| The battle to tackle chronic and progressive | | | | changes in individual neurons in brain cells which |
| Parkinson's disease (PD) has been boosted with | | | | produce dopamine before PD destroys them. |
| encouraging news of pioneering research work which | | | | This is done by effectively mapping the position and |
| could help diagnose the condition at a much earlier | | | | form of metal ions, mainly iron, in the key regions of |
| stage. | | | | the brain where Parkinson's develops. |
| At present when a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's is | | | | This now opens up the real possibility of earlier |
| made, based on observation of symptoms such as | | | | intervention in this neurodegenerative disease by |
| muscle rigidity, tremor in the hands, feet and jaw, | | | | applying this technique to scanning technologies such |
| and worsening balance and posture, serious damage | | | | as MRI. With such a diagnosis of early onset PD |
| has already been done in the nerve cells of the brain. | | | | clinicians would be able to use the latest drug |
| At this stage the loss of the key neurotransmitter | | | | therapies which could help slow down the irreversible |
| chemical dopamine, which carries electrical signals in | | | | process of cell destruction, which then results in the |
| the brain, leads to a significant change in the delicate | | | | common clinical symptoms.When you consider that |
| brain chemical balance with acetylcholine. Major nerve | | | | there are over 4 million people worldwide who suffer |
| cell death in the substantia nigra region will have | | | | from this progressive, chronic condition, the potential |
| already occurred, with loss of over 80 per cent of | | | | impact of this work is highly significant. |
| the dopamine-producing neurones. | | | | Data show that Parkinson's affects around 1% of |
| Leading edge research by a team of scientists at | | | | people over 60, with the onset of first symptoms |
| Keele University in England, collaborating with | | | | occurring around this age. Medical practitioners then |
| colleagues at the University of Florida, uses data | | | | have to use the range of interventions to maintain |
| collected from a Diamond Light Source synchrotron | | | | the best quality of life for their patients. |
| at Harwell, Oxfordshire. | | | | This potential revolutionary diagnostic technique |
| Using this Diamond Light Source particle accelerator | | | | would mean clinicians have an advanced warning of |
| the research team focuses light, which has the | | | | Parkinson's disease and the ability to choose from a |
| intensity equivalent to a million watt bulb, into a beam | | | | combination of drug intervention, physiotherapy and |
| as small as the width of a single cell. With this | | | | deep brain stimulation techniques at an earlier stage, |
| technique the scientists are able to show up key | | | | and so make them more effective. |