We&#8217;re reprinting this interview with Paul Cannon, Ph.D, about treatment for his Parkinson&#8217;s as well as updates on 23andMe&#8217;s research, that was put together by <a href="https://tmrwedition.com/my-pd-journey/">Tomorrow Edition blogger Benjamin Stecher.</a>
<div id="attachment_22380" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22380" class="size-medium wp-image-22380" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/paul-300x235.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="235" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/paul-300x235.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/paul-768x602.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/paul-1024x802.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/paul-880x689.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/paul-1180x924.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/paul.jpg 2016w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Paul Cannon, Ph.D., 23andMe&#8217;s Parkinson&#8217;s Research Community manager.</div>
Paul, who took the helm of 23andMe&#8217;s research community in 2014, shared with Ben decision to undergo surgery for Deep Brain Stimulation, as a way to treat his Parkinson&#8217;s symptoms.  Below is an excerpt from the interview, or see the full article <a href="https://tmrwedition.com/2018/09/15/interview-with-23andmes-dr-paul-cannon/">here</a>.
<h2>You very recently underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery, how did you come to that decision?</h2>
So obviously it is not a decision to be made lightly, it is brain surgery. I have always had a good response to Sinemet (the primary drug used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease), but in the last year or so I had been having more severe fluctuations in my response to the drug. That was what essentially moved me towards going through with DBS. I made the decision earlier this year and scheduled the procedure for the summer when the chances of getting a cold or an infection that might interrupt the procedure were diminished. I had the surgery just over three weeks ago.
<h2>What were some of your biggest reservations that went into that decision?</h2>
Well it is a fairly invasive and long procedure. I was awake for parts of it, which is an interesting experience. Also I’m very interested in the closed-loop technology that is being developed for DBS, hopefully the equipment that I got could be adapted to that later. The stimulator itself can be changed, but the electrodes you probably get for life.
<h2>Was there any hesitancy around the fact that many clinical trials list DBS as one of their exclusion criteria?</h2>
That is fairly common, but most disease modifying trials mainly target earlier stage patients. I was diagnosed seven and a half years ago and was symptomatic a good number of years before that, so I would probably be ineligible for many of them anyway.
<h2>What was the day of the surgery itself like?</h2>
The day before the surgery I had my head shaved and they put five screws into my head followed by a CT scan to help position the brain when I was in the operating theater. The next morning I went in for the first procedure to implant the electrodes. I was awake when they put the electrodes into the brain and they listen to the activity of your brain as an indication that they are in the right region. Then they apply a number of stimuli via the electrode and test for impact on motor symptoms (I was off PD medication) as well as speech. They did one side and then the other. I went home the next day with the wires implanted but without the stimulator and battery put in, that was done the following week and was a straight-forward outpatient surgery. I am getting the device turned on and programmed for the first time this week, some 5 weeks after the initial surgery. The reason for the delay between the two is that there is a micro-lesion effect where actually having the surgery itself improves the symptoms. Over time that wears off. I am now back to my regular medication.
<h2>What is it like to be awake while somebody is fiddling around inside your brain?</h2>
It is a little disconcerting I must say, more stressful than I anticipated. The operating staff were great and helped me manage anxiety. They put you to sleep at first and then wake you up once the electrodes are ready to be inserted. I did hear and feel suction at the back of my head, I also had a headache that came up during the procedure. Otherwise it is just lying on your back trying not to think about what is going on behind you. You then go through a simple set of tests as they turn on the stimulation. It takes a couple of hours to do both sides. They then put you back to sleep, sew you up and you wake up a couple hours later.
<h2>Was there anything surprising or unexpected about the surgery?</h2>
I felt pretty good the next day. Though the surgery was tough, once I was in recovery there was very little pain associated with it and very few side effects from it.
One other thing I would stress is from some of the data that has come in recently. DBS used to be reserved more for people in an advanced state. But we are seeing it being done more in younger people and at an earlier state because when you are younger you are more able to withstand the surgical procedure and the associated stress. <a href="https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/779416">There is data</a> that indicates that there is more benefit to having it done earlier and is <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0159340">more cost-effective</a>.
<h2>Moving into your day job, could you give a little background about 23andMe’s involvement with Parkinson’s disease?</h2>
23andMe is a direct to consumer genetics company with a long standing interest in PD. The PD community project was launched over nine years ago. We have been working closely with The Michael J. Fox Foundation and others to build up a sizeable genotyped and broadly phenotyped cohort of people with self-reported PD. Some of the more interesting data in that cohort comes from the self-reported information that has not traditionally been directly associated with PD.
<h2>What have been some of the most surprising findings that have emerged from your time at 23andMe?</h2>
It is less the data and more just the engagement of people with the research process. A high percentage of people have been regularly engaged with what we do, especially in the disease cohorts. It has been impressive, inspiring and humbling at the same time. Without them, it would be much more difficult for us to look at how genetics, along with environmental data, can inform disease risk, progression and response to medication.
<h2>What can you tell us about 23andMe’s recent partnership with GlaxoSmithKline?</h2>
It covers a lot of disease areas to try and identify targets and treatments. In Parkinson’s specifically we are developing a joint program in the LRRK2 inhibitor area. It is very exciting because it brings both of our expertise together to learn from each other and develop better treatments.
<h2>What excites you most about the future of genetic research in PD?</h2>
I think study of PD genetics can lead us to a better understanding of the molecular underpinnings of this disease as well as the variability in presentation, progression and medication response. The question is how best to use that to inform new targets and predict individual treatment responses. We aren’t as interested in telling people if they are fast or slow progressors, what we want focus on now is can we help doctors decide which treatment regime is best for each individual. This will only become more important when truly disease modifying medications become available.
<h2>Could you talk about <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30843-6.epdf?author_access_token=6AIDrNpmX-bB-r0HJ6kkx9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OBDo5C1_bNghAuVIWDPVVHUk_9FUlokLX3X4Cnhrw5mDqB6Ai9Xi8en2aNX62p0H1yWK9A2ekzAcILwS0wQRTCRvQ62xucB0fc9oJ1frVbJw%3D%3D">a paper you authored</a> that was just released looking at combining genetic data with self-reported data?</h2>
It was a collaboration with Pfizer looking at people with specific genetic mutations and asking whether they differ in terms of self-reported phenotype data. The lack of objective symptom data was mentioned as a concern by one of the reviewers, however most healthcare data today is still self-reported, i.e. the doctor asks you how you feel and records it. In fact the phenotypes that we found associated with the specific mutations were consistent with those found by others in more traditional research cohorts, suggesting that self-reported data can reliably be used to support PD genetics research. But even when we do have objective biomarkers, the ultimate measures are still whether the patient feels and functions better.
Update from Paul on September 14th: “I went in yesterday to have the device turned on and programmed. Currently set at a low level of stimulation, whilst we taper off the dopamine replacement medication. But even at this level I notice a marked improvement in my ability to walk, especially in terms of arm swing etc. so I am hopeful of a very positive journey”

