31st October 2013 - News release

SENSORY PEN FOR DETECTING PARKINSON'S DISEASE

A means of diagnosing Parkinson’s Disease is being developed by MANUS Neurodynamica using sensory pen technology. It is called thee DiPAR project. The system, combining sensor and computing technology, requires the patient to perform a set of writing tasks, drawing activities or a combination of both. The system records all movements of the pen as well as other parameters such as drawing pressure, plus acceleration and deceleration of movement, to identify patterns that are indicative of specific kinds of neuromotor disorder. The sensory pen can be used by non-specialists with minimal training so that large numbers of people would be able to be screened.

The system’s software records key features regarding the movement of the pen, relating it to the motion of the limb, particularly the role of the hand and fingers in coordinating overall pen motion. The recordings enable the operator to assess akinesia, bradykinesia, tremor, rigidity and other signs of motor deterioration that cannot be easily detected by other means. The software takes inputs from a variety of sensors in the pen and converts them, using proprietary algorithms, into outcome percentages that represent the likelihood of the presence of Parkinson's Disease or other neuromotor disorders. The method can be viewed in this brief video video of sensory pen technology In order to refer to this article on its own click here.  

13th October 2013 - New research

THE LONG TERM EFFECT OF DBS ON PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Journal of the Formosan Medical Association [2013] Oct 5 [Epub ahead of print] (J.L.Jiang, S.Y.Chen, T.C.Hsieh, C.W.Lee, S.H.Lin, S.T.Tsai) Complete abstract

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)) involves the use of electrodes that are implanted into the brain and connected to a small electrical device called a pulse generator that can be externally programmed. For more information go too Deep brain stimulation Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) has been shown to produce long-term improvements in Parkinson's Disease.

The aim of this study was to assess the improvements that can be expected after 1 year and after 5 years. Patients with Parkinson's Disease were assessed after 1 year and 5 years according to the Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) parts I, II, III, and IV scores, the Hoehn and Yahr stage, and Schwab and England activities of daily living (SEADL) scores in the conditions of off-medication/on-stimulation and off-medication/off-stimulation. Further analysis included the changes in the L-dopa equivalent daily dose.

After 1 year  significant improvements were seen in the UPDRS parts I, II, III, and IV and the Schwab and England scale. Five years after STN-DBS had been initiated improvements in UPDRS scores were observed only for parts II, III, and IV. In the off-medication/off-stimulation condition no significant improvement was observed. However, after 5 years there were significant deteriorations when compared to the improvements seen after 1 year in the scores for the UPDRS parts I, II, III and the Schwab and England scale.. Therefore, after the improvement experienced after 1 year the long term trend is downwards. For a printable version of this article click here. In order to refer to this article on its own click here.  

7th October 2013 - New research

DUAL LAYER L-DOPA CLINICAL TRIAL RESULTS

Parkinsonism Related Disorders [2013] Sep 5 [Epub ahead of print] (R.Pahwa, K.E.Lyons, R.A.Hauser, S.Fahn, J.Jankovic, E.Pourcher, A.Hsu, M.O'Connell, S.Kell, S.Gupta) Complete abstract

L-dopa usually comes in two different formats : either the immediate release version, which satisfies the immediate need for L-dopa, or the controlled release version, which avoids the excessive effects of L-dopa by spreading out the effect over time. Dual layer L-dopa (IPX066), which is being developed for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease, has the advantages of both by combining the two types of L-dopa.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of IPX066 assessed three dosages of L-dopa : 145mg, 245mg or 390mg taken three times daily. The main efficacy measure was the Parkinson's Disease symptom score, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and also the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39).

All three dosages improved Parkinson's Disease, with the 145mg dosage, then the 245mg dosage giving better results. The most commonly reported adverse events with IPX066 included nausea, dizziness, and headache. No unexpected drug-related serious adverse events were reported. For a printable version of this article click here. In order to refer to this article on its own click here.  

3rd October 2013 - New research

DEPRESSION TREBLES THE RISK OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Neurology [2013] Oct 2 [Epub ahead of print] (Cheng-Che Shen, Shih-Jen Tsai, Chin-Lin Perng, Benjamin Ing-Tiau Kuo, Albert C.Yang) Complete abstract

In the largest study of its kind, involving more than 23,000 subjects, people who had depression were found to have more than three times the chance of developing Parkinson's Disease. This suggests that depression is a strong indication of future Parkinson's Disease, even beyond that of other early indicators.  

Parkinson's Disease is primarily due to the insufficient formation of dopamine in the brain, in the dopaminergic neurons. Besides affecting muscle function and therefore the characteristic muscular symptoms of Parkinson's Disease such as as rigidity and tremor, dopamine insuffiency also affects the emotions.