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“The Brain’s Backup Plan: The Power of Neuroplasticity in Parkinson’s” – Webinar Notes

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Older man with a cane standing on a hillside overlook, gazing down at a large brain-shaped maze glowing with golden light at its edges and dark at its center.

In a February 2026 NoSilverBullet4PD webinar, Rick Helmich, MD, with the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour in The Netherlands, spoke on what he calls “the brain’s backup plan,” of the brain’s compensatory mechanism. This refers to the ability of cortical areas not directly damaged by Parkinson’s Disease (PD) to take over functions that dopamine-dependent circuits can no longer reliably perform. He also identified the two key brain regions involved in this compensation and what causes those regions to fail.

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Gastroparesis and Parkinson’s disease

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woman speaking to doctor about stomach GI-issues
credit: APDA

Gastrointestinal (GI) difficulties can be among the most bothersome of the non-motor symptoms caused by Parkinson’s disease (PD). Constipation, which involves the slowing down of the large intestine or lower gut is the most common of the GI symptoms, affecting 80-90% of people with PD.

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Lifestyle Interventions and Living Well with Parkinson’s Disease Webinar, March 25, 1pm PT – Register Now

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Older man walking briskly on tree-lined park path with person doing tai chi visible in background

This webinar on Lifestyle Interventions and Living Well with PD is the first in a 3-part virtual lecture series designed to support individuals living with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) and their community. Read more about this new series and register now for the first installment, taking place on Wednesday, March 25 at 1pm PT.

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