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Tonight on Public Broadcasting System there was a program on the "New
Explorers" series, which covers scientific discoveries. It featured a
neurosurgeon/scientist ,Dr. Keith Black, who has apparently found a way to
get through the netwoork of capillaries in the brain, the BBB, and "open"
it briefly so  a substance can be injected into a brain tumor.  Not only
was this fascinating in itself, but this was the first time I really knew
what the BBB is, after hearing so much about it in connection with PD and
problems of delivering  our meds.  I wonder, of course, whether this breakthrou
gh will have any possible significance in relation to PD? If anyone has any
info on the subject, please post it.  The BBB is the brain's defense
against toxins, etc., but also prevents the tumor-zapping drugs from reach-
ing the tumor--hence the importance of Dr. Black's discovery, which is now
going into phase 2 trials, apparently, since the safetyphase is past, and there
seems to be evidence the tumors are reached in this way. The substance
that Dr.Black used is called RMP-7,  BTW.  Could this have any possible
PD application, I wonder?Deliver dopa to the sub.nigra???
 Camilla Flintermann,CG for Peter,78/6+ Oxford,OH