New study could help people with Parkinson's get an earlier diagnosis
The earliest known signs of Parkinson's can include pain, anxiety, balance issues, stiffness, loss of smell, sleep problems and depression.
Other signs like tremors, handwriting changes, and diminished facial expressions, appear later as the disease progresses.
Gradually, patients may experience severe movement issues, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
Until now, research has mostly focused on the functions of the DA neurons in mood regulation and reward mechanisms.
These nerve cells are located in the midbrain regions substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA), are essential for regulating movement, and reward processing.
But the roles of the DA neurons in more subtle and spontaneous behaviours remain poorly understood, scientists say.
In the latest study, researchers discovered behaviours like rearing and hunching are associated with the loss of one type of SNc DA neurons, but not those in VTA.
These subtle behaviours could serve as key markers of SNc DA neuron loss, and enhance our understanding of Parkinson's, the study found.
Scientists used an advanced artificial intelligence behaviour analysis system to examine the movement of two mouse models with a dopamine neuron depletion.
Using this approach, researchers could capture detailed and nuanced behavioural features that traditional methods may overlook.
The study found reductions in rearing and hunching behaviour in the PD model, which correlates directly with the loss of DA neurons in the SNc but not the VTA.
Another behaviour in the mouse models called climbing, which is similar to rearing, was also found to be strongly linked to the loss of DA neurons in the midbrain's SNc area.
The findings underscore the need for monitoring rearing behaviour as potential behavioural markers in tracking the progression of Parkinson's disease, scientists say. (© The Independent)
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Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
New study could help people with Parkinson's get an earlier diagnosis
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that behaviours such as rearing, walking and hunching in mice, associated with the loss of a specific type of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons, are linked to Parkinson's disease. The earliest known signs of Parkinson's can include pain, anxiety, balance issues, stiffness, loss of smell, sleep problems and depression. Other signs like tremors, handwriting changes, and diminished facial expressions, appear later as the disease progresses. Gradually, patients may experience severe movement issues, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. Until now, research has mostly focused on the functions of the DA neurons in mood regulation and reward mechanisms. These nerve cells are located in the midbrain regions substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA), are essential for regulating movement, and reward processing. But the roles of the DA neurons in more subtle and spontaneous behaviours remain poorly understood, scientists say. In the latest study, researchers discovered behaviours like rearing and hunching are associated with the loss of one type of SNc DA neurons, but not those in VTA. These subtle behaviours could serve as key markers of SNc DA neuron loss, and enhance our understanding of Parkinson's, the study found. Scientists used an advanced artificial intelligence behaviour analysis system to examine the movement of two mouse models with a dopamine neuron depletion. Using this approach, researchers could capture detailed and nuanced behavioural features that traditional methods may overlook. The study found reductions in rearing and hunching behaviour in the PD model, which correlates directly with the loss of DA neurons in the SNc but not the VTA. Another behaviour in the mouse models called climbing, which is similar to rearing, was also found to be strongly linked to the loss of DA neurons in the midbrain's SNc area. The findings underscore the need for monitoring rearing behaviour as potential behavioural markers in tracking the progression of Parkinson's disease, scientists say. (© The Independent)
The Irish Sun
01-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Disturbing link between Parkinson's disease and living beside a golf club revealed by new study
LIVING near a golf course might come with more than just scenic views - it could carry a hidden health risk. A new study has revealed a troubling connection between proximity to golf courses and the likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease. 2 Living near a golf course may raise your risk of Parkinson's disease, a new study has found (stock image) Credit: Getty 2 Living within one mile of a golf course was linked to a 126% increase in odds of developing Parkinson (stock image) Credit: Getty The research focused on residents in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, where Led by the Data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project between 1991 and 2015 helped researchers compare Parkinson's patients with a control group. The greatest risk was seen in people living one to three miles from a golf course and the expansive lawns that come with it. READ MORE ON HEALTH Living within one mile of a fairway was linked to a 126% increase in odds of developing Parkinson's, the study found. Those in water service areas that included a golf course had nearly double the risk compared to areas without one. The risk jumped 82% for people living in under water service areas that also had vulnerable groundwater. 'Pesticides applied to golf courses may play a role in the incidence of PD [Parkinson's disease] for nearby residents,' researchers concluded in the study, published in Most read in Health 'The strongest effects were in municipal water service areas with a golf course and in regions with vulnerable groundwater based on the bedrock and topography,' lead author Brittany Krzyzanowski, Ph.D told She added, 'We speculate that pesticides might play a role. However, we didn't include data on pesticides in this study, so future research is needed to better understand what's going on.' Peter Andre shares emotional moment he's reunited with his mum Thea who's battling Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Medical director of the MS Center at Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey, Dr. Mary Ann Picone, who was not involved in the research, weighed in on the findings. 'There has often been discussion regarding risks for development of Parkinson's disease and environmental agents such as pesticides,' she told Fox News. 'Further research is needed with larger groups of patients, but this study does increase the concern about the association between pesticide exposure and risk of Parkinson's,' Picone added. She also warned that airborne exposure to pesticides could contribute to the risk. What is Parkinson's disease? PARKINSON'S is a progressive neurological condition. This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. People with Parkinson's don't have enough of the chemical dopamine in their brain because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working. Around 145,000 people live with Parkinson's in the UK. It's the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. Symptoms start to appear when the brain can't make enough dopamine to control movement properly. This usually happens around the age of 50, but some people might see the first signs in their 40s. There are over 40 symptoms, but the three main ones are: A tremor (shaking) Slowness of movement Rigidity (muscle stiffness) There are several different treatments, therapies and support available to help manage the condition. Source: Parkinson's UK The study did not measure individual levels of pesticide exposure, which researchers noted as a limitation. 'There are many other aspects as well that can interfere with developing a disease,' said senior author Dr. Rodolfo Savica of the Mayo Clinic. Researchers admitted the results may not apply to all areas, since the study focused on a region with hot, humid summers where pesticide use may be higher. Other risk factors, like head injuries or genetics were also not considered in the study. DEVELOPING PARKINSON'S Krzyzanowski pointed out that Parkinson's can take decades to develop, so the focus was on exposure from years ago. 'If pesticides were involved, they would be the ones sprayed a long time ago and that might be different from what's being sprayed today,' she said. Picone echoed that point, adding the research looked at exposure going back to 2013 or earlier. The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America pushed back on the study's implications. 'Public health experts and researchers who have reviewed the study have noted that the study's methodological limitations make it difficult to draw conclusions from the data,' the group said in a statement. They added that all pesticides used on golf courses are registered by the EPA and don't create 'unreasonable adverse effects' when applied properly. Mayo Clinic's Savica said older adults should still enjoy being active and social. 'I recommend people continue to play sports outdoors and enjoy the sociality of any activity, including playing golf,' he said. But he also advised people to be cautious around areas where pesticide exposure may be possible.
Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Young people do not belong in nursing homes
One man with early onset Parkinson's is climbing the Himalayas active, empowered and supported. Another is trapped in a care home among residents twice his age, paying €3,000 a month while his savings and spirit drain away. He can't even go for a walk out of the grounds without permission. I've met these men — both under 65 and both with lives worth living. The man living in a nursing home is not merely another wasted life, he is a person too. Prime Time Investigates exposed what we've known for years: the shameful institutionalisation of people under 65, leading to rapid physical and mental decline. Today, 1,227 remain in nursing homes. In 2025, the HSE asked for €8.5 million to relocate 40 people — sounds like progress, right? Until you realise only €4.8 million was allocated, enough to move just 24 people. Over four years, 104 people have been moved out of nursing homes, while 32 more are added every month (Wasted Lives Update, 2024). The maths doesn't add up — and neither does the morality. I've lived with early onset Parkinson's for a decade — a condition affecting 10–20% of people with Parkinson's, with members of our organisation symptomatic as young as 20 years old. With 18,000 living with Parkinson's in Ireland, as many as 3,600 people aged 18 to 55 are at risk of being sent to a nursing home should they experience rapid progression, or symptoms become unmanageable alone. This is not to mention the countless others living with neurodegenerative conditions. I've met people living this nightmare — like a man in his 30s with Cerebral Palsy, placed in a nursing home alongside residents his parents' age. With both parents in long-term dementia care and no community supports available, he was sent there. His fear? That he might never get out. And what about the families? Under the Fair Deal scheme, 80% of a person's assessable income and 7.5% of their assets per annum, are paid towards nursing home care. In the case of early onset conditions what happens to the mortgage, the family left behind, the children still in school? The financial devastation affects everyone. I'm lucky to have a supportive husband, four amazing children, family and friends. I'm doing my best to live well. But many I've met aren't so fortunate. They're institutionalised, cut off from vital therapies like physio, exercise, and neurology that could slow disease progression. Their savings vanish, they're isolated from peers, and their mental and physical health decline as their independence slips away, day by day. This practice is not new. Nor is it an accident. The Wasted Lives report in 2021, laid bare the systemic failings, and since this, the Government repeated promises to end the institutionalisation of young people in nursing homes. What do these promises mean to the young man in his 30s with Cerebral Palsy? Nothing. His life hasn't changed. The government has, but his reality has not. Slow erosion of dignity Having just retired from my role as a dementia adviser in Clare, I have seen how the system fails people. I've seen the heartbreak, the isolation, and the slow erosion of dignity. I've also seen community workers and healthcare staff stretch every resource and contact to find funding and support often forcing them to act first and ask forgiveness later in the hopes of a better outcome. It appears that the €4.8 million allocation is a one-off fund, as there is no indication that funding has been committed for the many years that would be required to solve this crisis. That is not a strategy. It is an insult. Especially when the Government claims its commitment to ending this practice. What happens next year? What happens to the hundreds still living in no man's land. Fiona Staunton: 'Having just retired from my role as a dementia adviser in Clare, I have seen how the system fails people. I've seen the heartbreak, the isolation, and the slow erosion of dignity.' We need real, long-term investment in community supports, as promised in Sláintecare. Clear exit pathways must be created for those already institutionalised and we need transparent, updated data on how many of these people are wrongly placed in nursing homes — including those stuck in hospital beds waiting for nursing home spots. We need full, informed consent — because I can tell you now, no young person willingly chooses this as a long-term path. This shameful practice must end. Being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease should not mean your human rights are stripped away. We are not statistics. We are people with hopes, with families, friends, and with futures. One of the myriad symptoms of Parkinson's is a softening — and even loss — of one's voice. However, on this issue, we will continue to shout until our voices are heard, until there are no more wasted lives. Fiona Staunton is a Board Member, EOPD Ireland Dementia Adviser (retired), The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Person living with Early Onset Parkinson's Disease Parkinson's Advocate
