MSA, CBD, PSP

[TL500]

Can anyone tell me are these all the same of Parkinsonism/parkisonian/Plus etc.?

I saw these on other sites and it sounds scary. It is more aggressive and doesnt respond to PD meds.

Has anyone done something with success to slow down the disease? Thanks

[arwenmark]

MSA PSP and CBD are all similiar to Parkinson's but are in fact different diseases and as you point out are generally more aggresive and progress faster. There is nothing known to slow the progression in any of them.

[marion11005]

Currently, a clinical trial is underway to see if a new medication called davunetide will be useful in treatment of PSP. They do not yet know what the results will be.

[TL500 in reply to marion11005]

thanks

[soup]

In the past Parkinson's was thought to be one condition with similar but not identical progress within different individuals. This mixed bag that is Parkinson's still holds true but there are other conditions which could be confused with Parkinson's initially but which do not respond to L Dopa treatment. These became known as Parkinson's Plus or Parkinsonism.

As medical and diagnostic techniques have improved these have been better defined and the names now reflect the areas of the brain affected. Because the Dopaminergic region of the brain is not the sole problem dopamine replacement therapy is limited in its effectiveness. I am really pleased to see the post of marion11005 which shows some drug therapies are being trialled.

Research in Parkinson's is looking toward the cause of the damage of the neurones at the cellular level and I am sure that the key to stopping the progression of all these conditions will be a common one.

[TL500 in reply to soup]

Thanks. Please let me know when you have any news.

[cabbagecottage]

I think you are so right Soup . Mt husband was diagnose after a long time back and for the GP with Parkinson's . That is after struggling with it not realising he was ill . just thought it was aging .

Never one to complain always just got on with it . Stoic !!!

I have asked over and over if it could be one of the others but they insist it is Parkinson's .

He hasn't had any scans .

The medication has never seemed to be of any benefit to hIm either . In fact once he takes them seem to get slower and slower before he comes round a bit then it's time for the next tablet .

How can we tell how much is meds working or progression . I don't think we can .

[Moodyblue in reply to cabbagecottage]

cabbagecottage: I think you are right to question the dx of Parkinson's, because with no scans and a lack of positive reaction to meds there is no real evidence to support it. If available in your part of the world, I would suggest requesting a DaTscan which should prove whether or not your husband really has PD.

A friend of mine was treated for PD for 10 years, but none of the meds helped. They even got as far as trying Apomorphine, with disastrous results, before giving her a DaTscan which showed that she did not have PD at all. She now has a dx of PSP. While treatments for PSP are very limited, adding unnecessary meds into the equation can only make things worse. I have heard that Low Dose Naltrexone may be beneficial in PSP.

[isis6361]

Psp Msa dlbd PDF CBD are all various types of movement disorders very different from ipd which is the only one that us truly dopamine responsive. At diagnosis they present very different and dat scan MRI scan Mibg scabs are different outcomes to ipd. These are rarer than Parkinson's. But unless you are at a movement disorder centre they are difficult to differentiate. At diagnosis we are presented with a jigsaw of symptoms that we have to piece together as a team. The picture is dominantly clinical plus scans.

[TL500 in reply to isis6361]

Could you tell me, what do they do at movement disorder centre? who are involved there?

I'm not sure if Australia has one

[JohnPepper]

Hi tulam. I have had Pd since 1963. I was only diagnosed in 1992. For the last 12 years I have not needed to take any Pd medication at all. It is a long story, too long to tell in this blog. If you want to know more, then go to my website, reverseparkinsons.net. You don't have to buy anything, the fundamental facts are all there for you to read. There are over 400 articles on PD and its cause and the search for its cure.. If you have any questions to ask you can get me at [e-mail]. I will answer any question you care to ask.

John