Science Sunday: Executive Function in Parkinson’s

"What does the frontal cortex do? Gratification postponement, executive function, long-term planning, and impulse control. Basically, it makes you do the harder thing." Robert M. Sapolsky "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Benjamin Franklin Introduction: I have been away from blog writing for too many weeks. For a while, it was the …

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 …

Brief Report: Comparison of the COMT Inhibitor Opicapone to Entacapone in Parkinson’s

"When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?'" Sydney J. Harris "Comparison is the death of joy." Mark Twain Overview: Recently, I have presented two blog posts on COMT (Catechol-O-methyl transferase) Inhibitors: "COMT Inhibitors in Parkinson's: Tell Me More, Tell Me More" (click here) and "Addendum …

Journey With Parkinson’s: Everyday Heroes

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." Christopher Reeve "Heroes take journeys, confront dragons, and discover the treasure of their true selves." Carol Lynn Pearson Nothing is redeemable about Parkinson's, but each Person-with-Parkinson's (PwP) has redeemable qualities.They awake each new day to a …

Why Monitoring Every Parkinson’s Symptom Matters

"We must never neglect the patient's own use of his symptoms." Alfred Adler “A sick thought can devour the body's flesh more than fever or consumption.” Guy de Maupassant Painful Leg Cramps with Parkinson’s: I bent down to put some extra toilet paper rolls into a bathroom cabinet this morning. Suddenly, the hamstring muscles in …

Parkinson’s: Trouble in Mind

"Your brain is your greatest weapon. Connect it to your heart, and you can go anywhere." Angelique Kidjo "Don't believe everything you hear - even in your own mind." Daniel Amen Précis: A big fear for anyone with Parkinson's is the development of dementia. It is predicted that a large percentage of those with Parkinson's …

Allies Against Parkinson’s

"Resilience is not what happens to you. It’s how you react to, respond to, and recover from what happens to you." Jeffrey Gitomer "Resilience is very different than being numb. Resilience means you experience, you feel, you fail, you hurt. You fall. But, you keep going." Yasmin Mogahed Introduction: Several years ago, someone gave me or …

Diet and Dementia (Cognitive Decline) in the Aging

"When diet is wrong medicine is of no use. When diet is correct medicine is of no need.’’ Ancient Ayurvedic Proverb ‘‘What is food to one man may be fierce poison to others.’’ Lucretius (99 B.C.-55 BC). Précis: Last month in London, England, at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2017, there were several presentations …

Treatment of Parkinson’s Psychosis with Nuplazid

“At what point do you give up - decide enough is enough? There is only one answer really. Never.” Tabitha Suzuma "Be proud of your scars. They remind you that you have the will to live." Paulo Coelho Précis: ~50% of the people with Parkinson's develop psychotic tendencies. Treatment of their psychosis can be relatively …