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The body functions of man and animals are controlled by electric and chemical signals between the cells in our nervous system. Contacts between cells are called synapses, and special substances, called neurotransmitters, send the signals. Arvid Carlsson discovered a neurotransmitter called dopamine in the brain and described its role in our ability to move. This […]

For people with Parkinson’s disease, it’s usually a tremendous relief to find a drug to treat the tremors, stiffness or the freezing that causes some of them to halt in place. But for a significant minority of people – up to 20 per cent – the class of drugs that is often most effective in […]

By Dr. Harold Robertson Transplantation for treatment of Parkinson’s disease has not been as widely discussed as it once was, but don’t count it out yet! During the past decade there has been increasing evidence that early diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease will be important in the future. One area where early diagnosis will […]

Within the last decade, researchers discovered that people taking drugs that block calcium channels to treat high blood pressure enjoy a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. This serendipitous discovery opened an avenue of research into the relationship between calcium and mitochondria—tiny components within cells that convert oxygen and sugar into energy. Mitochondria need calcium […]

Parkinson Canada had the pleasure of attending two important research conferences in September, both to learn more about the current and cutting-edge research behind Parkinson’s disease (PD), and to ensure Canadian representation as a part of the larger, international coalition of movement disorder specialists. First, the Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s conference hosted by the  in […]

Olivier Kerdiles, a doctoral student at Université Laval, is exploring the possibility that diet and exercise could prevent the onset of Parkinson’s disease as well as reduce the loss of neurons and even reverse other negative effects. He is studying omega-3, a group of fatty acids known to be beneficial to our metabolism, which might […]

A combined assessment of eye movements and genetic factors promises to shed new light on drug-related problems in Parkinson’s disease patients. While medication to boost dopamine levels in the nervous system can restore movement control to many patients, this sharp increase in dopamine can also lead to unwanted cognitive changes such as impulsive behaviour followed […]

Topographical analysis of the trajectory of dopaminergic degeneration in symptomatic and pre-manifest Parkinson’s. Dr. Michele Matarazzo, a neurologist with the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre at the University of British Columbia, is assembling a database of brain imaging scans to show the progression of Parkinson’s disease in patients over the course of several years. This information, provided […]

A protein called alpha-synuclein, which accumulates in clumps in the brain cells of people with Parkinson’s disease, has long been the target of researchers investigating the causes of this degenerative illness. The way alpha-synuclein interacts with other proteins is thought to be the key to how Parkinson’s progresses. At Laval University, Associate Professor Martin Lévesque […]