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Topic: Parkinson's plea for brain donors
Posted: 20 Apr 2009 at 18:50

A charity is urging people to pledge to donate their brains after death to help find a cure for Parkinson's disease.

The Parkinson's Disease Society wants to double the 1,000 or so people on its donor register by the end of the year.

It says brains from people both with and without Parkinson's are needed to boost scientists' understanding.

Newsreader Jeremy Paxman and actress Jane Asher are among stars donating their brains. Parkinson's affects about one in 500 people in the UK.

Ms Asher, who is president of the society and whose brother-in-law has been diagnosed with the disease, said it was essential to secure more donations to the charity's brain bank in London.

"Scientific research on brains both with and without Parkinson's is essential," she said.

"It's vital that we secure more potential donors as this will help us move closer to a cure for what can be a debilitating and distressing condition."

Ms Asher assured viewers that any donated brains would be treated with great respect by researchers.

She said: "They are absolutely all used and they are kept frozen, clearly, very, very, very, very, cold, so they last almost indefinitely and every one is used and treated with great respect, I have to say.

"For those who might worry about granny's brain being perhaps not used properly, they are treated with great respect and every brain really does help towards a cure."

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Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 15:35

Abnormal brain cell in Parkinsons

Genes play a bigger role in Parkinson's disease than previously thought, according to the largest genetic study yet.

Five new common risk genes have been discovered, bringing the tally of genetic susceptibility genes to 11.

The study, published in the Lancet, may bring us closer to a treatment or cure, said a medical charity.

The disease - marked by muscle tremors - was once thought to be caused solely by environmental factors.

Parkinson's, which affects around 120,000 people in the UK, is a neurological condition which usually appears in later life.

It is caused by the loss of nerve cells in a specific part of the brain, perhaps triggered by an environmental toxin.

Professor Nick Wood, from London's Institute of Neurology, one of the lead researchers of the study, said: "Discovering five new genes is an exciting step forward and will help us understand more about why and how nerve cells die.

"These findings significantly add to the knowledge base of the increasingly complex picture of the molecules that can cause Parkinson's.

"We hope that by studying them more closely new research avenues will open up."

In the latest study, published online in The Lancet medical journal, researchers from six countries looked at genetic differences in the DNA of 12,000 people with Parkinson's and more than 21,000 healthy volunteers.

They found 11 genetic risk factors - five of which were previously unknown.

It is thought that having these genes makes some individuals more vulnerable to developing the condition, although it does not necessarily mean they will get the disease.

Each gene increases the risk of Parkinson's by only a tiny amount, but those unlucky enough to have a high number of risk genes have more than double the risk of those with a low number of risk genes.

Researchers believe there are many more genetic clues to discover as they attempt to piece together the biological pathways that lead to Parkinson's Disease, and how to prevent it.

Dr Thomas Gasser of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Germany, who worked on the study, said: "There are more risk factors to Parkinson's Disease than we had imagined and this is not the end of the story."

Dr Kieran Breen, director of research and development at Parkinson's UK, which helped fund the work, said they hoped it would "help us to move closer towards better treatments, or even a cure for Parkinson's".

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Posted: 15 Nov 2011 at 08:50

Researchers found a six-fold increase in the risk of developing Parkinson's in individuals exposed in the workplace to trichloroethylene (TCE).

Although many uses for TCE have been banned around the world, the chemical is still used as a degreasing agent.

The research was based on analysis of 99 pairs of twins selected from US data records.

Parkinson's can result in limb tremors, slowed movement and speech impairment, but the exact cause of the disease is still unknown, and there is no cure.

Research to date suggests a mix of genetic and environmental factors may be responsible. A link has previously been made with pesticide use.

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Posted: 17 Jan 2012 at 14:21

The NHS in England is facing a time bomb if it does not get to grips with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, campaigners say.

The Neurological Alliance, which represents 70 groups, said a combination of poor services and rising case numbers was causing problems.

It accused the NHS of having its "head in the sand".

The government said it recognised that more needed to be done for people with neurological conditions.

The alliance's comments come after a report by the National Audit Office criticised the standards of care.

The study - published last month - highlighted delays in diagnosis, poor information, badly co-ordinated follow-up care and variation in access to services.

It said the situation meant too many patients were ending up in hospital as emergencies and that resulted in them being seen by staff who were not specialists in neurological conditions.

The alliance, which will give evidence to MPs on the Commons Public Accounts Committee later this week, said a higher priority needed to be given to the issue.

There are currently more than 200,000 people in the UK with long-term, progressive conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease.

But this figure is expected to rise because of the ageing population. For example, the number of people with Parkinson's - the most common of the progressive diseases - is expected to rise by a quarter to 162,000 by 2020.

'Floundering around'

The alliance wants to see a neurology tsar appointed - as has happened with stroke, cancer and diabetes - to champion the cause at a national level.

It also believes there should be expert networks of specialists co-ordinating care at a local level and action to ensure every patient gets a personalised care plan.

Steve Ford, chairman of the Neurological Alliance, said: "A crisis is looming but the government has its head in the sand.

"When it comes to helping vulnerable people with a neurological condition, the government is floundering around in a fog of its own making."

Care services minister Paul Burstow said: "We know that care for people with neurological conditions is not good enough and we must do more.

"It is clear that too many people are not getting personalised support to suit their needs."

He added the government was looking to place more emphasis on the care of people with long-term conditions through investment in services such as telehealth.

