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> >I'm not sure how to take this one. MRI was done on my grandmother, results, >not good....showing she has had some mini-strokes. Can this be part of the >Parkinson's. There are many reasons for 'mini-strokes.' At the top of the list are cardiac arrhythmias which cause blood clots to form in the artium of the heart. These have a tendency to dislodge and then migrate (through blood flow) to the brain. Mini-strokes can also be caused by arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and arthrosclerosis (plaque formation in the arteries). It is essential that the cause of grandma's mini-strokes be established so that a proper medical regimen of treatment can occur. As to your question about PD being the cause of mini-strokes - the answer is no. Can 'mini-strokes' cause PD? Yes - particularly if the stroke occurs in the substantia nigra. Also, possibility of Lupus was mentioned. Lupus, an auto-immune disease which (if systemic) is the cause of organ damage. This is a chronic, treatable disease - steriods are given to slow its progress. There is a skin condition called Lupus erythematosis (sp?) which is identified through a red 'butterfly' rash that extends over the nose and to either side of the cheek. This Lupus is easily treatable and is considered the more benign of the two types. Please let us know how grandma does. ----- God bless Mary Ann >