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The Parkinson's Disease Society has been funding research since
its inauguration in 1969. Back then the spend was £205 and 11
shillings. In 2007 this increased to £4.2million, and this figure
continues to rise year-on-year. In total, the PDS has invested more
than £35million in research since 1969.
The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) is
celebrating its 21st anniversary this year by highlighting some of
the key achievements of the member charities.
Read about how Parkinson's Disease Society research has
made a difference by visiting the
Association of Medical Research Charities' website
Drug treatments
Levodopa is a natural chemical, which the brain converts into
dopamine, and is the current ‘gold standard’ in treating
Parkinson’s. Other types of drug treatments available include
dopamine agonists, catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) and
monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitors, and anticholinergics.
The PDS has funded a broad range of studies investigating new
and novel drug treatments and methods of drug delivery. Projects
include:
- an investigation at King’s College London into how levodopa
leads to dyskinesia (uncontrollable movement) and how to deliver
this therapy to avoid this side effect
- a study at the University of Bath looking at developing new
patch method of drug delivery
- a phase III trial at Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit assessing
the cost-effectiveness of different classes of drugs being used to
treat Parkinson’s
- a project at King’s College London examining which substances
counteract some of the toxins in the brain that are thought to lead
to cell death seen in Parkinson’s
New treatments currently being invested in by the PDS include
studies into stem cells and into neuroprotective agents, ranging
from proteins which occur naturally in the brain, such as
osteopontin; to chemicals such as nicotine, which some evidence
shows lowers the risk of developing Parkinson’s; and flavonoids,
which are powerful antioxidants generally found in fruit pith, peel
and core.
Surgery
Another treatment that is widely used is deep brain stimulation,
where electrodes are surgically placed into a specific area of the
brain. These are attached to a battery pack implanted under the
skin, and the electrical impulses control the activity of that part
of the brain. This was first pioneered in the early 1990s by a
research team in Grenoble, France.
The PDS is currently co-funding a large-scale trial, called PD
SURG at Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit. Initial results comparing
surgery to drug therapy are expected towards the end of 2008, but
the patients who took part in the trial will be followed up every
year until 2015 to assess the long-term effects.
Causes of Parkinson’s
As well as researching treatments for the symptoms of
Parkinson’s, studies have also focused on investigating the causes
of the condition. It is not yet known exactly what causes
Parkinson’s, but researchers believe it is a combination of genetic
susceptibility and environmental triggers.
Genetics
In the vast majority of cases Parkinson’s is idiopathic (meaning
there is no known cause) but there is a rare form of familial
Parkinson’s, which is inherited. The first gene associated with
familial Parkinson’s, PARK1 (which produces the protein
alpha-synuclein), was discovered in 1997, leading to a wealth of
genetic discoveries.
In a PDS-funded project in 2004 Professor Nick Wood led a team
of researchers to identify two genes associated with Parkinson’s,
PARK8 (which produces the protein LRRK2), and PARK 6 (producing the
protein PINK1). Subsequent studies funded by the PDS are building
upon these findings to understand the roles of these genes and why
they increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s.
So far, mutations in nine genes have been associated with
Parkinson’s.
Cellular studies
As Parkinson’s is caused when the nerve cells producing dopamine
in the brain die, research has also focused on how and why these
cells degenerate and how to stop this. It is possible, for example,
to mimic some of the events that occur in Parkinson’s in a single
nerve cell grown in the laboratory. From this we may, in the
future, be able to develop new drugs to protect nerve cells.
Enhancing our understanding of the cell pathology of
Parkinson’s (looking at the origin, nature and course of the
disease) is another important area of research. The PDS has
committed to the study of the pathology of Parkinson’s by
sponsoring the UK PDS Tissue Bank, currently based at Imperial
College London.
The PDS is continuing investment in both genetic and cellular
studies to further understanding of what exactly causes
Parkinson’s. It is only by expanding this knowledge that
researchers will be able to find a cure to stop Parkinson’s in its
tracks.
Improving life for people affected by
Parkinson’s
As well as spending money on looking at the causes, treatments
and potential cures for Parkinson’s, the PDS has also invested in
non-drug therapies, carers studies, and social care research, to
improve the day-to-day lives of those living with Parkinson’s.
For example a PDS-funded study in 2003 at the Institute of
Psychiatry in London, found cognitive behaviour therapy to have a
significant impact on reducing the levels of distress, burden and
strain felt by carers of people with Parkinson’s. A larger study by
the same researchers is now studying depression, a problem
affecting more than 40 percent of people with Parkinson’s.
Another PDS-funded study at the University College London
Institute of Neurology is looking at the use of virtual reality
glasses to improve mobility in people with Parkinson’s. Researchers
have already discovered that the use of virtual lines can act as a
cue to improve walking or ‘freezing' (suddenly being unable to
start moving). This current project is now testing the practicality
and efficacy of these glasses. Parallel studies on audio-cueing
(for example, the sound of a clock ticking) are also being carried
out.
The PDS is the UK’s largest non-commercial funder of research into
all aspects of Parkinson’s. For details of current projects and
latest news about developments in Parkinson’s visit our Research news
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