The Weekly – Your Parkinson’s News Updates

20 hikers completed 3 days of hiking on beautiful Mt. Rainier, July 12 -14, and departed the mountain with sunny faces and sore happy feet! This is the first year that Pass to Pass has offered day hiking to the Parkinson’s community: hiking by day and enjoying Mt. Rainier’s National Park Lodge in the evening for meals and accommodation. We had hikers joining us from as far as Vermont! We enjoyed hiking the trails, listening to Ranger Grant tell the story of Rainier, it’s geology and history, sharing time together at the lodge with a slide presentation from Jerry, a PD hiker, a story of a family friend that hiked and climbed Mt. Rainier in the 1920’s, we had a drum circle, we sang – and we sauntered the trails of the mountain that were not cloaked in snow.

There are 7 upcoming hikes with over 70 PD hikers and hiking buddies who will be backpacking in Washington and in California. For more information, please visit https://passtopass.org. Perhaps you would like to join us next year?

FREE ONLINE CLASSES! Week of July 18

Tuesday 10:30 AM PT Nia click here Password: fun  Thursday 10:30 AM PT Feldenkrais Click here Password: nwpf *Please note, Singing for Parkinson’s and Victory Drumming are on break for July. They will return in August. Please contact Miran@nwpf.org with any questions. First 3 Tuesdays of the month The Tremolo Singers meet at 11 am PT Register here! 1st & 3rd Friday’s of the month Victory Drumming for People with Parkinson’s 11 am PT Register here!

Dance for PD Did you know that, dance can help with balance and gait? Register now! Online and in person classes!

Parkinson’s News Updates

Stigma of Parkinson’s Influenced by Other Conditions Parkinson’s News Today More co-existing health conditions in people with Parkinson’s disease is associated with a greater self-perception of stigma and a lower quality of life, a study has found. Thyroid disease, depression and anxiety each were linked to stigma and life quality, with demographic factors — including a younger age, less education and an earlier Parkinson’s onset — influencing these patients and their relationships. “This study reveals the interaction of other health-related conditions with specific demographic and clinical features that may complicate the lived experience of persons with [Parkinson’s],” the researchers wrote, adding that the findings are important for “care partners, healthcare professionals, and individuals with [Parkinson’s] themselves.” The study, “Perceived stigma and quality of life in Parkinson’s disease with additional health conditions,” was published in General Psychiatry.  —————— High Copper Exposure May Promote Disease-driving Protein Clumping Parkinson’s News Today Exposure to high concentrations of copper accelerates the formation of toxic clumps of the alpha-synuclein protein — a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease, a study shows. The study, “Single-Particle Resolution of Copper-Associated Annular α‑Synuclein Oligomers Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets of Neurodegeneration,” was published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience. Alpha-synuclein, a protein found abundant in the brain, is thought to help regulate nerve cell function and communication. Toxic buildup of alpha-synuclein clumps (oligomers) is one of the main causes of nerve cell loss in Parkinson’s disease. Prior research has shown that alpha-synuclein oligomers from Parkinson’s patients have elevated levels of metals. One study found particularly high levels of copper in patients’ cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord). Metal ions can help stabilize the interaction between proteins facilitating their aggregation. Common sources of environmental copper exposure include pesticides, copper-contaminated water, or uncoated copper cookware. —————— Monocytes May Reflect Parkinson’s Response to Immune Therapy Parkinson’s News Today Changes in gene activity and protein production were seen in immune cells known as monocytes from Parkinson’s disease patients before and after treatment with sargramostim, an immune-modulating therapy, a small study found. Because these changes were associated with gains in motor function, the researchers suggested that profiling how an immune therapy affects monocytes could be an early and unique biomarker for tracking treatment efficacy. But larger studies are needed to validate their potential. The study, “Monocyte biomarkers define sargramostim treatment outcomes for Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the journal Clinical and Translational Medicine. Unusual inflammation in the brain is thought to be among the processes driving Parkinson’s disease, which is marked by the loss of nerve cells that produce dopamine. This signaling molecule controls movement, among other functions. —————— MJFF Supports Work on RRx-001, Targeting Neuroinflammation A $500,000 grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to EpicentRx will support continuing work into the neuroprotective effects of RRx-001, its lead small molecule treatment for Parkinson’s disease.RRx-001 works by blocking the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, known to play a key role in promoting the inflammatory responses that are increasingly recognized as drivers of Parkinson’s. Chronic inflammation in the brain (neuroinflammation) is believed to contribute to the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells, particularly in the substantia nigra, a brain region involved in the control of voluntary movement. The inflammasome is a multiprotein complex responsible for the activation of inflammatory responses that works as a sensor of environmental and cellular stress. Recent research has suggested that activation of one such inflammasome, called NLRP3, is a significant driver of Parkinson’s progression.