Tag: Parkinson’s

Dr. Arif Khan at the Northwest Clinical Research Center talks about Parkinson’s disease and an exciting clinical study by Athira Pharma for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease Dementia (PDD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. The medicine is designed to boost a repair and regenerative pathway for brain cells, promoting brain health and function. It's a new approach, potentially targeting the root cause of memory decline by repairing brain cells and rebuilding brain networks.

Lianna Marie talks about finding meaning when you've been diagnosed with an illness like Parkinson's.

Lianna Marie talks about inspirational people with Parkinson's. We talk about having hope, and looking up to people who are going through the same things. Michael J. Fox, of course, but also Jimmy Choi from American Ninja Warrior, who was diagnosed when he was 27. Jim Morris, the inspiration for the sports movie The Rookie, developed a form of Parkinson's due to sports concussions.

Lianna Marie talks about gratitude. Why is it important and how is it possible? Studies suggest a sense of gratitude is connected to health. Grateful people sleep better and it reduces stress.

Lianna Marie talks about depression as it pertains to Parkinson's. Research today shows that it is a symptom rather a response to the illness. Up to 50% of people with Parkinson's are suffering from clinical depression, from the chemical imbalances triggered by the disease.

As part of the Parkinson's Path, Lianna Marie asks “How do we find happiness?” A large part of happiness is under our control. We have to choose to be happy. Not to say that life will be joyful every day with Parkinson's, but let's define what happiness would look like – is it having a productive life, staying connected with my loved ones, stay in my job longer?

As part of the Parkinson's Path, Lianna Marie says Hope and faith are different: The majority of people have a faith in something higher than themselves. It played a huge role for my mother's battle with Parkinson's. The disease can be so overwhelming, but a lot of people point to faith as a means of rescue.

As part of the Parkinson's Path, Lianna Marie says that hope is a key part of everything, fighting illnesses or even difficulties in life. We developed an initial "H.O.P.E. test" to assess attitudes and feelings about Hopefulness, Optimism, Practicing acceptance, and Enlisting the help of others.

Lianna Marie says that hope is crucial for those diagnosed with Parkinson's. Having hope can be more important than medication or medical procedures. Simply having hope makes your brain release endorphins that fight pain, an asset for Parkinson's, so we can physically change by changing our mindset. And there has also been an explosion of treatments in the last decade.

Lianna Marie describes her family experiences with Parkinson's following the diagnosis of the disease. Her mother's diagnosis was confirmed at 49 years old, when Lianna Marie was in her teens. Her mother had an arresting tremor, and the doctors assessed it as "the better kind" of Parkinson's, and she was able to work another 10-15 years. Diagnosis for everyone is different.