In January 2021, the World Parkinson Coalition (WPC) hosted a webinar on why people with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) are often later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD). RBD is acting out dreams or moving a lot in the REM stage of sleep. Normally, during the REM stage of sleep, the body is paralyzed, and with RBD, the paralysis stops working. Note that sleep walking, talking, screaming is common in the population (one-third), and this is not RBD.
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In mid-November, Parkinson Canada hosted speech therapist Dr. Ianessa Humbert for a webinar on swallowing and saliva challenges in Parkinson’s disease (PD). She reviewed what normal swallowing is, assessments that can be done of swallowing problems, and treatment. Dr. Humbert described the risk of aspiration (food or saliva entering the windpipe). She also discussed drooling and dry mouth.
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More important to maintain exercise than to be active before disease starts, study shows
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In early November, the Parkinson Society British Columbia hosted a webinar on Parkinson’s disease (PD) research with Dr. Rebecca Gilbert, the chief scientific officer of the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA). In this webinar, Dr. Gilbert discussed the funding fellowships and research grants APDA provides, and different areas of research the APDA prioritizes for research.
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In early December, the Parkinson Foundation hosted a webinar on skin and bone health in Parkinson’s disease (PD) with neurologist Dr. Nicki Niemann, and metabolic bone disease specialist Dr. Kenneth Lyles. Dr. Niemann first discussed skin issues in PD, noting that skin disorders are common in PD but often overlooked. Dr. Lyles followed with a presentation on bone health in PD, noting that those with PD have four times higher risk of hip fractures than those without.
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