Peg, I thought I had read Turner had his brain cells removed during DBS
surgery and that could certainly account for his improvement.  Some people
turn their stimulators off and on.  I have to have dental work done tomorrow
and may get turned off - I will take my magnet that turns me on.

thanks for this post.  Turner has not responded to me.  He seemed "down"
when I talked to him on 4-24-06, claiming I wasn't bothering him, but I felt
he wanted to be left alone.
Ray
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peggy Willocks" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 8:11 AM
Subject: Rayilyn's letter to Dennnis Turner PART I


> Rayilyn
> I read your letter to Dennis Turner posted on the listserv on 12/3/06.  It
> concerned the resurfacing of the story of Mr. Turner's experience with the
> use of autologous cell implantation (i.e. using one's own cells to correct
> Turner's PD).  The example of Turner's experience is why we must be so
> very
> careful not to get too excited about research projects, especially those
> not
> properly designed.  I would like to comment on Turner's story.  IT IS SO
> LONG THAT I PLAN TO GIVE IT IN TWO PARTS.
>
> In November, 2002 and December, 2003 ,Grassroots Connection editors (GRC -
> an independent website on PD  advocacy)and others interviewed Dr. Levesque
> on two occasions concerning Turner's surgery.  At that time Dr. Levesque
> was
> anxious to get the word out about Dennis Turner's "miraculous" recovery
> from
> advanced Parkinson's.  Turner had shown an 80-90% improvement in his
> symptoms holding its own 3 years post-op.  That, my friends, even if for
> but
> 1 year is something to write home about! (To read the interviews, go to
> www.grassrootsconnection.com then click on Dr. Michel Levesque under
> "Voices
> to Inspire."
>
> At the time of the interview there were several red flags that went up.
> First of all, this was a study of one person only.  It doesn't take a
> rocket
> scientist to know that the effects of a procedure for one only person is
> not
> a reliable way to measure the success of a treatment.  Those who
> interviewed
> Levesque at the time asked what criteria were needed to participate in the
> next trials of this astounding discovery.  His answer raised our brows.
> Phase II criteria disqualifies one if prior brain surgery had been done,
> because the auologous cells were initially removed from Turner during a
> DBS
> procedure.  Hmmm?  I am wondering how they retrieve one's own brain cells
> to
> culture and implant?
>
> GRC also asked about the DBS - how they could determine if the DBS or the
> cell implantation was responsible for Turner's improvement.  Dr. Levesque
> told us that Turner was able to function without turning on the
> stimulator.
> He had this to say:
> " . . .the initial procedure was only approved to access the tissue from
> the
> individual's brain if we were to perform a DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation)
> procedure.  That is how we were able to access and harvest some of his own
> brain cells.  His device has now been turned off for the last 2-3 years,
> and
> can obviously be removed now. His medication has also been cut almost by
> half.  He was the first candidate to use this therapy using the same
> criteria used for transplantation of fetal tissue."  But today he has
> returned to Parkinson's symptoms consistent with advancing Parkinson's.
> TO BE CONTINUED
> Peggy
>
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