[{"id":113,"date":"2024-01-03T12:27:55","date_gmt":"2024-01-03T12:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/?p=113"},"modified":"2024-01-03T12:27:57","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T12:27:57","slug":"our-january-2024-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/2024\/01\/03\/our-january-2024-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"Our January 2024 newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

View our January 2024 newsletter<\/a>, looking back at the last six or so months of activity at the VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center. Here’s a message from that newsletter from the PMDC director Brian Berman, MD, MS.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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\n\n\n\n

Many times when I tell others about the work we do at the Parkinson\u2019s and Movement Disorders Center (PMDC), they hear only the first word in our name \u2014 and overlook the words \u201cmovement disorders.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treating and researching Parkinson\u2019s disease is critical to our mission, but it is not the only movement disorder on which our team focuses. Every day, we work hard to provide exceptional care to individuals with other neurological disorders that affect movement, and we are further striving to make scientific advances that will bring new treatments and cures to those people living with often complicated and overlooked conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spectrum of movement disorders is broad and includes many with unique and overlapping characteristics. At the PMDC, we care for individuals with conditions that share some symptoms with Parkinson\u2019s disease, such as Lewy body dementia (LBD), Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), as well as other more distinct movement disorders including Huntington\u2019s disease, dystonia, essential tremor, and ataxia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our efforts and work with these conditions are receiving national recognition. In addition to being a Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence, CurePSP Center of Care, and a Huntington\u2019s Disease Society of America Center of Excellence, we just became one of the first designated MSA Coalition Centers of Excellence in November. We are also pursuing becoming a Lewy Body Dementia Association Research Center of Excellence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you will read in this newsletter, one movement disorder we are increasing our focus on is MSA. It is a degenerative neurological disorder that can cause symptoms that mimic Parkinson\u2019s disease and cause ataxia (loss of coordination) and is frequently associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction \u2014 leading to blood pressure fluctuations and bladder and bowel issues that are difficult to treat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the addition of Cameron Miller-Patterson, M.D., to our team, we are not only expanding our research portfolio to include studies in MSA, but in 2024 he will help lead a new Autonomic Clinic designed to help diagnose and treat individuals with these often very challenging symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While our goal is to provide the highest-quality comprehensive care and carry out cutting-edge research at the PMDC, we also strive to ensure the strides <\/p>\n\n\n\n

we make in diagnosis and treatment are equitable and accessible to individuals across diverse populations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), we do more than make statements. For example, we know there are disparities in Parkinson\u2019s disease care based on factors such as race, ethnicity, and gender. Through DEI efforts led by Stephanie Bissonnette, D.O., M.P.H., we are evaluating beliefs and factors that influence medical decision-making in individuals with Parkinson\u2019s disease across races and ethnicities in order to develop educational resources in the form of videos, pamphlets, or webinars that can address the needs of those diverse populations affected by disparities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re also educating our faculty, residents, and students at VCU on the social determinants of health for patients with neurological disorders with a focus on health literacy and how that affects our patients\u2019 ability to best care for themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comprehensive and equitable patient care, collaborative and impactful research, and excellence in education and training of the next generation of movement disorders providers. All of this is led by team members here at the PMDC who have a passion for their work and unceasingly aim to improve the lives of those entrusted to our care. <\/p>\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brian D. Berman, MD, MS <\/strong>
PMDC Director and Movement Disorders
Division Chair and Professor, VCU Department of Neurology <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

View our January 2024 newsletter, looking back at the last six or so months of activity at the VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center. Here’s a message from that newsletter from the PMDC director Brian Berman, MD, MS. Many times when I tell others about the work we do at the Parkinson\u2019s and Movement Disorders […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1664,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pmdc-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1664"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":75,"date":"2023-11-15T15:01:58","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T15:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/?p=75"},"modified":"2023-11-15T15:02:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T15:02:00","slug":"nursing-specialty-change-brings-new-np-to-pmdc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/2023\/11\/15\/nursing-specialty-change-brings-new-np-to-pmdc\/","title":{"rendered":"Nursing specialty change brings new NP to PMDC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The VCU Parkinson\u2019s and Movement Disorders Center\u2019s (PMDC) designation<\/a> last year as a Parkinson\u2019s Foundation Center of Excellence caught Mairead (\u201cMeg\u201d) Busic\u2019s attention as she was looking to start the next chapter in her nursing career.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Busic had a nursing career caring for patients undergoing surgery and in need of critical care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In April, she joined the PMDC as a nurse practitioner and advanced practice provider and is looking forward to working with a team of neurologists, neuropsychologists, neurosurgeons, and physical, occupational and speech therapists to provide comprehensive evaluations and compassionate care in an outpatient setting for patients with movement disorders, including Parkinson\u2019s disease, Huntington\u2019s disease, dystonia, ataxia, and essential tremor as well as for patients with dementia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to branch out and work with cutting edge advancements in other areas of the medical profession,\u201d Busic says. \u201cWith the PMDC\u2019s Center of Excellence designations from the Parkinson\u2019s Foundation and Huntington\u2019s Disease Society of America, PMDC seemed like the perfect place to gain that experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After completing nursing school at the University of Rhode Island, Busic started her first nursing job at VCU Health\u2019s Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit in 2013. Most recently, she\u2019s been enrolled at the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at VCU while working at the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my experience in critical care, I was working with patients who were acutely ill and often in emergency situations. These patients often had little access to care,\u201d she explains. \u201cI chose the family nurse practitioner track because I wanted to have a hand in primary and secondary prevention for these patients to deliver early screening, diagnosis, and prompt treatment of their chronic illnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now on her new career path, she\u2019s focused on improving the quality of life for patients living with movement disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m most looking forward to making a meaningful impact on people\u2019s day-to-day lives,\u201d Busic says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In April, the PMDC picked up a new nurse practitioner who has turned her focus from surgery and critical care to movement disorders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1664,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pmdc-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1664"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":108,"date":"2023-11-15T14:49:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T14:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/?p=108"},"modified":"2023-11-15T14:55:48","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T14:55:48","slug":"new-clinic-will-aid-autonomic-symptoms-in-parkinsons-and-msa-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/2023\/11\/15\/new-clinic-will-aid-autonomic-symptoms-in-parkinsons-and-msa-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"New clinic will aid autonomic symptoms in Parkinson\u2019s and MSA patients"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new clinic that will help treat autonomic symptoms experienced by patients with Parkinson\u2019s Disease (PD) and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is expected to get moving in early 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The clinic would bring in specialists from multiple disciplines to care for PD and MSA patients living with autonomic (nervous system-related) symptoms associated with their disease. That includes urinary incontinence, sudden drops or spikes in blood pressure, heat or cold intolerance, sweating profusely (or not enough), and constipation, says Cameron Miller-Patterson, M.D., a VCU associate professor of neurology.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Cameron Miller-Patterson, M.D.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Those symptoms can be particularly disruptive for patients already experiencing motor symptoms of PD and MSA. A patient already struggling with their gait, for example, can face repeated need to get up and go to the bathroom due to urinary dysfunction, Miller-Patterson says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PD and MSA (similar to Parkinson\u2019s) are characterized by a build-up of the alpha synuclein proteins in the brain and nervous system that not only cause motor symptoms associated with the diseases but also impair the body\u2019s autonomic functions, explains Miller-Patterson, the movement disorders neurologist for the new clinic, part of the VCU Parkinson\u2019s and Movement Disorders Center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOftentimes, treatment of these autonomic symptoms is complicated and involves other doctors outside a neurologist,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PMDC will refer patients to the clinic where there will be a range of specialists, including a urologist, a psychologist, and a physical medicine rehabilitation specialist, Miller-Patterson says. Thomas Chelimsky, M.D., an autonomic neurologist who joined VCU in 2022, will also be at the clinic to recommend ways to treat autonomic symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe big benefit of the multidisciplinary clinic is that you have multiple providers all in the same place,\u201d Miller-Patterson says. \u201cPatients aren’t waiting weeks or months in between appointments to see different providers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chelimsky currently runs another autonomic clinic at VCU Health for people with specific autonomic disorders, including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). The new clinic will expand that care for PD and MSA patients, Miller-Patterson says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe already have the foundation for this new clinic. It’s just establishing a similar care model to a different population,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miller-Patterson will find ways of treating patients\u2019 motor symptoms without worsening some of their autonomic symptoms such as blood pressure drops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new clinic will see patients once a month at VCU Health\u2019s Stony Point campus in South Richmond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have to see if one clinic a month is enough or whether we have enough patients through the PMDC and VCU at large where we might actually consider expanding the frequency of when it\u2019s open,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new clinic that will help treat autonomic symptoms experienced by patients with Parkinson\u2019s Disease (PD) and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is expected to get moving in early 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1664,"featured_media":110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pmdc-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1664"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":104,"date":"2023-11-15T14:32:26","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T14:32:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/?p=104"},"modified":"2023-11-15T14:56:51","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T14:56:51","slug":"a-temp-job-becomes-permanent-for-new-pmdc-community-outreach-coordinator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/2023\/11\/15\/a-temp-job-becomes-permanent-for-new-pmdc-community-outreach-coordinator\/","title":{"rendered":"A temp job becomes permanent for new PMDC community outreach coordinator"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bonnie Mahl first came to the VCU Parkinson\u2019s Movement and Disorders Center at the start of 2023 to fill a temporary administrative role and figured she would be at PMDC for just a couple months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that changed after she got a firsthand look at PMDC\u2019s efforts to help people living with movement disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cAlong the way, I just found the people at the PMDC to be so kind and so caring,\u201d Mahl says. \u201cThey\u2019re working to ensure that people with movement disorders are living their best lives possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mahl stayed with PMDC, helping organize the monthly educational conference series, working with donors, and taking on other duties. In September, she began a new role as the Center’s senior community engagement and outreach coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She says PMDC\u2019s work speaks to one of her core values of helping others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of her favorite moments at the center was when she went to the office supply store in advance of a workshop that PMDC held with the Richmond-based Power Over Parkinson\u2019s Disease Foundation<\/a>, which provided attendees insights on how to address Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD) burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing hand tremors can be a symptom of PD, Mahl got triangular-shaped crayons so they would be easier to grip for attendees writing out questions they had during the workshop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cMy main goal in this role is to help foster even more of a sense of community within the patient population we reach. Just finding a place of community where they can relate to each other and tell their stories.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nBonnie Mahl, senior community engagement and outreach coordinator, VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI gave a crayon to one of the participants, and she loved it because it worked for her. I said \u2018take this entire box of crayons home with you,\u2019\u201d Mahl says. \u201cThat fills my heart, and that’s how I measure success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mahl came to PMDC with a 20-year background in environmental education. After graduating college, she worked in the Peace Corps for two years in Vanuatu, an archipelago nation located in the South Pacific near Fiji.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was my first eye-opening experience in community development,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as the pandemic has faded and more in-person events are possible, Mahl sees a chance for more gatherings to promote community building for PMDC patients and caregivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy main goal in  this role is to help foster even more of a sense of community within the patient population we reach,\u201d Mahl says. \u201cJust finding a place of community where they can relate to each other and tell their stories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mahl also wants to help organize more educational workshops for patients and those who care for them. Some possibilities include a workshop about traveling with PD  or a session about the benefits movement disorders patients could experience by getting out into nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy listening and talking with people, there might be something else that comes up as a need,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I want to help.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meet the new PMDC community engagement and outreach coordinator.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1664,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pmdc-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1664"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":102,"date":"2023-11-15T14:13:54","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T14:13:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/?p=102"},"modified":"2023-11-15T15:10:42","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T15:10:42","slug":"reaching-for-center-of-excellence-status-for-lewy-body-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/2023\/11\/15\/reaching-for-center-of-excellence-status-for-lewy-body-dementia\/","title":{"rendered":"Reaching for Center of Excellence status for Lewy Body Dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


The VCU Parkinson\u2019s and Movement Disorders Center is applying for designation as a Research Center of Excellence for Lewy body dementia (LBD), which would help further PMDC\u2019s efforts to find better ways to treat people with that disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew Barrett, M.D., recently submitted an application to the Lewy Body Dementia Association seeking Research Center of Excellence designation for PMDC. Barrett, a VCU associate professor of neurology, has been researching LBD and Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD) for the past decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy overall research goal is to improve the lives of patients with these diseases,\u201d Barrett says in the LBDA application. \u201cI recognize the importance of accurate and early diagnosis for improving the treatment of Lewy body dementia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LBD is the second most common cause of dementia and is associated with unrelenting cognitive decline, profound burdens on caregivers, and higher healthcare costs compared with Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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Matthew Barrett, Neurology<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Barrett has been conducting research that seeks to detect LBD more quickly by developing a physiological biomarker that uses non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG). That approach seeks to use electrical activity in the brain to identify LBD\u2019s distinctive cognitive fluctuations, the instances of impaired attention or reduced arousal that are tell-tale signs of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barrett is hopeful the PMDC will receive the Research Center of Excellence designation, explaining that the center brings numerous strengths to the field of LBD research. Among those are an ongoing research grant from the National Institutes of Health, an LBD-specific support group, and two clinical trials for people with the disease, Barrett says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have now enrolled 46 participants and are well on our way to our goal of 70,\u201d Barrett says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PMDC application notes VCU would be an \u201cideal place\u201d to be a Research Center of Excellence for LBD because of the university\u2019s institutional support for research, the clinical and research staff available here to support studies into the disease, the presence of the caregiver support group, and Barrett\u2019s research into LBD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If PMDC\u2019s request is granted by the LDBA, it would be another Center of Excellence designation for the center. The PMDC is already considered a Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s disease, Huntington disease, and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Parkinson\u2019s and Movement Disorders Center is applying for designation as a Research Center of Excellence for Lewy body dementia (LBD), which would help further PMDC\u2019s efforts to find better ways to treat people with that disease.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1664,"featured_media":103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pmdc-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1664"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":99,"date":"2023-10-05T15:33:52","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T15:33:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/?p=99"},"modified":"2023-11-15T14:59:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T14:59:17","slug":"pmdc-funds-three-interdisciplinary-scientific-investigations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/pmdc\/2023\/10\/05\/pmdc-funds-three-interdisciplinary-scientific-investigations\/","title":{"rendered":"PMDC funds three interdisciplinary scientific investigations\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The VCU Parkinson\u2019s and Movement Disorders Center<\/a> awarded $50,000 each to three VCU investigators researching neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson\u2019s disease and Alzheimer\u2019s disease and other types of movement disorders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now in its third year, the PMDC Pilot Grant program<\/a> gained a new philanthropic sponsor, with the Joan and Morgan Massey Foundation<\/a> providing $50,000 to the PMDC to fund one of the grants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The projects and recipients are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examination of a GBA-RTK-\u03b1- synuclein axis in cellular models of Parkinson\u2019s disease <\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n