The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson's Podcast

For many years, Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies have been defined using clinical features. With recent advances in biomarkers, particularly the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay that allows us to detect misfolded and aggregated alpha-synuclein in cerebrospinal fluid, it is now possible to identify the presence of pathological neuronal alpha-synuclein in living pa...

Dating and beginning new relationships with Parkinson’s involve distinct challenges, joys and fears. In this frank and funny podcast, our experts discuss how they face considerations like building and maintaining confidence, disease disclosure, and the importance of self-knowledge and self-care in new relationships. They remind us all that no matter what we’re facing, dating and finding love can b...

There is a pressing need to develop safe and effective disease-modifying and symptomatic treatments for Parkinson's disease. Through improvements in our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, as well as genetic risk factors, new potential treatment targets have emerged. However, bringing a promising new compound from the lab through all of the steps of drug development is a long...

We know exercise is important for people with Parkinson’s. Once you’ve decided to move more, what next? In this audio from our Third Thursdays Webinar, our experts discuss strategies for making exercise a meaningful part of your life. They present ways to make time for exercise and to make the most of it, including being aware of different types, frequencies and intensities. This discussion will h...

One key pillar of The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s research strategy is a focus on “de-risking" potential treatments for Parkinson’s disease. This episode of our award-winning “Parkinson’s Science POV” series explains how lowering the risk associated with developing new therapies leads to a more robust pipeline of treatments. The episode details several recent successes of the strategy.  Like...

In neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease (PD), patients often do not receive a diagnosis until the hallmark motor symptoms begin to manifest. This can be a decade or more after substantial changes start occurring in the brain. A major goal of the PD research field has been to develop methods for earlier detection and intervention. Over the years, there have been substa...

Doctors have been using DaTscan brain imaging as a tool to help diagnose the Parkinson’s disease (PD) for more than a decade, but even people who know a lot about the disease often still have questions about its role — and the role of other imaging tools — in diagnosis and care. What’s a DaTscan, and how does it relate to PET, SPECT and MRI? When is a DaTscan or other brain imaging tool used in PD...

A substantial portion of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a family history of the disease, and new findings continue to improve our understanding of relevant genetic variants. These discoveries are key for clarifying the mechanisms that lead to Parkinson's disease as well as the development of new therapies. The Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2) was established to gather and integ...

The holidays can be a time of joyful celebration with those we love. They may also come with the stress of travel, disruptions to your regular routine or even loneliness.  For those living with Parkinson’s disease (PD), or those taking care of someone they love with the disease, these feelings can be intensified. This podcast offers tips to people living with PD, as well as their care partner...

A growing body of evidence is expanding our understanding of the links between inflammation, our immune responses, brain health, and neurodegeneration. In particular, several genes associated with Parkinson's (including LRRK2) are known to be involved in inflammation, and peripheral inflammation has been shown to influence brain function and contribute to the development of neurodegenerative...

Mutations in the LRRK2 gene were first linked to Parkinson's disease (PD) risk in 2004. Since then, researchers from around the world have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms through which LRRK2 may contribute to PD, leading to the development of three potential LRRK2-targeted therapies that are now being evaluated in clinical trials. Along with colleagues and collaborators, Dr. Dario Ale...

In a year of remarkable progress for the Parkinson’s field, we’re entering a new era for better understanding the biology of the disease, with the identification of a breakthrough biomarker accelerating new therapeutics through the clinical pipeline and legislators on Capitol Hill moving toward legislation that unites the federal government on a mission to treat, prevent and cure Parkinson’s disea...

For decades, researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals have continued to study and optimize deep brain stimulation (DBS) with the goal of providing the best possible personalized treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other neurological conditions. In this episode, Dr. Michael Okun joins us to discuss his research and some of the recent advances in deep brain stimulation and other ar...

In a groundbreaking discovery earlier this year, a global consortium found a new variant in the GBA gene that is associated with a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) for people of African ancestry. The finding marks the first African ancestry-specific genetic risk factor for Parkinson’s disease. In this podcast, researchers share the human stories behind the discovery, which underscores the i...

Sleep impacts our lives in many different ways, and Dr. Amy Amara joins us in this episode to discuss her career and findings from her research on sleep in Parkinson’s disease (PD). She shares her insights on the characteristics of sleep in people with Parkinson’s disease, how sleep can be impacted by exercise, medications, and deep brain stimulation, and how studying rapid eye movement (REM) slee...

People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have lots of questions about probiotics, prebiotics, laxatives and fiber. That’s because constipation and bloating are some of the more bothersome but less talked about symptoms of PD. In this audio from our Third Thursdays Webinar, experts and people with PD discuss effective ways for managing constipation and other gut-related symptoms. You’ll also learn abou...

In this episode, serial entrepreneur Dr. Karoly Nikolich shares his perspectives on the industry side of the state of neuroscience, as well as areas of opportunity and the role of industry in advancing the field. He also discusses recent major breakthroughs, the importance of industry partnerships, including collaborations with The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), and how he is working to advance...

New research advances are expanding our knowledge of Parkinson's disease and bringing us closer to the ultimate goals of new treatments, effective cures, and disease prevention. In this introductory episode, you'll hear from Dr. Brian Fiske and Dr. Mark Frasier, Co-Chief Scientific Officers at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF). During the conversation, they provide thei...

Shock, doubt, anxiety — a diagnosis of Parkinson’s can trigger these and many other difficult emotions. This replay of audio from our Third Thursdays Webinar features a conversation among people with Parkinson’s about how they processed the emotional aftermath and navigated the early years following their diagnosis. We also hear from a psychologist who specializes in Parkinson’s about what she’s l...

In this replay of audio from our Third Thursdays Webinar, Michael J. Fox Foundation Patient Council member Larry Gifford leads a discussion on common Parkinson’s issues — dyskinesia and "off" time — and how to treat them. Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your network. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0   Whether you have Parkinson’s or not, you can he...

Stem cells have grabbed headlines for decades. Now, at last, they are starting to deliver on their therapeutic promise, with multiple stem cell therapies in clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease. This episode of our award-winning “Parkinson’s Science POV” series brings us up to date on these trials, including how scientists are using stem cells to replace dopamine, the chemical that’s lost in Pa...

How’s this for a dinnertime conversation starter… did you know that what happens in your gut can have an impact on your brain health? Some experts even call the gut “the second brain” because of its huge community of microbes and large nerve network that links the gut to brain disease, like Parkinson’s. Join our panel of experts who cover the latest research on this link between gut and brain heal...

Many people with Parkinson’s experience autonomic symptoms, like bladder problems, low blood pressure and constipation that can be hard to talk about. In this audio from our Third Thursdays Webinar replay, experts and patients open a dialogue on these issues and share ways to treat them. Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your network. https:/...

In the latest installment of our award-winning “Parkinson’s Science POV” series, MJFF’s Maggie Kuhl sits down with Mark Frasier and Brian Fiske, Chief Science Officers at MJFF, in an “Ask MJFF Anything” edition of our podcast. These experts cover a variety of questions from our community about Parkinson’s disease (PD) therapies and treatments, the recent biomarker breakthrough and more. Get answer...

Have you ever wondered what’s the best exercise for your brain? Listen as our expert panel breaks down approachable tips to add more movement into your day-to-day, Parkinson’s-friendly exercises to try right now and the science behind the benefits of working up a sweat. Join hundreds of Parkinson’s community members June 17 weekend for our annual Virtual Run/Walk. Register and learn more at www.mi...