 |
 |
janet paterson wrote: > > Parkinson's disease breakthrough > Tuesday, 5 September, 2000, 00:26 GMT 01:26 UK - Scientists believe > they are closer to understanding how Parkinson's disease affects > the body - a breakthrough they say could help to identify a cure. > Parkinson's disease is generally regarded as a brain disorder. > But research carried out by scientists in the US suggests that it > can also affect other parts of the body. Don't misconstrue this as complaint, but I think it must be a very small fraction of the PIE membership, certainly of those who post their opinions frequently, who bother to look at my freewheeling "science" stuff. And just as well, since any who do might become as cynical about PD "scientific" "research" "breakthroughs" as I am. And by analogy, many of the illustrious authors who get cited in those breathless news releases seem much more eager to talk than to listen. How come I've discussed for years such things as PD's effect on the 'peripheral autonomic' system, e.g., according to well-known statements by established authorities, but when these clowns learn about it, they claim it's big news? Where did you think PD symptoms such as constipation, urinary hesitation/retention, pseudo-fatigue etc. come from, if not outside the brain, Tonto? As for the Orthostatic Hypotension so proudly they hailed, they've got it just backward: In the classic article by Stacy and Jankovic (from 1992, for pete's sake, but still timely) setting out definitions for use in differential diagnosis of PD and its many relatives, the relative prominence of OT in SDS (a member of the MSA tribe) is useful to distinguish it from PD, where it's much less frequent. So much for "breakthroughs". Cheers, Joe -- J. R. Bruman (818) 789-3694 3527 Cody Road Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-5013