Emerging Therapies and Parkinson’s

madman · May 12, 2024

In this video, Dr. Soania Mathur interviews Dr. Michael Okun about emerging therapies for Parkinson’s, including continuous infusion levodopa, cell replacement research, repurposed diabetes medication, and more!

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction
2:27 - Advances in Carbidopa and Levodopa
9:48 - Are there other similar medications coming out?
16:00 - Will there be advancements in non-motor symptoms?
24:34 - Adaptive DBS
35:53 - Disease modification, regenerative medicine, and stem cell research
43:30 - Other medications for Parkinson’s and thinking about emerging therapies
55:24 - Conclusion

Vince · 2026-02-10T08:47:47-0600

Pectasol (modified citrus pectin) inhibits a protein called Galectin-3. A recently published paper says

The pivotal role of Gal-3 in the aetiology of PD represents a promising therapeutic target for the development of future disease-modifying therapies. It’s significantly elevated in PD and tied to both the destruction of dopamine-synthesizing neurons and the clumping of α-syn into Lewy bodies [86]. Research found that Gal-3 levels in blood remain elevated in those patients suffering from advanced PD, which is associated with microglial activation and more severe neurodegeneration. Alternatively, studies in Gal-3 knockout (Gal-3KO) mice reveal minimized α-Syn aggregation, preservation of dopaminergic neurons, and improved motor functions, signifying a pathological role for Gal-3 in the initiation of PD [87, 88]. Accordingly, the downregulation of Gal-3 presents as a potent therapeutic approach in PD by treating neuroinflammation, a hallmark of PD progression.

The paper is behind a payment wall - link