Researchers from across the country met with PSC to share their progress in Parkinson’s research, at the Parkinson Disease Alliance meeting, in Calgary, on January 9th and 10th. This third Alliance meeting was hosted by the Movement Disorder Clinic of the University of Calgary and supported by TEVA.

“One of the great things about a meeting like this is that it brings researchers together to exchange ideas and information and have cross-pollination of ideas,” said PSC CEO Joyce Gordon.

Day 1
Speakers and topics included:

• Dr. Heidi McBride: mitochondrial dynamics and folding/unfolding proteins
• Dr. Susan Fox: the multiple roles of 5-HT and the possibility that depression might pre-date PD
• Dr. Serge Przedborski: PD mechanisms and model
• Dr. Nicholas Dupré: screening candidate genes for PD in a specific population
• David Park: DJ-1 and LRRK2 in models of PD; is it management or response to oxidative stress
• Dr. Mandar Jog: neuroelectrodynamics
• Dr. Alex Rajput: differentiating Essential Tremor and PD
• Dr. Ron Postuma: Sleep and PD; prediction and heterogeneity; olfactory as prediction
• Dr. Sam Weiss: Neural stem cells

Demonstrating the power of collaboration, the group discussed Centres of Excellence and the possibility of applying for a National Centres of Excellence grant.

Day 2
Clinicians reviewed clinical guidelines from other countries, in preparation for creating Canadian consensus guidelines or clinical practice guidelines for the management and treatment of PD in Canada.