Listmembers:

There have been several recent posts to the List about the use of
magnetic fields/energy in the treatment of PD.  Several people have
already discussed their opinions (which I share) that magnetic fields
in the treatment of disease are quackery.

Here following are several abstracts from the literature regarding
experiments (often involving only one or two patients) in the
treatment of PD (and multiple sclerosis and other disorders) with
magnetic energy.  "Pico-tesla", BTW, means *very weak* magnetic
fields.  The journal in which much of this work was published (The
International Journal of Neuroscience) was, at the time *owned* by
one of the researchers (Dr. Sandyk).  Note also that the co-author of
this work is using different treatments for PD these days.


Unique Identifier
  95080907
Authors
  Sandyk R.  Iacono RP.
Institution
  NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811.
Title
  Reversal of micrographia in Parkinson's disease by application of
  picoTesla range magnetic fields.
Source
  International Journal of Neuroscience.  77(1-2):77-84, 1994 Jul.
Abstract
  Micrographia, a common and often early sign of Parkinson's disease
  (PD), is a sensitive clinical marker of the severity of bradykinesia
  and rigidity in the disease. As micrographia may be reversed by
  treatment with dopaminergic drugs and may emerge during therapy with
  neuroleptic agents, it is thought to reflect striatal dopaminergic
  deficiency. It has been reported recently that external application
  of picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF) produced a dramatic
  improvement in the motor symptoms of PD suggesting that these weak
  MF enhance striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission. In the present
  communication, we present a 61 year old patient with PD in whom
  picoTesla range MF attenuated the severity of bradykinesia and
  rigidity, improved postural stability, and rapidly reversed the
  micrographia within 30 minutes after termination of treatment. In
  contrast, sham (placebo) MF did not influence the severity of the
  motor symptoms of the disease or the associated micrographia. This
  report demonstrates the antiParkinsonian effect of picoTesla range
  MF and highlights the unique efficacy of these weak MF in the
  therapy of Parkinsonism.

1
AN   95130314.
AU   Sandyk-R.  Iacono-R-P.
IN   NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811. TI
Improvement by picoTesla range magnetic fields of
     perceptual-motor performance and visual memory in a patient
     with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis.
SO   Int-J-Neurosci.  1994 Sep.  78(1-2).  P 53-66.
JT   INTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-NEUROSCIENCE
LG   eng.
PT   journal-article.
AB   The occurrence of cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis
     (MS) has been recognized since 1877 when Charcot first
     observed "enfeeblement of memory." It is now recognized that
     visuoperceptive and visuomotor deficits commonly occur in MS
     patients particularly in those with a chronic progressive course
     of the disease. Using various drawing tests as markers of
     constructional performance, we reported recently that treatment
     with picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF) rapidly improved
     visuoperceptive and constructional abilities in patients with MS.
     We now report a 58 year old man with a 37 year history of chronic
     progressive MS in whom external application of MF in the
     picoTesla range produced rapid improvement of neurologic symptoms
     including walking, balance, sensory symptoms, and bladder
     functions. The patient's recovery was associated with a
     significant improvement in perceptual-motor functions as
     demonstrated on the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure and the Trail
     Making tests. Specifically, the patient demonstrated a 41%
     improvement over pretest values on copying the Complex figure and
     a 72% improvement in recall of the figure immediately after MF
     treatment. A further 4% improvement on copying the figure and a
     27% improvement on recall was demonstrated 24 hours later. On the
     Trail Making test the patient demonstrated an overall improvement
     of 39% in Part A of the test and a 24% improvement in Part B of
     the test 24 hours after application of MF. These findings confirm
     the beneficial effects of picoTesla range MF in the treatment of
     MS and demonstrate the unique efficacy of this treatment modality
     in improving some of the cognitive deficits of the disease.
2
AN   95130307.
AU   Sandyk-R.  Iacono-R-P.
IN   NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811. TI
Naltrexone attenuates the antiparkinsonian effects of
     picoTesla range magnetic fields.
SO   Int-J-Neurosci.  1994 Sep.  78(1-2).  P 111-22.
JT   INTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-NEUROSCIENCE
LG   eng.
PT   journal-article.
AB   Extracranial treatment with magnetic fields (MF) in the
     picoTesla range has been shown an efficacious treatment
     modality in the management of Parkinsonism. The mechanisms by
     which such extremely weak MF improve Parkinsonian symptoms are
     unknown. As the pineal gland has been shown to function as a
     "magnetosensor" and since exposure to various intensities of MF
     disrupts melatonin secretion, it has been proposed that the
     beneficial effects of MF in Parkinsonism are partly mediated
     through the actions of pineal melatonin. Animal studies indicate
     that externally applied MF also influence the activity of the
     opioid peptides which have been implicated in a broad range of
     pathological conditions including Parkinsonism. To explore
     whether the beneficial effects of MF in Parkinsonism involve the
     mediation of the opioid systems and following informed consent,
     we administered the opiate receptor antagonist naltrexone (50 mg,
     P.O.) to a Parkinsonian patient after he showed improvement of
     symptoms with application of MF. Results of the trial showed that
     naltrexone partially reversed the antiparkinsonian effects of MF
     thus suggesting that opioid peptides are involved in mediating
     the clinical effects of these extremely weak MF in Parkinsonism.
     These results also suggest that intact opioid systems may be
     required for a full expression of the antiparkinsonian effect of
     picoTesla range MF.
3
AN   95080907.
AU   Sandyk-R.  Iacono-R-P.
IN   NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811. TI
Reversal of micrographia in Parkinson's disease by application
     of picoTesla range magnetic fields.
SO   Int-J-Neurosci.  1994 Jul.  77(1-2).  P 77-84.
JT   INTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-NEUROSCIENCE
LG   eng.
PT   journal-article.
AB   Micrographia, a common and often early sign of Parkinson's
     disease (PD), is a sensitive clinical marker of the severity of
     bradykinesia and rigidity in the disease. As micrographia may be
     reversed by treatment with dopaminergic drugs and may emerge
     during therapy with neuroleptic agents, it is thought to reflect
     striatal dopaminergic deficiency. It has been reported recently
     that external application of picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF)
     produced a dramatic improvement in the motor symptoms of PD
     suggesting that these weak MF enhance striatal dopaminergic
     neurotransmission. In the present communication, we present a 61
     year old patient with PD in whom picoTesla range MF attenuated
     the severity of bradykinesia and rigidity, improved postural
     stability, and rapidly reversed the micrographia within 30
     minutes after termination of treatment. In contrast, sham
     (placebo) MF did not influence the severity of the motor symptoms
     of the disease or the associated micrographia. This report
     demonstrates the antiParkinsonian effect of picoTesla range MF
     and highlights the unique efficacy of these weak MF in the
     therapy of Parkinsonism.

4
AN   95013063.
AU   Sandyk-R.  Iacono-R-P.
IN   NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811. TI
Multiple sclerosis: improvement of visuoperceptive functions
     by picoTesla range magnetic fields.
SO   Int-J-Neurosci.  1994 Jan-Feb.  74(1-4).  P 177-89.
JT   INTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-NEUROSCIENCE
LG   eng.
PT   journal-article.
AB   The occurrence of cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis
     (MS) has been recognized since 1877 when Charcot first
     observed "enfeeblement of memory" in his patients. Recent
     studies employing standardized neuropsychological tests have
     confirmed the high incidence of cognitive deficits in MS patients
     particularly those with a chronic progressive course of the
     disease. Visuoperceptive and visuomotor deficits commonly occur
     in MS patients and are thought to reflect damage to attentional
     systems due to interruption by demyelinating plaques of nerve
     conduction along the ascending projections from the brainstem
     reticular formation to the cortex. Impairment of synaptic
     conductivity due to serotoninergic depletion (5-HT) may
     contribute to the emergence of cognitive deficits in MS. The
     present communication concerns a 36 year old patient with MS in
     whom external application of picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF)
     resulted in rapid improvement of symptoms including
     visuoperceptive functions as demonstrated on various drawing
     tasks. The report confirms the efficacy of picoTesla range MF in
     the treatment of MS and demonstrates beneficial effects on
     cognitive functions as well.
5
AN   94342041.
AU   Sandyk-R.  Iacono-R-P.
IN   NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811. TI
Resolution of longstanding symptoms of multiple sclerosis by
     application of picoTesla range magnetic fields.
SO   Int-J-Neurosci.  1993 Jun.  70(3-4).  P 255-69.
JT   INTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-NEUROSCIENCE
LG   eng.
PT   journal-article.
AB   Recent clinical reports have suggested that treatment with
     extremely weak magnetic fields (MF) in the picoTesla range is an
     efficacious modality for the symptomatic therapy in patients with
     multiple sclerosis (MS) during the remission and exacerbation
     periods of the disease. The present communication concerns a 64
     year old woman with a 22 year history of MS of the
     chronic-progressive type who presented with a longstanding
     history of ataxia of gait, weakness in the legs, difficulties
     with swallowing, loss of bladder control, blurred vision,
     diplopia, chronic fatigue, and cognitive impairment. In this
     patient two 30 minute treatments with MF on two separate days
     resulted in a dramatic improvement of symptoms. Specifically, the
     patient experienced marked improvement in balance and gait as
     well as increased strength in the legs to the extent that she was
     able to abandon the use of a walker within 48 hours after
     initiation of magnetic treatment. In addition, there was complete
     resolution of diplopia, bladder dysfunction, and fatigue with
     improvement in mood and cognitive functions. The report attests
     to the unique efficacy of extremely weak MF in the symptomatic
     treatment of patients with MS including those patients with a
     chronic progressive course of the disease and supports the
     hypothesis that dysfunction of synaptic conductivity due to
     neurotransmitter deficiency specifically of serotonin rather than
     demyelination underlies the  neurologic deficits of the disease.
6
AN   94342040.
AU   Sandyk-R.  Iacono-R-P.
IN   NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811. TI
Rapid improvement of visuoperceptive functions by picoTesla
     range magnetic fields in patients with Parkinson's disease.
SO   Int-J-Neurosci.  1993 Jun.  70(3-4).  P 233-54.
JT   INTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-NEUROSCIENCE
LG   eng.
PT   journal-article.
AB   Impairment in perceptual motor or visuospatial tasks is among
     the most frequently encountered abnormality in
     neuropsychological testing of patients with Parkinson's
     disease, being present in up to 90% of cases. Visuoperceptive
     deficits can result from cortical and subcortical lesions
     involving the right hemisphere, thalamus, and basal ganglia and
     are thought to reflect a defect in attentional-arousal mechanisms
     induced by lesions that interrupt a cortical-limbic-reticular
     activating loop. Clinically, the presence of visuoperceptive
     impairment may not be noted by Parkinsonian patients but may
     contribute to various disabilities including difficulty driving a
     vehicle and difficulties performing daily tasks which require
     intact visuospatial abilities (i.e., walking, dressing, drawing
     and copying designs). The present communication concerns two
     fully medicated Parkinsonian patients who responded to
     extracranial treatment with picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF),
     behaviorally and also demonstrated rapidly and dramatically
     enhanced visuoperceptive functions as demonstrated on various
     drawing tasks. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of
     extremely weak MF in enhancing cognitive functions in patients
     with Parkinson's disease.
7
AN   94179034.
AU   Sandyk-R.  Iacono-R-P.
IN   NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811. TI
Reversal of visual neglect in Parkinson's disease by treatment with
     picoTesla range magnetic fields.
RF   REVIEW ARTICLE: 137 REFS.
SO   Int-J-Neurosci.  1993 Nov.  73(1-2).  P 93-107.
JT   INTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-NEUROSCIENCE
LG   eng.
PT   journal-article.  review.  review-tutorial.
AB   Visual neglect and impairment in perceptual motor or visuospatial
     tasks are among the most frequently encountered abnormalities in
     neuropsychological testing of patients with Parkinson's disease,
     being present in up to 90% of patients. It has been proposed that
     neglect reflects an attentional-arousal deficit induced by
     lesions that interrupt a cortical-limbic-reticular loop.
     Recently, we have reported that application of extracranial
     magnetic fields (MF) in the picoTesla range was efficacious in
     reducing the severity of the motor disability of Parkinsonism as
     well as improving some of the cognitive abnormalities associated
     with the disease such as visuoperceptive deficits. We now present
     a 61 year old fully medicated Parkinsonian patient in whom rapid
     reversal of left visual neglect as well as improvement in
     visuoconstructional (drawing) performance was noted immediately
     after a single external application of MF. We propose that this
     effect was related to enhancement of directed attention through a
     mechanism involving an interaction between the pineal gland,
     which is considered a "magnetosensor," and the reticular
     formation which mediates arousal and attention. This report
     demonstrates the efficacy of extremely weak MF in reversing some
     of the cognitive abnormalities in Parkinsonism, notably neglect
     and visuoperceptive deficits, which contribute significantly to
     impairment of the patient's daily living activities.
8
AN   92406351.
AU   Sandyk-R.  Kay-S-R.  Awerbuch-G-I.  Iacono-R-P.
IN   Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of
     Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10461.
TI   Risk factors for neuroleptic-induced movement disorders.
SO   Int-J-Neurosci.  1991 Dec.  61(3-4).  P 149-88.
JT   INTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-NEUROSCIENCE
LG   eng.
PT   journal-article.
AB   Chronic neuroleptic therapy may be associated with the
development of
     diverse movement disorders including Tardive dyskinesia (TD),
     Parkinsonism, dystonia, and akathisia in a subset of
     schizophrenic patients. It is presently unknown why only a
     proportion of neuroleptic-treated patients develop these movement
     disorders. In the following communication, we present a series of
     studies which demonstrate that the development of these movement
     disorders may be facilitated by certain risk factors including
     disturbances in pineal melatonin functions, diabetes mellitus,
     cognitive deficits, suicidal behavior, and disturbances in the
     functions of the choroid plexus. Recognition of these biological
     factors may prove useful in: (a) further understanding of the
     pathophysiology of these disorders, and (b) identifying patients
     at risk for these movement disorders.
9

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For everyone's information.


Best,

Bob

***********************************

ROBERT A. FINK, M. D., F.A.C.S.
Neurological Surgery
2500 Milvia Street  Suite 222
Berkeley, CA  94704-2636  USA
Phone:  (510) 849-2555   FAX:  (510) 849-2557

WWW:  <http://www.dovecom.com/rafink/>

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