forgetful Friday: Journey With Parkinson’s

"Memory only becomes interesting through its struggle with forgetfulness." Adrian Forty "As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two." Norman Wisdom Précis: A short story about being forgetful. Taking our daily requirement of essential drugs is vital to our everyday function with Parkinson's. …

Reflection on Friday- Dopamine

“Because you are alive, everything is possible.” Thích Nhất Hạnh “Keep swinging.” Hank Aaron Dopamine is Important: Dopamine has the chemical structure of 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine and is a member of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which means it delivers a message in the central nervous system. The enzyme L-DOPA decarboxylase removes carbon dioxide …

Science Tuesday: Sublingual Carbidopa/Levodopa

"The human brain doesn't come with an instruction manual." Bill Engvall "The great events of the world take place in the brain." Oscar Wilde Levodopa: Levodopa markedly improves motor symptoms for the majority of people with Parkinson’s. The pharmacological effectiveness of levodopa is quite good; however, it has less efficiency in controlling the non-motor symptoms. …