 |
 |
Clinic focuses on Parkinson's research Tuesday, April 3, 2001 By Tom Corwin Staff Writer For Jeana Bartlett, the new clinic at Medical College of Georgia Hospital is a place to address all of the ways Parkinson's disease affects her life and the life of her caregiver and husband, Richard. For doctors and researchers at MCG, it is a chance to share information across disciplines and give patients access to cutting-edge treatment. That could mean everything from deciphering how toxins such as pesticides might be causing Parkinson's or offering patients the latest in experimental drugs that might prevent the disease. The MCG Movement Disorders Clinic, scheduled to open in May, is one of 62 centers of excellence worldwide that are recognized by the National Parkinson's Foundation. On Monday, the foundation's chairman of the board, Nathan Slewitt, came to view the clinic. The foundation provides some funding for the clinic, such as helping pay a portion of nurse clinician Joan Carpenter's salary. ``You'll play a powerful role in finding the cause and cure for Parkinson's,'' Mr. Slewitt told clinicians and patients Monday. Getting the designation from the foundation, and the prominent recognition of physicians in the Department of Neurology, was part of the reason MCG Health Inc. chose to make neurosciences its first center of excellence, said Don Snell, president and chief executive of MCG Health. The designation and the backing from administration has allowed MCG to expand what it can offer in basic research and clinical research trials, said the clinic director, Kapil D. Sethi, a neurologist at MCG. The clinic ``treats patients as whole unit, patients and their caregivers,'' Dr. Sethi said. ``These are very exciting times.'' Although MCG has always been involved in later-stage drug trials, the clinic is now involved in earlier drug trials that could offer an earlier chance at a promising therapy, Dr. Sethi said. For instance, two of the study drugs target proteins involved in the cell death of neurons, potentially protecting and preserving them, Dr. Sethi said. ``The next big step is going to be slowing down the disease,'' Dr. Sethi said. Others, such as neurotoxicologist Debra Gearhart at MCG, are looking at toxins as a potential cause of the disease. A contaminant of illegal drugs called MPTP attracted the attention of researchers because it caused symptoms similar to Parkinson's in its users, Dr. Gearhart said. The compound becomes something called MPP-plus in the brain and might lead to increased oxidative stress to the neurons, leading to damage or death, Dr. Gearhart said. She would like to test Parkinson's patients for levels of the toxin in their blood, and the clinic gives her a chance to do that, she said. For Mrs. Bartlett, it is a place to get assessed by Dr. Sethi, and also physical and occupational therapy. ``I'm very excited,'' she said. For more information on studies at the MCG Movement Disorders Clinic, or for information on area support groups, call (706) 721-9445. The CSRA Parkinson's Support Group meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at St. John Towers, 724 Greene St. The Aiken area group meets the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Aiken Area Council on Aging, 159 Morgan St. N.W. Reach Tom Corwin at (706) 823-3213. http://augustachronicle.com/stories/040301/tec_071-6109.000.shtml ********** [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn