Anti-malaria Drugs Target Nurr1 For Possible Parkinson’s Therapeutics

“When prescribing one of the drugs I take, my doctor warned me of a common side effect: exaggerated, intensely vivid dreams. To be honest, I've never really noticed the difference. I've always dreamt big.” Michael J. Fox Parkinson's description: About 60,000 new Parkinson's cases will be diagnosed this year in the USA; joining the 1 …

Air Force Core Values And A Life Lived

“Integrity has no need of rules.” Albert Camus “You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.”  C.G. Jung “Do ordinary things extraordinarily well.” Gregg Harris USAF (United States Air Force) Core Values and Growing Up: "Integrity, service and excellence." These three words represent the core values of the USAF, which reminds me …

Overview of Neurodegenerative Disorders

"The question is not how to survive, but how to thrive with passion, compassion, humor and style." Maya Angelou "Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny." C.S. Lewis   Précis: The goal is to present a brief synopsis of some of the neurodegenerative disorders, that is the easy part.  The hard part is …

Sleep, Relaxation, And Traveling

"It's very important that we re-learn the art of resting and relaxing. Not only does it help prevent the onset of many illnesses that develop through chronic tension and worrying; it allows us to clear our minds, focus, and find creative solutions to problems."  Thich Nhat Hanh Part 1, Sleep and Parkinson's: Although it's a …

Leucine-rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) Is A Possible Target For Therapy In Parkinson’s

“Research is the process of going up alleys to see if they are blind.”  Marston Bates “What we find changes who we become.”  Peter Morville The reality of Parkinson's: Parkinson’s is a common neurodegenerative disorder. Approximately 60,000 new cases/year of Parkinson's occur in the USA, and they join ~1 million people living here with this …

Believe In Big Movements Of LSVT BIG Physical Therapy For Parkinson’s

“Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.” Bruce Lee "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot Believe:  I believe that staying positive will help control the course of my Parkinson's.  …

Of Mice And Men: Endogenous Alpha-Synuclein Contributes to Mitochondria Inhibition in Parkinson’s

"There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere." Isaac Asimov "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."  Lao Tzu Science and Parkinson's:  As a …

My Life Is Not Being Measured By Days, My Life Is Being Measured And Lived By Years

"You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope." Thomas Merton Précis:  My Physician DID NOT tell me I had 12 months to …

A Comparison of Parkinson’s to Alzheimer’s

“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself …

Immune System and Parkinson’s (Part 1): The Brain and Immune System are Connected

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back.” Paulo Coelho What causes …