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---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Parkinson's Clinical Research Newsletter September/October 2008 www.PDtrials.org Greetings! Thank you for signing up to receive the PDtrials Parkinson's Clinical Research Newsletter. This regular email newsletter provides you with information on Parkinson's disease (PD) clinical trials that are actively looking for participants, as well as news on Parkinson's research and treatments. PDtrials is a collaborative initiative of Parkinson's organizations and is dedicated to increasing awareness and education about Parkinson's clinical trials. Please contact us if you would like more information about this effort. New Clinical Trials Effects of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) in PD The objective of this study, called 'QE3', is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of high dosages of CoQ in slowing clinical decline in people who have early PD. CoQ is a naturally occurring substance in the body and is also a nutritional supplement. In previous studies CoQ has been well tolerated. This study will be enrolling 600 participants nationwide. Read more. Gene Transfer Study for People with Advanced PD The aims of the study are to test if a new type of treatment for PD will work in reducing motor symptoms and if it is safe. This treatment is called gene transfer. The gene transfer product is called rAAV-GAD. Read more. Pitt Researchers Identify an Underlying Cause of Pneumonia Common in PD Patients Impaired coordination between breathing and swallowing may be the underlying cause of aspiration pneumonia in patients with PD, report researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in a recent issue of the journal Dysphagia. Pain Shows Up as Parkinson's Sets In PD has no known cure, although it is treated with several medicines. The movement disorder takes its time developing; it can go unnoticed for years, or show up initially as just a small shaking in your hand. New research shows that another thing to look for as Parkinson's takes hold is pain. The study, led by Giovanni Defazio, MD, of the University of Bari, shows that people with Parkinson's have more pain than those who are disease-free. Google Co-Founder Has Genetic Code Linked to Parkinson's Sergey Brin, a Google co-founder, said Thursday that he has a gene mutation that increases his likelihood of contracting PD, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that can impair speech, movement and other functions. Mr. Brin, who made the announcement on a blog, says he does not have the disease and that the exact implications of the discovery are not clear. Studies show that his likelihood of contracting PD in his lifetime may be 20 percent to 80 percent, Mr. Brin said. Searching for Clarity: A Primer on Medical Studies Everyone, it seemed, from the general public to many scientists, was enthralled by the idea that beta carotene would protect against cancer. In the early 1990s, the evidence seemed compelling that this chemical, an antioxidant found in fruit and vegetables and converted by the body to vitamin A, was a key to good health. There were laboratory studies showing how beta carotene would work. There were animal studies confirming that it was protective against cancer. There were observational studies showing that the more fruit and vegetables people ate, the lower their cancer risk. So convinced were some scientists that they themselves were taking beta carotene supplements. Then came three large, rigorous clinical trials that randomly assigned people to take beta carotene pills or a placebo. And the beta carotene hypothesis crumbled. The trials concluded that not only did beta carotene fail to protect against cancer and heart disease, but it might increase the risk of developing cancer. Tell Us Your Story! At times, we receive correspondence from people living with Parkinson's about their clinical trial experience, and these stories are often featured in the Participant Testimonials section of PDtrials.org. If you have participated in a clinical trial for PD we'd love to hear from you. Sharing your story provides insight into the clinical trial experience that only you can offer. Please email us at [log in to unmask] to contribute your testimonial. Help Inform Others About Clinical Trials! Do you find the information in this email bulletin and on PDtrials.org to be a helpful resource? If so, won't you take a moment and send this email bulletin to others? Just click on the "Forward email" button at the bottom of this page and enter the email addresses of friends, family, support group members, and others who you think would like to learn more about clinical studies. In This Issue New Clinical Trials Pitt Researchers Identify an Underlying Cause of Pneumonia Common in PD Patients Pain Shows Up as Parkinson's Sets In Google Co-Founder Has Genetic Code Linked to Parkinson's Searching for Clarity: A Primer on Medical Studies © 2008 PDtrials. All Rights Reserved. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn