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High-intensity Exercise Can Reverse Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s Disease < Yale School of Medicine

Following the six-month program, brain imaging showed a significant increase in both the neuromelanin and DAT signals in the substantia nigra. This suggests that high-intensity exercise not only slowed down the neurodegenerative process, but also helped the dopaminergic system grow healthier. “Where we would have ordinarily expected to see a decline in the DAT and neuromelanin signals, we saw an increase,” says Bart de Laat, PhD, associate professor adjunct in psychiatry and the study’s first author. “We had hoped to see that the neurodegeneration would not progress as quickly or stop temporarily, but instead we saw an increase in nine out of 10 people. That was remarkable.” The study highlights the importance of including an exercise regimen as part of one’s Parkinson’s treatment plan. “The medications we have available are only for symptomatic treatment. They do not change the disease course,” says Tinaz. “But exercise seems to go one step beyond and protect the brain at the neuronal level.”

High-intensity Exercise Can Reverse Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s Disease < Yale School of Medicine

Prior research has shown that many forms of exercise are linked to improved symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. But there has been no evidence that hitting the gym could create changes at the brain level. Now, a small proof-of-concept study involving 10 patients showed that high-intensity aerobic exercise preserved dopamine-producing neurons, the brain cells that are most vulnerable to destruction in patients with the disease. In fact, after six months of exercise, the neurons actually had grown healthier and produced stronger dopamine signals. Dopamine is a chemical that helps brain cells communicate with each other.

Psychedelics Sync Neurons: A Glimpse into Consciousness & Psychosis - Neuroscience News

“A Polish researcher had observed similar waves after giving rats the anesthetic ketamine. The ketamine was given at a low dose so that the rats were conscious, and the equivalent dose in a human causes psychedelic experiences. “The waves they saw were in more cognitive regions of the brain than in the rats with Parkinson’s, and the frequency was higher, but that still made us consider whether there were links between the two phenomena. “Perhaps excessive brain waves in the motor regions of the brain cause motor symptoms, while excessive waves in cognitive regions give cognitive symptoms,” says Pär Halje, researcher in neurophysiology at Lund University.

Prebiotic Bars: A Potential Aid in Early Parkinson's Management - Neuroscience News

Hall says constipation can be one of the very first symptoms for the disease, showing up as early as 10 years before a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. “The microbiome, or bacteria composition in the bowel, is abnormal in Parkinson’s disease. We’re trying to understand if the same microbiome abnormalities are happening even earlier, before diagnosis. If you can diagnose that early, there may be an earlier time where you can intervene in the disease.”

Disrupted circadian rhythms linked to later Parkinson's diagnoses: Researchers probe brain's 24-hour biological clock for neurodegenerative risks -- ScienceDaily

The scientists said their discovery of the link between circadian rhythms and Parkinson's -- a disease characterized by loss of control over movement, balance and other brain functions -- suggests these circadian disruptions may reflect neurodegenerative disease processes already affecting the brain's internal clock well before a Parkinson's diagnosis, and that they could be considered an early warning sign of the disease.

Potential diagnostic tool, treatment for Parkinson's disease -- ScienceDaily

In the new study, Wang's team obtained skin samples from 83 Parkinson's patients, five asymptomatic close relatives considered to be at heightened risk, 22 patients diagnosed with other movement disorders and 52 healthy control subjects. They extracted fibroblasts -- cells that are common in skin tissue -- from the samples, cultured them in petri dishes and subjected them to a stressful process that messes up mitochondria. This should result in their clearance, necessarily preceded by removal of Miro molecules tethering them to the grid. Yet the researchers found the Miro-removal defect in 78 of the 83 Parkinson's fibroblasts (94%) and in all 5 of the "high-risk" samples, but not in fibroblasts from the control group or other or from patients with other movement-disorders.

23andMe Is Sharing Genetic Data with Drug Giant - Scientific American

Only about 10,000 of the 1 million Americans with Parkinson’s disease have the disease because of LRRK2. So, GlaxoSmithKline has to test about 100 Parkinson’s patients to find just one potential candidate. However, 23andMe has already provided 250 Parkinson’s patients who have agreed to be re-contacted for GlaxoSmithKline’s clinical trials, which may help the pharmaceutical company develop the drug much faster, Forbes reported.

Brain Activity Alternates While Stepping - Neuroscience News

The researchers found that activity in the 20-30 Hz (beta) range alternated between the left and right STN when the opposite foot touched the ground and the other foot was to be raised. The introduction of a metronome synchronized to the cartoon steps improved participants’ accuracy and enhanced their STN beta activity accordingly.

Parkinson's May Begin in Gut and Spread to the Brain Via the Vagus Nerve - Neuroscience News

The research has presented strong evidence that Parkinson’s disease begins in the gastrointestinal tract and spreads via the vagus nerve to the brain. Many patients have also suffered from gastrointestinal symptoms before the Parkinson’s diagnosis is made. “Patients with Parkinson’s disease are often constipated many years before they receive the diagnosis, which may be an early marker of the link between neurologic and gastroenterologic pathology related to the vagus nerve ,” says Elisabeth Svensson.