Thank you Brian! I can accept information from anywhere and I'm glad to do so. I'd love to hear your views or advice on PD and genetics. Becky -----Original Message----- From: Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]> To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]> Date: Sunday, August 30, 1998 3:54 PM Subject: Re: A PD Research Project >On Sat 29 Aug, Becky Potts wrote: >> Dear Listmembers, >> >> I posted a message a few weeks ago about this project, and got about 30 great resp >> onses! A huge thanks goes out to all of you who helped!! However, to do a significan >> t statisticl analysis I need many more responses. I would be very grateful to anyone >> who will help! >> >> My name is Becky Potts. I'm going into my junior year in highschool. I'm int >> erested in this list for a few reasons. My grandpa was diagnosed with Parkinson's a f >> ew years ago, but just recently I have become interested in scientific research of nue >> rological diseases. I researched Huntington's Disease in depth after doing a small pr >> oject and becoming interested in HD. I learned that any science project to be done wo >> uld take 5 to 10 to 20 years and would not be a highschool project, so I decided to sw >> itch my view to >> Parkinson's. I did a little bit of research and discovered that it is not yet known f >> or sure if PD has a genetic link. I thought that would be a great project for me to >> look into (especially considering that if there is a >> link then I may eventually develop the disease!). My idea is to simply gather enough >> information (case histories of relatives with PD) to do a statistical analysis on the >> genetic link. I would be extremely grateful if you could help me with this project. >> I've >> gotten my data sheet figured out, so if I could ask a few questions it would be a grea >> t help. (I need to have your permission to use this information in my study before I >> get into the fairs and symposia. There are two main possible risks: 1. Emotional Stre >> ss to you at speaking of this family illness, 2. Because you are responding by e-mail >> the response may not be completely private or secure, but I will assure you that I wo >> n't use any names, addresses, or identifying characteristics in my final project. Tha >> nks!) Ok, here goes: >> >> 1. PWP's name >> 2. PWP's location (city, state/province) >> 3. PWP's/your E-mail address >> 4. PWP's occupation >> 5. PWP's relatives with PD (if any) and the following info on them as well >> as PWP >> 6. gender >> 7. Onset Age (first symptoms) >> 8. Diagnosis Age (when doctors diagnosed PD) >> 9. Age now >> 10. other illnesses PWPs have had >> 11. chemicals PWPs have been exposed to >> 12. other trauma PWPs have endured >> 13. Ethnicity of PWPs (certain Italian and Chinese families have had unusual clusters >> of PD, so Ethnic Background may be a factor) >> 14. Brief history of geopraphic locations PWPs have lived in (if you've grown up in a >> pristine mountain valley or a huge smoggy city it could make a difference) >> >> Wow! What a list! I hope it's not too hard to track it all down!! I understand if >> you don't know all the info. Thank you so much for helping!! >> >> >> Becky Potts >> >> P.S. if anyone is interested the results of my project, I will be posting them on the >> list and will also send the whole thing (paper, graphs, charts, etc.) via snail mail >> to whoever asks. Thanks again! >> >> >> >> >> >> >Hello Becky, Here are my statistics for your study. (I assume that you can >accept data from anywhere in the world ? > >1. Brian Collins >2. Derby, England >3. [log in to unmask] >4. Retired (Mechanical Engineer) >5. No known relatives with PD >6. Male >7. 33 >8. 39 >9. 58 >10. No significant illnesses (Hay fever- which disappeared at about 20 > yrs of age) >11. No extra-ordinary exposure to chemicals known >12. None - No broken bones, no major illnesses. >13. 100% English >14. Born in Melbourne, Australia (Parents were born in England) > Spent first 5 yrs in Australia. > Parents then returned to England (Birmingham) together with my younger > brother and myself. > Moved to Derby (about 40 miles from Birmingham) to work in 1960, and > stayed there ever since. EXCEPT - from 1970-73 I lived and worked in > California USA. Since this was immediately before I showed first > symptoms it may be significant, but I have been unable to find any > relationship. (I lived at Palmdale, about 40 miles north-east of > Los Angeles in the High Desert region -noted for its clean air (At least > it was in 1970 !)). > >I have some views on this subject which I would be happy to discuss with >you if you wish. Meanwhile, best wishes with your Project. > >Regards, >-- >Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]> >