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| Exercises for Trunk Rigidity Seen to Help Patients Safely Make Turns Parkinson’s News Today A four-week, task-specific exercise program done at home can improve turning ability and balance, and ease disease severity for people with early- to mid-stage Parkinson’s, a small study suggested. This Parkinson’s exercise program focuses explicitly on rotating those parts of the body most involved in turning. It may be a promising alternative rehabilitation program for patients with trunk rigidity that makes turning difficult and risks falls, the researchers said. The study, “Benefits of task-specific movement program on en bloc turning in Parkinson’s disease: A randomized controlled trial,” was published in the journal Physiotherapy Research International. Trunk rigidity is a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Instead of turning the body in a top-down approach — with the head moving first, then the shoulders and the hips — patients tend to move all these body parts together, or “en bloc.” Such rigidity in movement can affect turning and balance to increase the risk of falling, the researchers noted. While Parkinson’s treatments like levodopa therapy and deep brain stimulation aim to address such difficulties, they best do so when paired with exercise training, the team added. ———- Impaired Heart Rate Function Linked to Dementia in 5-Year Study Parkinson’s News Today Impairment due to Parkinson’s disease of the involuntary nervous system, which controls heart rate, among other bodily functions, was associated with worse outcomes after five years — particularly relative to dementia, daily motor activities, and quality of life, a study suggested. In fact, worse cardiovascular assessment scores were linked to a sevenfold higher risk of developing dementia, according to researchers. Impaired heart rate also was associated with a five times higher risk of falls, as well as significantly worse impairment in activities of daily living and health-related quality of life. Moreover, people with Parkinson’s who experienced low blood pressure when standing up after sitting or lying down — called neurogenic orthostatic hypotension — also were found to be more likely to develop dementia. Additional research is needed to determine whether dementia can be slowed or prevented by treating involuntary cardiovascular malfunction, the scientists said. ——— Inbrija, Inhaled Levodopa for ‘Off’ Episodes, Launches in Germany Parkinson’s News Today Inbrija, an approved treatment for “off” episodes of Parkinson’s disease, has now been launched in Germany. The medication is being sold in Germany by Esteve Pharmaceuticals under an agreement with its developer Acorda Therapeutics. In exchange for supply of the product, Acorda will receive a significant double-digit percent of the selling price of Inbrija, in addition to additional sales-based milestones. The two companies had previously announced an agreement for Esteve to commercialize Inbrija in Spain, with an expected commercial launch early next year. Acorda also has partnered with Biopas Laboratories to market Inbrija in Latin America. “Esteve has a significant presence in Europe and an excellent track record of successfully commercializing neurological products there,” Kerry Clem, chief commercial officer at Acorda, said in a press release. ———- Companies Partner on Tech for Finding Best Time to Take Medication Parkinson’s News Today Two European pharma companies have teamed up to create a technology platform that will help people with Parkinson’s disease find the best time to take their medication and make personalized adjustments to their treatment schedules. Gerresheimer AG is partnering with Finnish MedTech start-up Adamant Health Oy on new technologies that aim to help patients to determine the optimum timing for their Parkinson’s therapies. “Our common goal is to optimize the treatment of Parkinson’s and to improve the patient’s quality of life dramatically,” Dietmar Siemssen, CEO of Gerresheimer, said in a press release. “The investment is part of our strategic expansion into personalized drug delivery devices combined with platform-based and digital disease monitoring,” Siemssen said. |