Email from University of Minnesota
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I got heckled at the Spring Symposium!
It was so great to see so many of you at the annual Spring Parkinson's Symposium (an event we co-host with APDA and PF) in Arden Hills on April 10th! Those of you who stayed until the end got to see me serve as a surprise, back-up speaker for the last 5 minutes. We were about to announce the winner of the prize drawing when somebody in the audience stood up and asserted that we could NOT finish the event without talking more about the federal research funding situation. This was actually a wonderful interruption! She gave us some tips about how to fight Washington, and I was able to direct the audience to the UMN table -- a ton of people stopped by to grab our political action flyers on their way out! It warms my heart that so many of you are willing to make a stand for Parkinson's research funding. Thank you, and keep up the good work!
It was really a delight to talk to readers of this newsletter. I met someone who said she drove all the way up to Duluth to do the free Soma yoga weekend that we promoted! (She loved it.) Another person told me she really enjoyed volunteering in the University of Minnesota's community teacher program that we ran in the newsletter.
Paraquat was discussed in one of the presentations -- please see Neurology post-doc Jessica Froula's reports on this topic and on cognitive change in this month's issue.
And the quote that kept me laughing for days afterwards was this one from a gentleman in the audience who shared his experience with the panelists: “They say exercise is really important. I learned that the hard way......by exercising.”
Thanks everyone, see you next year!
Kelly Ryberg, MA, CCRP
Editor, Parkinson's Pulse
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And speaking of political action...Representatives from UMN Neurology and M Health Fairview (including our own senior Parkinson's nurse, Kailey Gienger) went to Washington, D.C. in mid-March for a Parkinson’s Policy Forum. They had overwhelmingly positive, engaging conversations with staff in Rep. Ilhan Omar’s office and Rep. Betty McCollum’s office, who said they support our priorities to increase NIH funding, including continuing to fund the Udall Center here at UMN! Read on for another call to action for the PD community!!
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Paraquat and PD
Many of you have likely heard about environmental links to Parkinson's, such as the pesticide Paraquat and the insecticide Rotenone. Animal and human studies have demonstrated the connection between PD and Paraquat exposure for decades. Mechanisms related to the neurotoxicity of Paraquat are not fully understood, but one major theory is related to chemicals that cells release when they are stressed, “reactive oxygen species” (ROS). If these chemicals are built up faster than they can be broken down, dopamine-producing cells can get damaged or die. Another potential mechanism is neuroinflammation, which is the reaction of brain cells to an injury or unfamiliar stimuli, like when your immune system attacks a virus. Neuroinflammation can outlast the initial injury or exposure for a long time, and it can disrupt the whole brain by impacting damaged and healthy cells alike.
If reading all this made you fired up, you’re not alone. There is currently a bill in the Minnesota state house that is looking to ban future sales and use of paraquat and to push for responsible disposal of the chemical. It’s getting a lot of attention in the media right now, including the APDA, so now is the perfect opportunity to make your voice heard! Make this issue a priority for your MN legislature representatives using sample text like this (provided by PD Avengers) in a phone call, email, or letter. Want to get more involved in related advocacy efforts? Reach out to the APDA at advocacy@apdaparkinson.org. |
We’re back with our second topic in our cognitive series - Parkinson’s psychosis. Estimates vary, but between 20 and 60% of people with PD may develop some degree of these symptoms in the progression of the disease, which can include hallucinations, delusions and paranoia. Although there is probably not one distinct cause, research shows that it can result from a combination of PD-related brain changes, other psychiatric issues, and certain combinations of PD and non-PD medications.
Management of psychosis focuses on exploring triggers, adjusting medications, improving surroundings for safety and comfort, and PD‑safe antipsychotic medications. If you're wondering if your medications might be causing this or any other issues, I highly recommend using M Health Fairview's medication therapy management (MTM) service; we have staff specializing in Parkinson's patients. Download this flyer or visit this website for more info. and call the Neurology clinic to book an appointment, 612-626-6688. Available for remote visits, not just in the Twin Cities!
Learn more about PD psychosis here and here.
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Free Parkinson's Events in May
1. PF Moving Day walk
This is a fundraiser, but donations are optional. Going on the walk is also optional! More info here. We always have a booth at this event; come say hello!! It's always a good time and the weather looks great this year!
🕒 Saturday May 2, 9am - 12pm
📌 Hilde Park, 3500 Plymouth Blvd, Plymouth, MN
Contact Ethan Clark at eclark@parkinson.org or 612-213-3142 for questions.
2. PD support group in St. Michael
UMN researcher and MD/PhD candidate Kate Dembny will be speaking at this month's meeting!
🕒 Tuesday, May 5, 1:30-3pm (every first Tuesday of the month)
📌11800 Town Center Drive NE, St. Michael, MN (in the senior center inside City Hall)
Contact Elaine Thiesen at 612-720-8800 for more info. No registration required.
3. PD 101 class with M Health Fairview
A class for people recently diagnosed (last 5 years). Learn about what PD is and how it’s diagnosed, its causes, medications, an introduction to DBS, research, and the importance of exercise and socialization.
🕒 Thursday, May 7th at 10am (Every 1st Thursday of the month)
📌 Zoom
If interested in joining, patients and/or family can call the clinic at 612-626-6688 or send a MyChart message.
4. PD Support Group in Coon Rapids
🕒 May 21, July 16, Sept 17, etc. (every third Thursday of odd months)
📌 11155 Robinson Drive NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433
Contact Milo Hartmann via phone at 612-599-0756 or by email milo.hartmann@hotmail.com for more details.
5. Parkinson's Foundation Expert Briefing Series: Artificial Intelligence and PD
🕒 Wednesday, May 13th, 12pm - 1:15pm CT
📌 Virtual
Learn how AI-enabled tools may influence communication, symptom tracking, and care personalization, and how individuals and care partners can engage with these tools responsibly.
Register in advance here.
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