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Keymaster Members Profile Find Members Posts Forum Regular Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 363	Quote Reply Topic: Parkinson's plea for brain donors Posted: 20 Apr 2009 at 18:50
	A charity is urging people to pledge to donate their brains after death to help find a cure for Parkinson's disease. The Parkinson's Disease Society wants to double the 1,000 or so people on its donor register by the end of the year. It says brains from people both with and without Parkinson's are needed to boost scientists' understanding. Newsreader Jeremy Paxman and actress Jane Asher are among stars donating their brains. Parkinson's affects about one in 500 people in the UK. Ms Asher, who is president of the society and whose brother-in-law has been diagnosed with the disease, said it was essential to secure more donations to the charity's brain bank in London. "Scientific research on brains both with and without Parkinson's is essential," she said. "It's vital that we secure more potential donors as this will help us move closer to a cure for what can be a debilitating and distressing condition." Ms Asher assured viewers that any donated brains would be treated with great respect by researchers. She said: "They are absolutely all used and they are kept frozen, clearly, very, very, very, very, cold, so they last almost indefinitely and every one is used and treated with great respect, I have to say. "For those who might worry about granny's brain being perhaps not used properly, they are treated with great respect and every brain really does help towards a cure."

Keymaster Members Profile Find Members Posts Forum Regular Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 363	Quote Reply Posted: 02 Feb 2011 at 15:35
	Genes play a bigger role in Parkinson's disease than previously thought, according to the largest genetic study yet. Five new common risk genes have been discovered, bringing the tally of genetic susceptibility genes to 11. The study, published in the Lancet, may bring us closer to a treatment or cure, said a medical charity. The disease - marked by muscle tremors - was once thought to be caused solely by environmental factors. Parkinson's, which affects around 120,000 people in the UK, is a neurological condition which usually appears in later life. It is caused by the loss of nerve cells in a specific part of the brain, perhaps triggered by an environmental toxin. Professor Nick Wood, from London's Institute of Neurology, one of the lead researchers of the study, said: "Discovering five new genes is an exciting step forward and will help us understand more about why and how nerve cells die. "These findings significantly add to the knowledge base of the increasingly complex picture of the molecules that can cause Parkinson's. "We hope that by studying them more closely new research avenues will open up." In the latest study, published online in The Lancet medical journal, researchers from six countries looked at genetic differences in the DNA of 12,000 people with Parkinson's and more than 21,000 healthy volunteers. They found 11 genetic risk factors - five of which were previously unknown. It is thought that having these genes makes some individuals more vulnerable to developing the condition, although it does not necessarily mean they will get the disease. Each gene increases the risk of Parkinson's by only a tiny amount, but those unlucky enough to have a high number of risk genes have more than double the risk of those with a low number of risk genes. Researchers believe there are many more genetic clues to discover as they attempt to piece together the biological pathways that lead to Parkinson's Disease, and how to prevent it. Dr Thomas Gasser of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Germany, who worked on the study, said: "There are more risk factors to Parkinson's Disease than we had imagined and this is not the end of the story." Dr Kieran Breen, director of research and development at Parkinson's UK, which helped fund the work, said they hoped it would "help us to move closer towards better treatments, or even a cure for Parkinson's".

basil Members Profile Find Members Posts Forum Regular Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 358	Quote Reply Posted: 15 Nov 2011 at 08:50
	Researchers found a six-fold increase in the risk of developing Parkinson's in individuals exposed in the workplace to trichloroethylene (TCE). Although many uses for TCE have been banned around the world, the chemical is still used as a degreasing agent. The research was based on analysis of 99 pairs of twins selected from US data records. Parkinson's can result in limb tremors, slowed movement and speech impairment, but the exact cause of the disease is still unknown, and there is no cure. Research to date suggests a mix of genetic and environmental factors may be responsible. A link has previously been made with pesticide use.

Keymaster Members Profile Find Members Posts Forum Regular Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 363	Quote Reply Posted: 17 Jan 2012 at 14:21
	The NHS in England is facing a time bomb if it does not get to grips with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, campaigners say. The Neurological Alliance, which represents 70 groups, said a combination of poor services and rising case numbers was causing problems. It accused the NHS of having its "head in the sand". The government said it recognised that more needed to be done for people with neurological conditions. The alliance's comments come after a report by the National Audit Office criticised the standards of care. The study - published last month - highlighted delays in diagnosis, poor information, badly co-ordinated follow-up care and variation in access to services. It said the situation meant too many patients were ending up in hospital as emergencies and that resulted in them being seen by staff who were not specialists in neurological conditions. The alliance, which will give evidence to MPs on the Commons Public Accounts Committee later this week, said a higher priority needed to be given to the issue. There are currently more than 200,000 people in the UK with long-term, progressive conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease. But this figure is expected to rise because of the ageing population. For example, the number of people with Parkinson's - the most common of the progressive diseases - is expected to rise by a quarter to 162,000 by 2020. 'Floundering around' The alliance wants to see a neurology tsar appointed - as has happened with stroke, cancer and diabetes - to champion the cause at a national level. It also believes there should be expert networks of specialists co-ordinating care at a local level and action to ensure every patient gets a personalised care plan. Steve Ford, chairman of the Neurological Alliance, said: "A crisis is looming but the government has its head in the sand. "When it comes to helping vulnerable people with a neurological condition, the government is floundering around in a fog of its own making." Care services minister Paul Burstow said: "We know that care for people with neurological conditions is not good enough and we must do more. "It is clear that too many people are not getting personalised support to suit their needs." He added the government was looking to place more emphasis on the care of people with long-term conditions through investment in services such as telehealth.