PLEASE NOTE: I have marked three paragraphs in this story concerning
research which showed that people in certain occupations are at a higher
risk of developing Parkinsons. I heard this on a TV report last week and
have been looking for it ever since. The TV reporter said the results of
this study will be presented to the PARKINSON"S CONGRESS in Vancouver on
Wednesday...

http://www.ottawacitizen.com:80/national/990726/2649058.html

Parkinson's sufferers get $6.8M boost
Federal funding to speed research
Mark Kennedy--The Ottawa Citizen

VANCOUVER -- July 26, 1999 -- The federal government will more than double
its support for Parkinson's disease research with a $6.8-million grant to be
announced today.

The funding is to be unveiled in Vancouver by Health Minister Allan Rock
during his keynote speech to a major four-day conference on the degenerative
neurological disorder.

The 13th International Congress on Parkinson's disease is drawing more than
2,000 neurologists, researchers and physicians from around the world.

Their goal is to learn more about the cause of the mysterious disease that
affects about 100,000 Canadians, find better ways of treatment, and
hopefully, discover a cure some day.

The new federal funding will enable a team of researchers at the University
of British Columbia to embark on several research projects aimed at
improving the lives of those with Parkinson's.

Researchers believe Parkinson's may result from a genetic predisposition
that is triggered when someone is exposed to certain other factors. For
instance, one of the UBC projects will examine whether viral infections are
a possible cause of the disease.
---->------------>----------->-----------
Already, in an unpublished study of nearly 900 British Columbians, the UBC
scientists have found that people whose jobs may expose them to more viruses
and infections have a greater risk of getting Parkinson's.

They found that teachers, medical workers and those who work outdoors in
mining, forestry, logging, and oil and gas exploration have elevated risks
of developing the disease.

Researchers say if further studies confirm the theory to be true, it's the
first step toward preventing people at risk from contracting Parkinson's.
---->------------>------------->---------
Despite its progressively destructive symptoms -- muscle stiffness, tremors,
painful cramps, slow speech and movement, and an eventual inability to
walk -- most people know little about the disease.

Its most famous victims include former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad
Ali and Canadian-born actor Michael J. Fox, who drew unprecedented publicity
to the disease last year when he revealed he was diagnosed with early-onset
symptoms.

The disease destroys brain cells that produce dopamine -- a neurotransmitter
that carries messages between nerve endings, allowing muscles to move.

Most people experience a natural drop in dopamine levels as they reach their
60s and 70s, but those with Parkinson's face a steep drop that causes slow
loss of body control.

Most aren't diagnosed with the disease until after the age of 55, but
researchers believe that at least half of the brain damage has occurred by
then.

Mr. Rock's announcement will come as good news to advocates for Parkinson's
victims, who have long complained of government underfunding for research
projects.

Currently, the federal government -- through the Medical Research Council --
directly invests just under $1 million a year in research on Parkinson's.

The $6.8 million in new funding adds slightly more than $1 million per year
over the next five years in operating grants for the research projects.

As well, $1.4 million is being forwarded to purchase specialized equipment,
in particular, a $1-million positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. The
PET machine is used by researchers to provide high-resolution images of the
brain.

The grants are being awarded to Dr. Donald Calne, lead researcher in the
University of British Columbia project, and 13 of his colleagues.

Under the collaborative research project, titled Degenerative Disorders of
the Motor Pathways, the researchers will conduct six projects.

The money will allow them to study the natural history of Parkinson's
disease and the role of dopamine.



--
Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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