The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson's Podcast

Today Parkinson’s treatments are largely focused on helping manage symptoms, but researchers are working towards something more: treatments that address a wider range of symptoms and ultimately slow or stop disease progression. Getting there will likely take many different approaches, reflecting the many ways Parkinson’s can affect people.In this episode of the MJFF Parkinson’s Podcast, part of its award-winning Parkinson’s Science POV series, host Maggie Kuhl, vice president of patient engagement at MJFF, leads a conversation with MJFF Chief Scientific Officers Brian Fiske, PhD and Mark Frasier, PhD, about how researchers are building a more diverse pipeline of potential treatments. They discuss how learning more about Parkinson’s are opening doors to new approaches, and the importance of centering what really matters for people living with the disease.Maggie also speaks with Shalini Padmanabhan, PhD, MJFF’s head of translational research, about the Foundation’s Targets to Therapies program and how MJFF is helping discoveries move closer to new treatments.Mentioned in this episode:Researchers are studying the link between sense of smell and brain health. People with and without Parkinson's can help by taking a scratch-and-sniff test. It’s free, mailed to your home and takes just 15 minutes to complete. mysmelltest.org/getstarted

A Parkinson’s diagnosis can raise big questions in a family: Was there a genetic link that contributed to developing the disease? How should other family members think about their risk? Should people get genetic testing?In audio from this month’s MJFF Parkinson’s Webinar, our panel of experts discusses what genetics can tell us about Parkinson’s risk, what to consider around genetic testing, and how studying genetics is helping researchers develop better treatments for everyone living with the disease.If you’d rather listen on the go, subscribe to The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Podcast on iTunes or your preferred podcast app. If you enjoyed what you heard, share it with a friend or leave a review to help others find and support our mission.Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your community. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0Whether you have Parkinson’s or not, you can help move research forward. Join the study that’s changing everything at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmi.Mentioned in this episode:Researchers are studying the link between sense of smell and brain health. People with and without Parkinson's can help by taking a scratch-and-sniff test. It’s free, mailed to your home and takes just 15 minutes to complete. mysmelltest.org/getstarted

Parkinson’s disease can change much more than movement. It can reshape roles and relationships, challenge a person’s sense of identity and alter the future they once imagined. In this podcast, you’ll hear from people living with the disease about how they’ve navigated the big questions that Parkinson’s has raised and the spiritual practices that nurture them, give them hope and keep them grounded. You’ll also hear from experts in Parkinson’s care about the importance of treating the whole person and how tending to spiritual well-being, however that looks for an individual, can be part of living well with the disease.Learn more about living well with Parkinson’s: https://www.michaeljfox.org/lifestyle-strategies-living-well-parkinsonsJoin the Parkinson’s Buddy Network: https://parkinsonsbuddynetwork.michaeljfox.org/v2/Mentioned in this episode:August is Make-A-Will Month, which serves as a reminder of the importance of creating and updating your will. Use this moment to take control of your future and ensure your wishes are respected. Visit michaeljfox.org/plan to learn more and get started.

Parkinsonism is an umbrella term to describe a group of conditions that cause movement symptoms. Parkinson’s disease shares some traits with drug-induced and vascular parkinsonisms, as well as atypical parkinsonisms, but each condition differs in how it progresses and is treated. Listen to audio from this month’s MJFF Parkinson’s Webinar to hear our panel of experts discuss the sometimes-long path to diagnosis and what people with parkinsonism and their families should know. They also cover the latest research into parkinsonisms.Like our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your community. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0Whether you have Parkinson’s or not, you can help move research forward. Join the study that’s changing everything at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmi.Mentioned in this episode:August is Make-A-Will Month, which serves as a reminder of the importance of creating and updating your will. Use this moment to take control of your future and ensure your wishes are respected. Visit michaeljfox.org/plan to learn more and get started.

Better treatments for Parkinson’s disease depend on increasing our understanding of why Parkinson’s develops and how it progresses. The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s landmark study, the Parkinson’s Precision Medicine Initiative (PPMI), is expanding to better answer those questions.In this episode of The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast, Maggie Kuhl, vice president of patient engagement at MJFF, leads a conversation about these efforts with:Kenneth Marek, MD, co-founder of the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders and PPMI’s principal investigatorSohini Chowdhury, MJFF’s chief program officerDonna Rajkovic, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012 and joined PPMI the same yearLike our podcasts? Please consider leaving a rating or review and sharing the series with your community. https://apple.co/3p02Jw0The Foundation’s landmark study, the Parkinson’s Precision Medicine Initiative, also known as PPMI, is recruiting volunteers. Join the study that’s changing everything at michaeljfox.org/podcast-ppmiMentioned in this episode:August is Make-A-Will Month, which serves as a reminder of the importance of creating and updating your will. Use this moment to take control of your future and ensure your wishes are respected. Visit michaeljfox.org/plan to learn more and get started.