Just like daylight savings time (coming up on November 3rd) is a good reminder to change the batteries in your smoke detectors, there are also some things you should keep in mind for annual maintenance of yourself! M Health Fairview neurologist (and professor of neurology at University of Minnesota) Dr. Paul Tuite suggests discussing the following with your primary health care provider:
Supplements, and potentially getting tested for deficiencies
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12
Exams/screening
Bone density may be considered every 2 years to screen for osteoporosis/osteopenia
Skin exam to screen for skin cancer
Vision exam to evaluate for macular degeneration, glaucoma and other eye issues
Blood pressure and heart rate monitoring
Fasting glucose levels (may include hemoglobin A1C) to screen for diabetes
Fasting lipid panel to screen for cholesterol/triglyceride disorders
Thyroid hormone levels testing may be done intermittently to screen for thyroid disorders
Cancer screening (depending on family history and environmental exposures)
Vaccines
Dr. Tuite suggests asking about the following vaccines, and always recommends checking CDC.gov/vaccines for up-to-date information and guidance
Influenza
Shingles
RSV
COVID-19
Dr. Tuite recommends that all people with Parkinson's should have a primary health care provider and that questions about the above items should be discussed with that person to individualize management for yourself. The goal of this information is to improve your overall health, which should ultimately help in the management of your Parkinson’s. So change your smoke alarm batteries and add these things to your next primary care appointment!
We learned things and ate muffins!
On October 11th, the Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research, supported by the MnDRIVE DBS Core, hosted an autumn symposium for the Parkinson's community. Dr. Colum MacKinnon (professor of neurology at UMN) spoke about his new research collecting movement data from Parkinson's patients while they go about their daily lives at home. Dr. Luke Johnson (associate professor of neurology at UMN) talked about how sleep is affected by PD, and presented his research on it. The final event of the morning was a lively question-and-answer session with a panel of experts on deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease. Dr. Robert McGovern (associate professor of neurosurgery at UMN and neurosurgeon at M Health Fairview), Dr. Joshua Aman (assistant professor of neurology at UMN and electrophysiologist at M Health Fairview), and Susan Vold (DBS program manager and nurse at M Health Fairview) discussed topics ranging from the basics of DBS to the intricacies of requirements to undergo brain surgery.
Attendees also had the opportunity to touch and feel real DBS devices and to talk to research coordinators about current opportunities for participation.
Thank you to our excellent speakers and panelists, and thank you to all of the PD patients, friends, family, and caregivers who attended! The questions you asked and the stories you shared made the event a success.
For those who are feeling some FOMO (fear of missing out), stay tuned for information about the annual spring symposium that the Udall Center co-hosts with the Parkinson's Foundation and the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) in April!
Upcoming Events
APDA Minnesota Advanced Stages Parkinson's Disease Conference
Rochester, MN
November 23rd, 2024 Information & Registration
Interested in participating in research? pdresearch@umn.edu Have a resource or upcoming event you would like to share in this newsletter? pdresearch@umn.edu
This newsletter is a service of the MnDRIVE DBS Core at the University of Minnesota. If you would like to support Parkinson's Disease Research at the University of Minnesota, you can make donations here!
