Thank you Brian!  I can accept information from anywhere and I'm glad to do
so.  I'd love to hear your views or advice on PD and genetics.

            Becky
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sunday, August 30, 1998 3:54 PM
Subject: Re: A PD Research Project


>On Sat 29 Aug, Becky Potts wrote:
>> Dear Listmembers,
>>
>>     I posted a message a few weeks ago about this project, and got about
30 great resp
>> onses!  A huge thanks goes out to all of you who helped!!  However, to do
a significan
>> t statisticl analysis I need many more responses.  I would be very
grateful to anyone
>> who will help!
>>
>>         My name is Becky Potts.  I'm going into my junior year in
highschool.  I'm int
>> erested in this list for a few reasons.  My grandpa was diagnosed with
Parkinson's a f
>> ew years ago, but just recently I have become interested in scientific
research of nue
>> rological diseases.  I researched Huntington's Disease in depth after
doing a small pr
>> oject and becoming interested in HD.  I learned that any science project
to be done wo
>> uld take 5 to 10 to 20 years and would not be a highschool project, so I
decided to sw
>> itch my view to
>> Parkinson's.  I did a little bit of research and discovered that it is
not yet known f
>> or sure if  PD has a genetic link.  I thought that would be a great
project for me to
>> look into (especially considering that if there is a
>> link then I may eventually develop the disease!).  My idea is to simply
gather enough
>> information (case histories of relatives with PD) to do a statistical
analysis on the
>> genetic link.  I would be extremely grateful if you could help me with
this project.
>> I've
>> gotten my data sheet figured out, so if I could ask a few questions it
would be a grea
>> t help.  (I need to have your permission to use this information in my
study before I
>> get into the fairs and symposia.  There are two main possible risks: 1.
Emotional Stre
>> ss to you at speaking of this family illness,  2. Because you are
responding by e-mail
>>  the response may not be completely private or secure, but I will assure
you that I wo
>> n't use any names, addresses, or identifying characteristics in my final
project.  Tha
>> nks!)  Ok, here goes:
>>
>> 1. PWP's name
>> 2. PWP's location (city, state/province)
>> 3. PWP's/your E-mail address
>> 4. PWP's occupation
>> 5. PWP's relatives with PD (if any) and the following info on them as
well
>> as PWP
>> 6. gender
>> 7. Onset Age (first symptoms)
>> 8. Diagnosis Age (when doctors diagnosed PD)
>> 9. Age now
>> 10. other illnesses PWPs have had
>> 11. chemicals PWPs have been exposed to
>> 12. other trauma PWPs have endured
>> 13. Ethnicity of PWPs (certain Italian and Chinese families have had
unusual clusters
>> of PD, so Ethnic Background may be a factor)
>> 14. Brief history of geopraphic locations PWPs have lived in  (if you've
grown up in a
>>  pristine mountain valley or a huge smoggy city it could make a
difference)
>>
>> Wow!  What a list!  I hope  it's not too hard to track it all down!!  I
understand if
>> you don't know all the info.  Thank you so much for helping!!
>>
>>
>>       Becky Potts
>>
>> P.S.  if anyone is interested the results of my project, I will be
posting them on the
>>  list and will also send the whole thing (paper, graphs, charts, etc.)
via snail mail
>> to whoever asks.  Thanks again!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>Hello Becky,  Here are my statistics for your study. (I assume that you can
>accept data from anywhere in the world ?
>
>1. Brian Collins
>2. Derby, England
>3. [log in to unmask]
>4. Retired (Mechanical Engineer)
>5. No known relatives with PD
>6. Male
>7. 33
>8. 39
>9. 58
>10. No significant illnesses (Hay fever- which disappeared at about 20
>    yrs of age)
>11. No extra-ordinary exposure to chemicals known
>12. None - No broken bones, no major illnesses.
>13. 100% English
>14. Born in Melbourne, Australia (Parents were born in England)
>    Spent first 5 yrs in Australia.
>    Parents then returned to England (Birmingham) together with my younger
>    brother and myself.
>    Moved to Derby (about 40 miles from Birmingham) to work in 1960, and
>    stayed there ever since. EXCEPT - from 1970-73 I lived and worked in
>    California USA. Since this was immediately before I showed first
>    symptoms it may be significant, but I have been unable to find any
>    relationship. (I lived at Palmdale, about 40 miles north-east of
>    Los Angeles in the High Desert region -noted for its clean air (At
least
>    it was in 1970 !)).
>
>I have some views on this subject which I would be happy to discuss with
>you if you wish. Meanwhile, best wishes with your Project.
>
>Regards,
>--
>Brian Collins  <[log in to unmask]>
>