"Where Life Meets Parkinson's." A blog for Parkinson's education, research advances, treatment strategies, and personal reflection. The goal is to provide support and resources to anyone either with Parkinson's disease or with any neurodegenerative disorder.
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Carl Sagan “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” R. Buckminster Fuller Précis: Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are using an innovative approach to treat Parkinson's in …
Continue reading "Neuroprotection by Modified-Macrophages in a Parkinson’s Model System"
“With Parkinson’s you have two choices: You can let it control you, or you can control it. And I’ve chosen to control it.” US Senator Isakson “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” Albert Einstein Introduction: In my academic career to-date, my research group and I …
Continue reading "Potential New Parkinson’s Drug Highlight: the Leukemia Drug Nilotinib"
"Life has many ways of testing a person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once.” Paulo Coelho Précis: To briefly describe the biochemistry of dopamine and dopamine receptors, dopamine physiology, and therapeutic strategies for replacing dopamine in Parkinson's. But first, some "Purple Haze" by the Jimi …
Continue reading "Purple Haze of Parkinson’s: How Dopamine Works"
“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 …
Continue reading "Immune System and Parkinson’s (Part 1): The Brain and Immune System are Connected"
"The measure of greatness in a scientific idea is the extent to which it stimulates thought and opens up new lines of research.” Paul A.M. Dirac Start of the story: Anyone with Parkinson's is hopeful for a cure in the future. Yet, there is much we still do not understand about this neurodegenerative disorder. Scientists and physicians …
"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today." Thich Nhat Hanh "Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." Desmond Tutu Hope Defined: As a noun, hope is …
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning." Albert Einstein "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." Albert Einstein Teaching Undergraduates: Since 1996, I have had the privilege, honor and pleasure of teaching university undergraduates in a …
Continue reading "Students Provide Resounding Hope and Support"
"The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease." William Osler An Educator: I have had the privilege of being a medical school educator since 1987 (28 years). The work includes lecturing (to a class of 180 students), small group facilitator (36 students), course management/administration, and curriculum development …
"No matter how dark the moment, love and hope are always possible." George Chakiris Start of the Story: Dr. James Parkinson was the first to describe (published in 1817) the condition that now bears his name. He described Parkinson’s like this: “Involuntary tremulous motion, with lessened muscular power, in parts not in action and even …
"The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." Barbara Kingsolver Doors Opening and Closing, an Analogy for Calcium Channels: Carrie Newcomer sings …
Journey with Parkinson's 