Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D., Author at American Parkinson Disease Association

Five Myths About Levodopa

Posted on March 22, 2022May 12, 2022 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

Levodopa and Parkinson’s Disease When prescribed, levodopa is extremely effective in treating the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD)...see more and is embraced by many with PD. Many individuals see using Levodopa as a vital ingredient in maintaining movement and quality of life. It is the most prescribed medication for PD and has been the mainstay […]

Meet Dr. Abby Olsen, an APDA-Funded Researcher Studying Parkinson’s Genes in Glial “Helper” Cells

Posted on March 8, 2022May 20, 2022 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

Q&A with Dr. Abby Olsen on Glial Cells in Parkinson’s Disease Treatment A conversation about genes in glial helper...see more cells (and fruit flies!) Our A Closer Look blog is designed to educate, inform, and inspire you through a variety of topics and insights about Parkinson’s disease (PD). One way we do that is through our Interview with APDA […]

Bone health and Parkinson’s disease

Posted on February 22, 2022 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

The Importance of Bone Health and Parkinson’s Disease Falls can be a major difficulty for people with Parkinson’s disease...see more (PD), leading to fractures and other injuries. People with PD are at increased risk of fracture, with a four times higher risk of hip fracture as compared with the general population. Often, a person with PD […]

Parkinson’s Disease & End of Life

Posted on February 8, 2022December 20, 2023 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

End-Stage Parkinson’s Disease & Risk of Death It’s hard to think about the tough stuff. The what ifs, the...see more worst-case scenarios, the unknowns. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive condition, which means that it gets worse with time. However, for many people, the worsening is gradual, maybe even imperceptible at times. This affords you many […]

Bringing Parkinson’s awareness to the big screen: John’s story

Posted on January 25, 2022 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

How John Became an Unlikely Celebrity When John Capone was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) at the young...see more age of 39, he never imagined acting in a movie with A-list celebrities. The news of his diagnosis was tough to handle at first, and he quickly became overwhelmed by depression and anxiety. But this tough […]

Unique Influences on Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms

Posted on January 11, 2022 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

How Geography, high altitude and cold weather can play a role Through APDA’s Ask the Doctor portal, we receive...see more many questions on a vast array of topics. (Feel free to submit your own question at any time.) Many readers have noted that geographic or seasonal factors seem to impact their Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms and […]

Wearable devices that suppress Parkinson’s disease tremor

Posted on December 28, 2021July 31, 2024 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

Non-Invasive Devices to Suppress Tremors For some people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), medication doses treat their tremor very well....see more However, for others, medication doses are clearly effective for symptoms of slowness and stiffness, but they are ineffective for their tremor. In these cases, deep brain stimulation (DBS) or focused ultrasound may be suggested to help […]

New laboratory tests for Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on December 14, 2021November 5, 2024 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

Currently, Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis is based on a visual clinical exam, done by a doctor (ideally a neurologist...see more or movement disorder specialist) in their office. This means that motor symptoms such as tremor, stiffness and slowness must be apparent before a diagnosis is made by the neurologist – yet those visible symptoms don’t often […]

Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease: Bryan’s Story

Posted on November 30, 2021May 30, 2023 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

Bryan Hill: Living with Young Onset Parkinson’s Parkinson’s disease (PD) is often thought of as an older person’s disease....see more But did you know that people in their 30s and 40s can also be diagnosed? It’s called Young or Early Onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD or EOPD) and to raise awareness and shed light on the perspective […]

APDA Salutes Parkinson’s Disease Care Partners

Posted on November 16, 2021November 17, 2022 by Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D.

Care Partner Tributes and Stories for Family Caregivers Month November is National Family Caregivers Month — a time to...see more recognize and honor family care partners across the country. We all know how integral care partners are to each Parkinson’s disease (PD) journey and while they should be celebrated year-round, now is a great time to […]

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Living with Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Resource Library

Research