 |
 |
Hi MacKenzie, Sure. For me, non motor symptoms would get my money because if I dose correctly I am still fairly free of dysk. after ten years. My wife on the other hand, also ten years out, can have bad dyskenesia, although it seems to have moderated (at the cost of more tremor). So ultimately I would put my money towards dyskenesia and tolerate my impaired memory and trouble initiating complex tasks etc, because I think her troubles in these two areas outweigh mine. ps - our symptom constellations are almost entirely opposite - and she's four inches taller than me - what a world. mackenzie <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Thank you, Greg - but would you also consider answering the question as it was asked, as if you could only allocate your money toward these two research areas: non-motor symptoms (including dementia, which i forgot to specifically mention the first time around) and dyskinesias. and thank you for the Avigen information - very exciting! mackenzie --- Greg Wasson wrote: > (I tried to post this a couple of days ago, but I > think I sent it into the ether - but if its a dupe, > forgive me.) > > mackenzie, > > I would put my $10 million into research on the work > being done by Avigen. They are using a gene therapy > viral vector delivery system to repopulate the brain > with the enzymes that convert levodopa to dopamine. > These enzymes are lost along with the natural > dopamine produced in our brains as the dopamine > neurons die off. One of the problems with using > Sinemet as a long-term medication is the onset of on > -- off fluctuations and the appearance of dyskinesia > after a few years of using this medication. The > theory of the scientists at Avigen is that > repopulation of the brain with the conversion > enzymes will allow the brain to convert levodopa > into dopamine as effectively as it did when a > patient first started taking the drug. In other > words, the loss of these enzymes causes the > fluctuations and dyskinesia because conversion > becomes haphazard as these enzymes continue to die > off. In an extraordinary animal study using 35 > primates, an unusually large number, the > effectiveness of this! > therapy > was remarkable, with all of the primates showing a > substantial increase in their ability to convert > levodopa to dopamine smoothly and without > fluctuations or dyskinesia. According to the Avigen > researcher in charge of this project, Dr. Alvin Luk, > they believe that the enzymes will continue to > successfully convert levodopa into dopamine for as > long as 15 years. > > In other words, middle and late stage Parkinson's > patients would be able to use this therapy to extend > the effective life of their Sinemet for a decade or > more, and the Sinemet would respond as effectively > as it did when the patient first began carbidopa > levodopa therapy. This would be a godsend to mid-and > late stage patients and enable them to hold out for > another decade or more with something approaching > the quality of life they experienced when they first > began carbidopa levodopa therapy. It would allow > people who would otherwise be lost to this disease > to hang on until a real therapy, one which > effectively regresses the disease rather than simply > masking and symptoms, can be found and reach the > marketplace. > > Avigen has recently reported success with the first > phase 1 human clinical trial being conducted using > this therapy. > > So that's what I would do with my 10 million. It's a > little selfish, because I've had PD for 10 years, > but I think you could save a couple of generations > of Parkinson's patients until the cavalry comes. > > Best, > > Greg Wasson > > > > > > mackenzie wrote: > Thanks so much to everyone who has answered so far, > and anyone else who has an opinion on the subject, > please do send it on. > > > > "Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was > never in the paper. He's not the finest character > that ever lived. But he's a human being, and a > terrible thing is happening to him. So attention > must be paid...Attention, attention must finally be > paid to such a person." - Arthur Miller - Death of a > Salesman > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn "Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He's not the finest character that ever lived. But he's a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid...Attention, attention must finally be paid to such a person." - Arthur Miller - Death of a Salesman ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn