Looking at Different Approaches to PD Treatment

[p-oui]

A topic for discussion: Recently, we have seen evidence of anti-inflammatory benefits in neurodegeneration, a key role for calcium in models of PD, and now further evidence of alpha synuclein involvement. Could it be that we are heading for a future where multiple treatments will be required for dealing with PD? For example, a treatment to reduce the detrimental effects of aggregated alpha synuclein, a calcium blocker to reduce the stress being placed on the cells, AND an anti-inflammatory agent to quell the immune system response. Are all three of these treatment components required? And is it a mistake to clinically test each of these treatment components in isolation?

[bassofspades]

I believe the GABA system is involved as well. I started adding Gabapentin to my regimen and it has improved my anxiety and tremors.

[Greenday in reply to bassofspades]

...and you are right to believe so. Multiple studies suggest that PD is a GABAminergic disease as well as Dopaminergic, a fact that is often overlooked by the medical community, which only target the dopamine aspect of the disease.

Gabapentin is a gabapentinoid and acts by inhibiting certain calcium channels ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

".... Within CNS the Ca(2+)/GABA mechanism stabilizes neuronal activity both at cellular and systemic levels. Decline in the Ca(2+)/GABA control initiates several cascading processes leading to both weakened protective barriers (in particular the blood-brain barrier) and accumulations of intracellular deposits of calcium and Lewy bodies

The GABA decline etiology proposed here appears to apply to all human neurodegenerative processes initiated by abnormal intracellular calcium levels.

The original description of Parkinson's disease (PD) as due to the selective damage of dopaminergic neurons in the mesencephalon should be updated into the concept of a severe multisystemic neurodegenerative disorder of the nervous system, whose clinical symptoms reflect the localization and progression of the most advanced GABA pathology.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

A future and more complete therapeutic approach to PD should be aimed first at slowing (or stopping) the progression of Ca(2+)/GABA functional decline."

"CSF levels of GABA were investigated in a group of Parkinson patients without drug treatment and a group of Parkinson patients under treatment with L-DOPA or anticholinergics. Probenecid results in an elevation of CSF GABA levels in healthy persons. The results indicate a significant decrease of GABA levels in CSF in untreated Parkinson patients."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/669...

Gabapentin is used primarily to treat seizures and neuropathic pain. It is also commonly prescribed for many off-label uses, such as treatment of anxiety disorders en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabap.... However, just a few Neurologists, who think out of the box, repurpose Gabapentin to deal with certain & persistent PD symptoms.

[bassofspades in reply to Greenday]

Thank you!

[p-oui in reply to bassofspades]

helpful!

[JohnPepper]

What anti-inflammatory benefit did any of us get from the progression of our Pd?

[jeffreyn in reply to JohnPepper]

John, I'll re-word it for you so that it makes more sense:

"Recently, we have seen evidence of the benefits of using anti-inflammatories in the battle against neurodegeneration, ...".

It is a reference to an SoPD blog post which was mentioned in the following thread:

healthunlocked.com/parkinso...

[p-oui in reply to jeffreyn]

For other drug combos review this linK, 2 repurposed drugs that show promise for PD purdue.edu/newsroom/release...