Parkinson’s and Dopamine: Remembering “Days of Future Passed” by the Moody Blues

"We make our way through everything like thread passing through fabric, giving shape to images that we ourselves do not know." Rainer Maria Rilke "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." Maya Angelou Prelude: Do you remember the Moody Blues? Did you ever listen to their music? An interesting, …

Journey with Parkinson’s: “Fine-tuning” Dopaminergic Therapy

"Like cars, every relationship requires a bit of an occasional service, and fine-tuning should be compulsory." Mariella Frostrup "I actually credit Twitter with fine-tuning some joke-writing skills. I still feel like I'm working at it." Steve Martin Introduction: For those of you who have followed this blog for several years or more, I have typically …

The Passing of a Mentor and Friend

"I encourage all of you to seek out teachers and mentors that challenge you to think for yourself and guide you to find your own voice." Renee Olstead "The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves." Steven Spielberg The News: It …

Journey with Parkinson’s: Mind the Gap- Writing Blog Posts Again

"There are three constants in life... change, choice and principles." Stephen Covey "I haven't gotten stuck with something because I just keep going, and I keep doing different things." Lili Taylor My Absence the Past Few Months: Three points to write about.•#1- Conflict of time between blog writing and article writing- Although I have been …

Review of Controlled-release Carbidopa-Levodopa and Extended-release Carbidopa-Levodopa Drugs, Rytary and Crexont

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." Maya Angelou "Endure and persist; this pain will turn to good by and by." …

Managing the Consequences of an “Off” Day

Précis: I can recall this happening twice during the past 12 years. What am I talking about? It was a day where everything seemed to be "off" regarding my symptoms, primarily motor-related. Has this ever happened to you? If so, I'd like to hear how you dealt with a prolonged off-period. A Typical "Off-On" Period: …

Supplements for Treating Parkinson’s: A Scientific Perspective and Personal Update

"I never think of the future - it comes soon enough." Albert Einstein "We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future." George Bernard Shaw Describing Some of the Science Behind Using Supplements to Treat Parkinson's: There are many ways to start and defend this section. …

The Resistance to Enjoyment and Pleasure, or Anhedonia, Reveals a Distinct Neural Pattern in Studies Using Mice

"I am really very, very tired of everything - more than tired." Friedrich Nietzsche "There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds." Laurell K. Hamilton Anhedonia and Parkinson's: Anhedonia is a non-motor-related problem in Parkinson's. It is a core symptom of depression in Parkinson's …

Journey with Parkinson’s: Happy Thanksgiving

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough." Meister Eckhart A Thought at Thanksgiving: According to Wikipedia, "Thanksgiving (in the United States) As the name implies, the …

Journey with Parkinson’s: Rigid and Sore Muscles (Psoas, Piriformis, Quadratus Lumborum, and Lumbar Multifidus)

"Being the first to cross the finish line makes you a winner in only one phase of life. It's what you do after you cross the line that really counts." Ralph Boston "The key is that I control my life; my life doesn't control me." Gabrielle Reece The Musculoskeletal System: Muscles work together with bones …