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Saturday, December 17, 2005Engineered stem cells show promise for sneaking drugs into the brain
One of the great challenges for treating Parkinson's diseases and other neurodegenerative disorders is getting medicine to the right place in the brain.
The brain is a complex organ with many different types of cells and structures, and it is fortified with a protective barrier erected by blood vessels and glial cells - the brain's structural building blocks - that effectively blocks the delivery of most drugs from the bloodstream. But now scientists have found a new way to sneak drugs past the blood-brain barrier by engineering and implanting progenitor brain cells derived from stem cells to produce and deliver a critical growth factor that has already shown clinical promise for treating Parkinson's disease.CLICK TO READ A Potential Parkinson's Advance
It has been a big problem for patients getting medicine to areas of the brain that need it most, but a new study in the Journal Gene Therapy, says researchers have created stem cells that can sneak past the blood-brain barrier, and deliver cells to the portions of the brain that are deteriorated. The stem cells were even able to stimulate the growth of new brain fibers there, which survived for up to three months.KCBD - NewsChannel 11 / CLICK TO READ
Eye Cell Implants Improve Motor Symptoms for Parkinson Patients - USA
A preliminary study suggests that implants of cells from the human retina improved motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease, and they appear to be safe and well tolerated.CLICK TO READ
Wednesday, December 14, 2005Evidence links cocaine abuse and Parkinson's disease
Adults who abuse cocaine might increase their risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD), and pregnant women who abuse cocaine could increase the risk of their children developing PD later in life, according to results of laboratory studies performed by investigators at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The study’s findings are important because there are currently more than 2 million cocaine abusers in the US today, the researchers said. Many individuals who abused the drug during the height of the cocaine abuse epidemic of the 1970s and 1980s are now entering their older years, when symptoms of PD are likely to emerge.Evidence links cocaine abuse and Parkinson's disease Thursday, December 08, 2005Resources for Caregivers...National Organizations
American Health Care Association (AHCA)
1201 L St., N.W. Washington, DC 20005 (202) 842-4444 www.ahca.org FamilyCare America Enter your Zip code 1004 N. Thompson St. Suite 205 Richmond, VA 23230 (804) 342-2200 E-mail: info@familycareamerica.com www.familycareamerica.com Family Caregiver Alliance 180 Montgomery St. Suite 11001 San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 434-3388 or 1-800-445-8106 E-mail: info@caregiver.org www.caregiver.org National Alliance for Caregiving 4720 Montgomery Lane Fifth Floor Bethesda, MD 20814 E-mail: info@caregiving.org www.caregiving.org National Center for Assisted Living 1201 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 842-4444 www.ncal.org National Family Caregivers Association 10400 Connecticut Ave Suite 500 Kensington, MD 20895-3944 1-800-896-3650 (301) 942-6430 www.nfcacares.org The Well Spouse Foundation 63 West Main St. Suite H Freehold, NJ 07728 (732) 577-8899 1-800-838-0879 www.wellspouse.org AARP 601 E Street NM Washington, DC 20049 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277) AARP.com Government Resources Eldercare Locator Provides help in finding local services for seniors. 1-800-677-1116 www.eldercare.gov National Family Caregiver Support Program Administration on Aging Washington, DC 20201 (202) 619-0724 1-800-677-1116 E-mail: aoainfo@aoa.gov www.aoa.gov/caregivers U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 7th St. SW Washington, DC 20410 Phone: (202) 708-1112 TTY: (202) 708-1455 www.hud.gov Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 7500 Security Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 1-800-MEDICARE www.medicare.gov Health Care Finance Administration 1-877-267-2323 www.hcfa.gov Tuesday, November 08, 2005The National Parkinson FoundationMichael J. Fox FoundationCure Parkinson’s Program:: American Parkinson Disease Association
National Parkinson's Foundation
National. More than 1000 active support groups, including Young Onset Parkinson community and online groups, that seek to improve the quality of life for both patients and their caregivers. Provides information on local groups at their website. Provides (at website) a "Support Group Leaders Manual" to help those interested in starting a new group. WRITE: National Parkinson's Foundation 1501 NW 9th Ave. Miami, FL 33136 CALL: 1-800-327-4545 305-547-6666 FAX: 305-243-4403 E-MAIL: contact@parkinson.org WEBSITE: http://www.parkinson.org American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc. National. 65 chapters. Founded 1961. Network of 800 support groups for patients and families. Chapter development guidelines. Quarterly newsletter. Promotes research. Fifty-four information and referral centers nationwide. Also offers online booklets, referrals and support. WRITE: Amer. Parkinson Disease Assn. 1250 Hyland Blvd., Suite B4 Staten Island, NY 10305 CALL: 718-981-8001 1-800-223-2732 FAX: 718-981-4399 WEBSITE: http://www.apdaparkinson.com Parkinson's Disease Foundation, Inc. International. Founded 1957. Aims to provide Parkinson patients a better quality of life through funding of research, in the hopes of finding the cause and, ultimately, the cure. Provides referrals to support groups, newsletter, information and phone support. Online question and answer forum. WRITE: Parkinson's Disease Fdn. 710 W. 168th St. New York, NY 10032 CALL: 212-923-4700 1-800-457-6676 (day) FAX: 212-923-4778 E-MAIL: info@pdf.org WEBSITE: http://www.pdf.org Monday, November 07, 2005under construction
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