Stanford PD Community Blog

In mid-March, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center (MAC) offered a webinar on Lewy body dementia (LBD), featuring William Mantyh, MD, a UCSF neurologist who researches the genetic causes of various dementias. It was the first in an ongoing series about LBD. Dr. Mantyh provided an overview of LBD symptoms and diagnosis, including autonomic issues; explained our current understanding of the causes and risks; and outlined the available treatments. We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach listened to the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

In mid-March, EndingPD.org offered the first webinar in a series on the recent launch of the book Ending Parkinson’s Disease: A Prescription for Action. The webinar featured Ray Dorsey, MD, a neurologist at the University of Rochester and book co-author. He briefly touched on general recommendations for the COVID-19 pandemic before discussing the reasons for the continuing rise in cases of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and what we can do to prevent – and, someday, end – PD.  We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach listened to the webinar and are sharing our notes.  

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.