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Did you know that:

• Approximately 100, 000 Canadians have Parkinson's disease.
• Symptoms of Parkinson's disease generally appear around the age of 60, although they can also occur in younger people.
• Parkinson's disease was first described in 1817 by Dr. James Parkinson, a British physician, after whom the disease was named.

Parkinson's is a disease that attacks certain nerve cells in the brain which play a role in movement. Normally, these cells produce a vital chemical called dopamine. Dopamine signals the smooth, coordinated function of the body's muscles and movement. It is estimated that by the time the diagnosis is made, approximately 80% of dopamine-producing cells have already stopped functioning. Symptoms of the disease include tremors, slowness of movement, stiffness or rigidity and loss of balance.

There is as yet, no known cure for Parkinson's disease. A number of drugs and clinical treatments have been developed which can help to control or minimize the symptoms of this disabling and debilitating disease. Famous personalities suffering from Parkinson's are Michael J Fox and Muhammad Ali.

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Parkinson's Treatment at the MNI/H: A Long Tradition:
The Parkinson's clinic at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (MNI/H) serves patients with a variety of movement diseases, but 75 % of them are people with Parkinson's disease. The Clinic has been expanding and improving its services since 2001 with the help of funding from the Parkinson Society Canada, which includes a special program that addresses the needs of the young onset, newly diagnosed population.

A variety of professionals are required to help manage this complex disease which has no definitive test to diagnose it, nor treatments to control it. The Parkinson's Clinic at the MNI/H, therefore brings together a multidisciplinary team of Neurologists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech therapists and Social Workers. Parkinson's patients also participate in on-going clinical studies.

Parkinson's Research at the MNI/H:
There is a lot of exciting and cutting-edge Parkinson's research at the MNI/H including clinical activities, clinically related research activities and fundamental research activities. For example:

Dr. Edward Fon is investigating the molecular mechanisms that play a role in the degeneration of dopamine neurons in Parkinson's. This work could provide important clues about the mechanisms of dopamine neuron death in Parkinson's disease and potentially lead to innovative new therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Lesley Fellows uses cognitive neuroscience to study the role of the frontal lobe in decision making. This work will help in understanding impaired executive function following frontal lobe injury from, as well as in degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Alain Dagher's research aims to understand how illnesses like Parkinson's disease impair movement. By analyzing brain activity in patients learning or planning tasks involving movement, he is able to identify the parts of the brain involved in these tasks and to understand how disease causes disability - work that could help refine therapies for Parkinson's disease. He is also developing a new method to measure the release of dopamine by neurons in the living human brain, the goal being to understand more fully dopamine's role in Parkinson's Disease.

Dr. Louis Collins uses computerized image processing techniques to automatically identify structures within the human brain. These techniques are essential in image-guided neurosurgical treatments for Parkinson's disease, providing surgeons with computerized tools to assist in effective planning and execution of minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures. This aids in minimizing trauma to the patient and allowing resection of the smallest amount of brain tissue necessary for effective therapeutic treatment.

Dr. Abbas Sadikot, with the Brain Imaging Centre, helps to design new techniques for image-guided neurosurgery. Dr. Sadikot's research interest lies in determining how the developing brain forms complex networks, information that can be used to develop new therapies for repairing the damaged nervous system. He is particularly interested in cell and growth-factor replacement strategies. His work has implications for Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Anne-Louise Lafontaine, Director of the Movement Disorders Clinic, is currently implementing 4 clinical trials. Dr. Lafontaine is investigating; Dementia in Parkinson's disease; testing two different types of medication, Stavelo versus Sinemet, in new onset of Parkinson's disease, a study of quality of life outcomes; as well as studying two new compounds, Istradefyline and E2007, in the treatment of advanced Parkinsons's disease.

About the MNI
The Montreal Neurological Institute is a 香蕉视频 research and teaching institute, dedicated to the study of the nervous system and neurological diseases. Founded in 1934 by the renowned Dr. Wilder Penfield, the MNI is one of the world's largest institutes of its kind. MNI researchers are world leaders in cellular and molecular neuroscience, brain imaging, cognitive neuroscience and the study and treatment of epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and neuromuscular disorders. The MNI, with its clinical partner, the Montreal Neurological Hospital (MNH), part of the 香蕉视频 Health Centre, continues to integrate research, patient care and training, and is recognized as one of the premier neuroscience centres in the world. At the MNI, we believe in investing in the faculty, staff and students who conduct outstanding research, provide advanced, compassionate care of patients and who pave the way for the next generation of medical advances. Highly talented, motivated people are the engine that drives research - the key to progress in medical care.