Understanding what factors may worsen Parkinson’s symptoms Many people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experience variation in their motor symptoms (e.g. tremor, stiffness, slowness, trouble walking, balance difficulties) throughout the day and from one day and the next. This variability is often related to medication dosing, and you and your doctor may focus on adjusting the types of medications that you take as well as the timing and amounts that you take to improve your symptoms throughout the day. You can read more about the possible medication adjustments to improve the amount of time that ..read more

Differences of Parkinson’s Disease in Women Parkinson’s disease (PD) impacts millions of people around the world, and it does not discriminate based on gender. But while PD affects men and women with some similarities, the manifestation, progression, and even treatment responses can differ significantly between genders, in addition to important discrepancies related to healthcare access and psychosocial factors that can impact quality of life. Gaining a better understanding of PD in women is essential to providing them the best possible care and support, and many efforts to do so have been ma ..read more

Meet Denise and Bernard Coley, Leaders in the Black Parkinson’s Community You’ve seen us put a spotlight on APDA-funded researchers as well as interesting and inspiring people living with PD, and today we are excited to introduce you to Denise and Bernard Coley – two special people who are extraordinary advocates for the PD community and have been involved in numerous initiatives to improve Parkinson’s health outcomes in the Black  community. APDA is interested in expanding the reach of PD support and education and broadening the diversity of PD research. Our strategic plan has us focuse ..read more

An Interview With ADPA Researcher, Dr. Abdulmunaim Eid About Parkinson’s Subtypes Dr. Abdulmunaim Eid, APDA-funded researcher exploring Parkinson’s subtypes. Our A Closer Look blog is designed to educate, inform, and inspire you through a variety of topics and insights about Parkinson’s disease (PD). One way we do that is through our Interview with APDA Researchers series within this blog so you can get a closer look at some of the dedicated APDA-funded researchers who are working tirelessly to understand this disease. Today we introduce you to Dr. Abdulmunaim Eid. He is a ..read more

An Interview With ADPA Researcher, Dr. Abdulmunaim Eid About Parkinson’s Subtypes Dr. Abdulmunaim Eid, APDA-funded researcher exploring Parkinson’s subtypes. Our A Closer Look blog is designed to educate, inform, and inspire you through a variety of topics and insights about Parkinson’s disease (PD). One way we do that is through our Interview with APDA Researchers series within this blog so you can get a closer look at some of the dedicated APDA-funded researchers who are working tirelessly to understand this disease. Today we introduce you to Dr. Abdulmunaim Eid. He is a ..read more

Insights from Dr. Ihtsham Ul Haq and Tom Liodice on APDA’s Dr. Gilbert Hosts Deep brain stimulation (DBS) and focused ultrasound (FUS) are two medical procedures that may be considered for certain people with PD to help alleviate symptoms. On a recent episode of APDA’s Dr. Gilbert Hosts, I spoke with Dr. Ihtsham Ul Haq, a movement disorders specialist with a particular interest in DBS and FUS for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Tom Liodice, a person with PD who recently underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) . We covered a lot of ground during the broadcast and both Tom and Dr. Haq ans ..read more

An Interview With Dr. Krithi Irmady, an APDA Researcher Studying RNA & Parkinson’s Our A Closer Look blog is designed to educate, inform, and inspire you through a variety of topics and insights about Parkinson’s disease (PD). One way we do that is through our Interview with APDA Researchers series within this blog so you can get a closer look at some of the dedicated APDA-funded researchers who are working tirelessly to understand this disease. As we celebrate Women’s History Month and the important contributions women have made, it seems fitting today to introduce yo ..read more

How Parkinson’s medications may affect behavior Dopaminergic medications (or medications that enhance the brain’s dopamine system) are the mainstay of treatment for the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). These medications have the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of someone with PD by improving slowness and stiffness, tremor, and gait difficulties – which are all frequent symptoms of the disease. However, like all medications, they can also cause side effects. Some common side effects of dopaminergic medications include fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and hallucinati ..read more

APDA’s Impactful Research in Parkinson’s Disease APDA proudly invests in the most promising clinicians and scientific projects focused on the discovery of the cause(s) and finding the cure(s) for Parkinson’s disease (PD). APDA is committed to scientific research and has been a funding partner in many major PD scientific breakthroughs, investing nearly $60 million in research since 1961. We are very proud of the impact our research funds have made in the past, and we’re excited to give you some updates on the impact we’re having today, and also explain how we measure that impact. Many APDA-fun ..read more

What is a disease staging system? A disease staging system is a framework used to describe the progression or severity of a particular medical condition. A staging system creates a standardized way of classifying the extent of the disease, which helps healthcare professionals communicate effectively about a patient’s condition, make treatment decisions, and predict prognosis. Many people may be familiar with this regarding diseases like cancer, but there are also staging systems for Parkinson’s disease. We’ll discuss the standard staging scales that have been in use for decades, as well as a n ..read more