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Magnetic Stimulation for Parkinson's January 30, 2004 BETHESDA, Md. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- In the United States, more than 1 million Americans have Parkinson's disease. It is a neurological condition that can cause slowness and instability, but a new type of therapy can improve both of these problems. Larry Criner not only takes nature walks for pleasure, he's made a life out of capturing nature on film. "For me, it's a place where I can come and find quietude," he tells Ivanhoe. For nearly 15 years, Criner has dealt with Parkinson's disease. He says, "It affects me. It really does. I mean this is a disease of the brain, of the mind, and it plays very big games on your head." Criner recently joined a new study with neurologist Mikhail Lomarev, Ph.D., M.D. He's testing TMS. "We think that TMS -- that's the abbreviation for transcranial magnetic stimulation -- that TMS makes patients' brains more sensitive to the medication he or she is already taking," says Dr. Lomarev, of National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. A pulse of induced electrical current targets areas of the brain that control movement. Dr. Lomarev says: "Our goal is to improve stiffness in patients. To make them move faster than they did it before, without magnetic stimulation." They have achieved that, but results have been short-lived. Criner doesn't know yet whether this will help him long- term. Until then, he's optimistic and will continue to do what he can. This therapy has been tested and used in depressed patients for more than a decade. Doctors say the study with Parkinson's patients will likely continue for several years. This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/ If you would like more information, please contact: Paul Girolami Office of Communications and Public Liaison National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (301) 496-5751 SOURCE: Ivanhoe Newswire / HealthCentral.com http://www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=8007844 * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn