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 …

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 …

Six Pillars of Parkinson’s

"In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result." James Allen "Storms make trees take deeper roots." Dolly Parton Introduction: In the presence of Parkinson's, each person encounters a different invader that can progress very slowly or evolves quickly. Symptoms expressed are …

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 …

Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)

"You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about." Bobby Jones "Through years of experience I have found that air offers less resistance than dirt." Jack Nicklaus Introduction: If you have read this blog any time, you know how much I love the game of golf. It is a fun sport …

Living Better with Parkinson’s

"Life is a journey, not a destination. Happiness is not "there" but here, not "tomorrow" but today." Sidney Greenberg "The moment in between what you once were, and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place." Barbara De Angelis Précis: This post reminds the Person (People)-with-Parkinson's disease (PwP) that …

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 …

Parkinson’s: Times Like These

"Longevity is having a chronic disease - and taking care of it." Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. "The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." Confucius Precis: Today marks an anniversary of sorts. It is the 250th blog post for the "Journey with Parkinson's." "All great things have small beginnings." Peter Senge …

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 …