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Study Points to Potential Role for Caffeine in Reducing the Risk of Parkinson’s Disease BOSTON — May 3, 2001 — Coffee drinkers who worry that their morning fix might not be the healthiest of habits may find comfort in a recent report. Working with a mouse model of Parkinson's disease, scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have shown that caffeine is able to prevent the loss of the chemical signal that is depleted in Parkinson’s disease. Published in the May 15th Journal of Neuroscience, the study links caffeine's effects to the A2A receptor located on neural cells next to those that degenerate in Parkinson's patients. (See Full Text at:) http://www.massgeneral.org/DEPTS/pubaffairs/Releases/050401parkinsons.htm Protein found in brain cells may shed new light on the cause of dystonia LOS ANGELES (Embargoed Until May 10, 2001, 3 p.m. EDT) -- Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have identified a new protein in brain cells that may help to regulate muscle control and movement. The protein, called torsinB, is closely related to torsinA – a protein that in its defective form – has been linked to the development of early-onset dystonia, a neurologic disorder that causes involuntary muscle spasms and twisting of the limbs. (See Full Text at:) http://www.eurekalert.com/releases/csmc-pfi050401.html Drug may prevent Parkinson's cell death PHILADELPHIA, PA - A drug used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease may also play a role in preventing disease progression, according to a preliminary study using cell cultures. The study was presented during the American Academy of Neurology’s 53rd Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, May 5-11, 2001. "Much more research needs to be done to confirm these results, but this is potentially exciting," said study author and neurologist Anthony Schapira, MD, of the Royal Free and University College Medical School in London, England. "Right now we can only treat the symptoms of the disease -- no current treatments have been proven to affect disease progression." (See Full Text at:) http://www.eurekalert.com/releases/aan-dmp042701.html Invention makes it possible for single caregiver to move patients (Blacksburg, Va., May 8, 2001) -- In 1995, after seeing people with rigid, heavy power wheelchairs struggle with transporting them, Virginia Tech human factors engineer John Casali invented and patented a light-weight, front-mounted, detachable power drive for folding wheelchairs. (See Full Text at:) http://www.eurekalert.com/releases/vt-imi050801.html ****** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn