A Fresh Look at Parkinson’s
Dr. John Young – Ask the Doctor
My most recent medical studies have lead me to take a closer at the electrical system in our bodies, especially concerning a number of neurological diseases. Parkinson’s is of particular interest as it is the second most common neurological disease in the United States, following Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Parkinson’s is characterized by tremors, fatigue, shuffling gait, mental decline, constipation and difficulties with balance.
What causes Parkinson’s? It could be genetic or environmental, especially exposure to harsh chemicals and pesticides. The treatment? Physical therapy to help with muscle rigidity, and a drug that helps supply dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and in Parkinson’s patients, the brain is no longer making enough of it. This drug slows the progression of Parkinson’s but does not stop it. The down side to taking this drug is that it’s very hard for the drug to cross the blood brain barrier to supply the brain with much needed dopamine. The drug has to be increased, as the brain cells continue to lose their ability to produce dopamine. For example, I have on patient who takes one pill every 2 hours just to maintain the ability to place one foot in front of the other. The treatment for excessive tremors is an implanted electrical device in the brain that helps reduce the tremors. In all, with the current treatments available to control this deadly disease, the average span is 7-15 years from diagnosis to death.
In my search for a better way to treat this deadly disease, I started reading scientific literature about what was happening at the molecular level in the nerve cells that produce dopamine. There is a protein called alpha synuclein at the end of each nerve cell that somehow gets misfolded either genetically or because of toxicity. These nerve endings make the dopamine. The synuclein protein starts to encroach on the nerve ending and begins to destroy the nerve. The nerve loses its ability to make dopamine and to conduct electricity, which is a vital process in brain function.
The good news is that once you understand this process of deterioration, you can start to counteract it and reverse the process. There are a number of medical articles that catalog how stem cells can rebuild a nerve sheath, potassium channels, and a nerve. Another article shows that exosomes reduce alpha synuclein proteins.
I had a male patient come in with Parkinson’s disease. He had cognitive decline, fatigue and a generalized slowing down in his movement. I treated him with my proprietary application of stem cells and exosomes and for almost 5 months he experienced no Parkinson’s symptoms.
A female patient with Parkinson’s presented with classic symptoms of tremors, moderate cognitive decline, terrible constipation, poor balance, extreme fatigue, and “freezing” episodes where she would “freeze” mid step for 5-15 seconds. Unlike the male patient above who elected to not take the oral drug, she decided to only do the oral medication. After 12 weeks, her freezing episodes ceased, her balance was 90% better, her memory improved, her voice was stronger and overall energy was better. The oral drug she took is approved for M.S. but rarely used.
My next patient, an elderly gentleman had Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia. Lewy bodies are large amounts of synuclein protein in the brain which causes severe dementia and early death. Once diagnosed, lifespan is 3-5 years. My patient was very slow in his movements and his thinking was unstable. We gave him stem cells and exosomes and started him on the M.S. drug. 12 weeks later, he was alert, his memory had improved, and he was generally almost back to normal.
By looking at this disease from another angle and treating it accordingly, it’s possible to help Parkinson’s patients to reclaim some of their health. The work goes on but the results are encouraging.
Dr. John Young, MD
(727) 545-4600, Largo, FL
