The cure, coy as ever

[Beckey]

Hey, have you seen this?

I don't have the heart to print the headline. I would hear your guffaws from afar. But this story from the Independent (U.K.) is pretty interesting. Among the things I learned from it: fruit flies have muscles. Who knew?

Scientists believe they have discovered that Parkinson’s disease is caused in a different way than previously thought and also a possible new way of treating the severely debilitating condition.

Charity Parkinson's UK said the research could lead to a new drug that could "slow or stop the condition in its tracks".

It was believed Parkinson’s occurs when mitochondria – which supply power to cells – malfunctioned, causing brain cells that produce the key hormone dopamine to die.

But Leicester University researchers found most of the problem related to another part of the cell, called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), they reported in the journal Cell Death and Disease.

In a study with fruit flies that had been genetically modified to develop Parkinson’s, the scientists managed to at least partially correct the problem so that the number of brain cells increased and the flies’ muscles remained healthy.

Read on: independent.co.uk/life-styl...

[laglag]

Thanks Beckey! If I knew I wasn't going to get worse, wouldn't that be a pleasant thought.

[12stargate]

Beckey

Thank you for posting Beckey!

This is interesting. We need to be careful to not deny anything remotely close to a cure. Who knows? Let's keep an open mind😎

[park_bear]

Interesting indeed. The next step would be to reproduce this in a mouse model.

[silvestrov]

Yes it needs to be tested more but that may take as long as 20 years to get a drug developed for PD patients. The article was a little too dismissive of mitochondrial dysfunction and PD. It is well established that exposure to neurotoxins are a risk factor for PD and they effect mitochondrial functioning:

pdf.org/en/science_news/rel...

Not that I am an advocate to using rapamycin, a drug used in diseases like Crohn's (for the purpose of immunosuppression), but the article notes MPTP and rotenone and mitochondrial dysfuction.

Also, there is a company right now who is making Parkinson's a treatable condition by treating mitochondrial dysfunction called The BX Protocols:

youtube.com/watch?v=_ArrXLi...(Not working as expected?)

youtube.com/watch?v=NULl9yS...(Not working as expected?)

youtube.com/watch?v=FA2UbZy...(Not working as expected?)

Yes the video music is nauseous and nauseating (I collect music as a hobby and have a large collection and am a snob) but the testimonials are honest from the heart.

If the scientists from the above article can interview fruit flies and listen to how their condition improved through their proposed therapy, I am all ears.

Pardon my sarcasm but their (potential) therapy is decades from being realized.

[Beckey in reply to silvestrov]

I hear you.

Is there a type or era of music you're especially keen to collect?

[silvestrov in reply to Beckey]

My collection is about 1,400 + discs and it encompasses contemporary classical music - modernist classical music like that used as the soundtrack for the movie 'The Shining'; traditional classical music with an emphasis on music from the romantic era, medieval music, minimalism, jazz and world music. Of course is the genre bending music because musicians around the globe have been exposed to western music and have incorporated elements into their musical life. As part of the modernist classical category I have a lot of Soviet modernist music and yes they are a dark bunch but very lyrical.

[Beckey in reply to silvestrov]

Wow, what a feast!

[silvestrov in reply to Beckey]

Yea...I don't own a house or have great clothing but I have a great music collection. Plus I need to get one of my speakers fixed. I own a vintage system from 1972. Acoustic Research speakers and a Panasonic receiver....

[Beckey in reply to silvestrov]

Do you have many 78s?

What you have amassed is more significant than dough, gems or any of that other stuff. It's a monument of human accomplishment at its most powerful.

[silvestrov in reply to Beckey]

I do not own any 78s and I misnamed my receiver. It is a 40w Pioneer receiver from 1972. And the combo has a warm sweet sound with great ambiance. I need to get that speaker fixed!

[stevie3]

I am very glad for the fruit flies and indeed, trust I will be reincarnated as one. But thanks, Beckey, that was very interesting. I was never scientifically minded but I'm getting better at reading stuff like that.

[Beckey]

BTW, here's the headline: Parkinson's disease breakthrough 'could lead to cure'

Right. One of these fine days. I thought you might scream if you saw that ubiquitous headline one more time.

[Johnfra]

Kept me posted 👍 And thanks beckey

[BUZZ1397]

Stressed endoplasmic reticuli..., hopeful research finding. Now please God make them discover if that is the problem in us PWPD before we are goners. Meanwhile, if reducing or avoiding stress is what the reticuli benefit from, pass the valium, please?

[chco]

I think I got pd from the state in ca spraying from air over my house for fruit flys parquate in the 80s in san jose c.a

[chco]

anybody think the same???

[chco]

funny ther testing fly they killed

[Beckey in reply to chco]

I recall that when Pete Wilson was governor, marijuana crops were getting saturated with paraquat too.

[chco]

you seem to know a lot pretty smart new to pd 11-1-18 just trying to find out more