In late December 2019, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America offered a webinar on frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), which includes two atypical parkinsonism disorders: corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The speaker was Sharon Denny, Senior Director of Programs for the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD). She discussed the different FTD syndromes; the types of changes and complex care needs that can occur; and the impacts on the family and caregivers. We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach listened to the webinar and are sharing our notes. Our summary focuses on the two atypical parkinsonism disorders – CBD and PSP – which we felt would be of interest to some readers.

In early March 2020, The Cure Parkinson’s Trust presented a webinar about the role of inflammation in Parkinson’s disease (PD), featuring a panel of speakers including neurologists, a clinical researcher, and a dietitian who has PD.  Their discussion included an overview of neuro-inflammation, or inflammation in the central nervous system; other inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); and current theories and research on the connections between immune function, inflammation, and PD. We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach listened to the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

Yesterday, the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) offered a webinar on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, for the Parkinson’s disease (PD) community, featuring a panel of speakers including neurologists, an infectious disease expert, and MJFF executives. They discussed what we currently know about COVID-19 and PD, how social distancing may help prevent spread, and how to manage challenges and isolation, touching briefly on the potential impacts of the situation on PD research. The webinar ended with a Q&A session. We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach listened to the webinar and are sharing our notes.