The trajectory of a Parkinson’s diagnosis is progressive and chronic, typically beginning with what may be a tremor or mild symptoms of reduced mobility and potentially developing into a debilitating disorder that impacts many functions and organs. 

What if we could better understand the immune response mechanisms behind the initiation of numerous neurological conditions - and subsequently be in a position to more effectively diagnose and treat these diseases?

The SNCA gene provides instructions for making a small protein called alpha-synuclein. Alpha-synuclein is abundant in the brain, and smaller amounts are found in the heart, muscles, and other tissues. In the brain, alpha-synuclein is found mainly at the tips of nerve cells (neurons) in specialized structures called presynaptic terminals. Presynaptic terminals release chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, from compartments known as synaptic vesicles. The release of neurotransmitters relays signals between neurons and is critical for normal brain function.

Cognitive dysfunction is a very common symptom even in newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis patients as well as in other neurodegenerative disorders. Much research, including a recent study that we will discuss later in this article, has been conducted regarding the APOE gene locus as a possible mediator of cognitive impairment and its association with dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease.

We’ve long known that stress has negative consequences in regard to our health and is especially deleterious for our brains. Findings from a recently published study now point to the impact of additional effects as it relates to chronic stress or “social defeat,” which is a concept used in the study of the physiological and behavioral effects of hostile interactions among subjects (that can be animal or human models).

One of the most common complaints in all patients with autoimmune disease is chronic fatigue. Modafinil is a psychostimulant drug that was approved in 1998 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of narcolepsy, excessive daytime sleepiness and obstructive sleep apnea.

Update, July 2020…re: new information about minocycline.
Interesting new research has come to light since we last wrote about minocycline, a medication that has been around for quite some time (actually, about 50 years!) and is commonly prescribed to treat bacterial infections.

As previously discussed in our first blog that follows here, the dosage used in the Alzheimer’s disease trials was 200-400mg per day, but not many patients were able to tolerate this for very long due to gastrointestinal side effects.