Managing treatment fluctuations in Parkinson disease: "On" again-, "off" again

The first truly effective medical therapy for Parkinson disease (PD), levodopa, was introduced in the 1960s. Patients had to take huge doses of levodopa, with treatment limited by peripheral decarboxylation of levodopa to dopamine by dopa decarboxylase (DDC), resulting in substantial peripheral side effects.¹ Benserazide and carbidopa were developed as dopa decarboxylase inhibitors (DDCIs); because they do not cross the blood-brain barrier, they effectively block the peripheral decarboxylation of levodopa to dopamine. The combination of carbidopa and levodopa (Sinemet; Merck, Whitehouse Station, NJ) was marketed in 1975. This allowed for levodopa dose reduction due to increased (brain) bioavailability and a marked reduction of peripheral side effects.² The total daily dose of carbidopa needed to effectively block peripheral decarboxylation of levodopa has been 75 to 100 mg, although some patients require supplemental higher doses of carbidopa (Lodosyn; Aton Pharma, Lawrenceville, NJ). Doses of carbidopa up to 400 mg per day are tolerable and safe.³

from Neurology recent issues https://ift.tt/2HSP1pR

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Menopause Symptoms Reduced by Cold Water Swimming

Cold water swimming significantly eases menopausal symptoms. Surveying 1114 women, with 785 experiencing menopause, researchers found improvements in anxiety, mood swings, low mood, and hot flushes among participants. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/9AqHsEa

UPI: Kids with psych disorders most likely to take dangerous viral challenges

The “choking game” — and other clearly ill-advised and dangerous internet challenges — leave many parents wondering what drives teens to take the bait and participate. Now, a new study suggests that an underlying psychological disorder may be one reason why some kids jump at online dares such as the “Bird Box” challenge, where people walk around blindfolded, and the Tide Pod challenge, daring people to eat laundry detergent. (January 28, 2019) Read the full article here from Brain Health Daily http://bit.ly/2DIWHbD

The emerging influential role of microglia in neurology

In her most catchily titled book, The Angel and the Assassin , Donna Jackson Nakazawa highlighed nerve cells which have hitherto been very little acknowledged – microglia . Long ignored as bit players in the big league of the nervous system, Nakazawa colourfully illustrated what many neuroscientists are beginning to realise: the small size of microglia belies their huge influence ; m icroglia are, after all, the defence force of the nervous system, protecting the brain from microbial invaders . In keeping with their small size, their role is to surreptitiously present the antigens of invading bugs to T cells , the toffs who actually carry out the final hatchet job . It is therefore not surprising that any dysfunction of microglia will come with significant clinical consequences . By GerryShaw – Own work , CC BY-SA 3.0 , Link The most important clinical fallout of dysfunctional microglia appears to be the emergence of dementia. It is indeed spec...

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