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Local Parkinson Research Institute has rare opportunity to search for cureA unique opportunity to find the underlying causes of Parkinson disease is underway in Milwaukee where the world's largest collection of Parkinson patients' histories was developed over the last 20 years. The Parkinson Research Institute was established several years ago as part of the Regional Parkinson Center at Aurora Sinai Medical Center to computerize and analyze its 20,000 patient histories. This unique database is composed of detailed clinical information including occupational, family and lifestyle data. Systematic analysis of these records may hold the key to
understanding many aspects of Parkinson disease related to causes,
effective treatments and a cure, such as optimal treatment approaches or
environmental factors related to disease prevalence.
Parkinson disease is a chronic and slowly progressive neurological condition that is associated with deterioration of nerve cells in part of the brain that controls muscle movement. “The search for a cure hinges on understanding its causes. It is clear from current data that Parkinson disease is not a single disease, but a group of related disorders, some of which appear to be related to environmental toxins,” explains Paul A. Nausieda, director of the Parkinson Research Institute. Although there is not currently a national registry for Parkinson patients that would allow systematic analysis of larger populations, the clinical data at the Parkinson Research Institute has sufficient information in this area to allow such in-depth analysis. Regional Parkinson CenterThe Regional Parkinson Center is the only center in Wisconsin to have earned the National Parkinson Foundation's “Center of Excellence for Outreach Services” designation. The Center treats about 7,000 patients annually and is one of the few organizations nationally with a sufficient database to research the possible causes of Parkinson disease. “Until we find a cure,” Dr. Nausieda says, “our team is committed to providing the most advanced treatment options currently available and participating in clinical trials of promising new drugs and therapies. We focus on the whole person with a multidisciplinary team of experts.” Parkinson Research InstituteAnother important component at the Institute is a tissue bank that is being developed to study brain samples of deceased Parkinson patients. The role of environmental toxins as a cause of the disease is one aspect of this research. In Milwaukee, ongoing data analysis at the Institute and clinical trials of new treatments at the Center can complement other research, such as stem cell studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. “We are on the cusp of medical breakthroughs that could affect Parkinson and other neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and MS,” Dr. Nausieda says. “The Parkinson Research Institute is poised to uncover important information that could lead to better treatments, an understanding of causes and risk factors, and perhaps even a cure.” For more information on the Parkinson Research Institute, click here or call 414-219-5753.
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