Bernhard
The problem about possible heridity of PD is really a tough one. The questions
how to communicate about this with the children or not communicate it at
all;the doubt wether the children have it on their minds without daring to
say;it seems all unsolvable.
I have met a few times people from a Multiple PD family. They were all young
starters and with one exception PD hit some siblings, but not the old nor the
new generation. The one exception is a woman, starting with serious symptoms
when she was 30. She has a mother with exactly the same symptoms,but starting
somewhat later in life.
Some time ago a few mailings on the on the list mentioned something new was
found and after some searching I found it back. The researchers said a defect
in mitochondrial DNA was found which may cause cell death in PWP's. This
mitochondrial DNA regulates the energy-exchange in the cell and is something
else than the DNA that builds chromosomes. The defect they found, can be caused
by mutation but can be given to the next generation only by the mother, because
it is not in the chromosomes. May be this is all abacadabra for you. I have to
keep on my toes to understand.
One of the articles was published in the Anals of Neurology of november (or
oktober) 1996. More can be found in the archives ofCottingham. Maybe someone
among the listmembers may be able to give more explication.
Though I know it is off topic, I can't stop myself from adding something about
cultural differences. Some time ago I read something in the paper that is
interesting in this matter. A book was reviewed that was written by a
psychiatrist from New York. He had been 6 months in Holland to do research on
euthanasia. He was interested in the way Dutch phycisians handle it. One thing
had given him a big culure-shock: the way Dutch patiens trusted their doctors
uncritically. People in the US, he said, are more down to earth in :that
respect. He liked that better.
I want to say with this: a difference being cultural does not exclude any
evaluatian.
In Holland it is possible to see next to the Dutch- the public channels of
German and English television. I daresay the existing difference in sense of
humor in both countries is by all means cultural. But that does not exclude I
find the one funnier than the other.
Ida Kamphuis, Holland
