How Parkinson’s medications may affect behavior Dopaminergic medications (or medications that enhance the brain’s dopamine system) are the mainstay of treatment for the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). These medications have the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of someone with PD by improving slowness and stiffness, tremor, and gait difficulties – […]
Understanding CBD People with PD are eager to find alternative methods to help their symptoms, leading many of these patients to look into whether other therapies, such as medical marijuana, also known as medical cannabis, can be useful. Previously, I wrote a blog on medical marijuana and PD which you may find interesting. More recently, I […]
Insights from Dr. Britt Stone on APDA’s Dr. Gilbert Hosts On a recent episode of APDA’s Dr. Gilbert Hosts, I spoke with Dr. Britt Stone, a movement disorders specialist with a particular interest in herbal remedies, medicinal plants, and supplements and their use in Parkinson’s disease (PD). We covered a lot of ground during the broadcast and […]
APDA’s Impactful Research in Parkinson’s Disease APDA proudly invests in the most promising clinicians and scientific projects focused on the discovery of the cause(s) and finding the cure(s) for Parkinson’s disease (PD). APDA is committed to scientific research and has been a funding partner in many major PD scientific breakthroughs, investing nearly $60 million in research […]
DaTscan: A test to help in the diagnosis of Parkinson’s What is a DaTscan and how is it performed? In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an imaging test to help diagnose PD called DaTscan (dopamine transporter scan). In this test, a radioactive tracer, Ioflupane (123I), also known as DaTscan, is injected into the […]
What is a disease staging system? A disease staging system is a framework used to describe the progression or severity of a particular medical condition. A staging system creates a standardized way of classifying the extent of the disease, which helps healthcare professionals communicate effectively about a patient’s condition, make treatment decisions, and predict prognosis. […]
Exploring Parkinson’s Disease’s Impact on Blood Pressure Control On a recent episode of APDA’s Dr. Gilbert Hosts, I spoke with Dr. Jose Palma, a doctor with expertise in autonomic dysfunction and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Autonomic dysfunction is common in PD and refers to the dysregulation of body functions that are not under conscious control such […]
Exploring Parkinson’s Disease’s Impact on Urinary Dysfunction On a recent episode of APDA’s Dr. Gilbert Hosts, I spoke with Dr. Victor Nitti, a urologist with expertise in Parkinson’s disease (PD). We covered a lot of ground during the broadcast and answered questions from the audience. It was a very informative conversation, and we encourage you […]
Muscle weakness and Parkinson’s disease It is common for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to describe themselves as feeling weak. They may say that their legs are “heavy”, feel like they’re “made out of lead”, or feel like they’re “in concrete.” And they may also feel weak all over or describe weakness in their hands […]
The challenges of levodopa dosing and food intake I receive many Ask the Doctor questions about food intake and levodopa ingestion, and I know it’s a tough balance for many. Instructions on how best to take levodopa can seem contradictory. On one hand, people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are told to separate levodopa from food […]