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

An Interview with 23andMe’s Parkinson’s disease program Manager Paul Cannon

At 23andMe, we are committed to accelerating and advancing Parkinson’s disease research. So when April comes around, employees make a point of honoring Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
As we’ve done in the past, this year, 23andMe employees organized a fundraiser and participated in a walk at the May 6th Moving Day event in San Francisco organized by The Parkinson’s Foundation.
<h6>A Special Day</h6>
This year’s fundraiser was extra special because it coincided with 23andMe’s 12th anniversary on April 27th! It included a bake sale, a silent auction, and probably the most fun event of all, an employee talent show in front of the entire company.
<div id="attachment_26183" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26183" class="size-large wp-image-26183" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-880x660.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-1180x885.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />From left to right: Fah Sathirapongsasuti, Briana Cameron, Sarah Laskey, Olga Sazonova, Karl Heilbron, Rajan Patel, Cody Sam, Ksenia Kriksunov, Margaret Adams, and Liz Noblin.</div>
“How many adults get to participate in a talent show at work? Not many,” said Patricia Penton, a 23andMe employee and one of last year’s talent show performers. “And how many adults get to participate in a talent show at work to raise funds for Parkinson’s disease research? Probably just us. That’s pretty awesome.”
<h6>Raising Awareness and Raising Money</h6>
What’s even more awesome is that, together, 23andMe employees were able to raise money for Parkinson’s disease research. 23andMe has participated in the Moving Day event since 2016, and has raised close to $50,000 for this event since then.
23andMe’s commitment to Parkinson’s research goes back to some of our <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002141">earliest published work</a>, and our Parkinson’s disease community which has been a great partner in advancing this research. We will continue to build this community, which is focused on better understanding the role of genetics in this disease. Our goal is to improve diagnosis and treatment, and maybe even help find a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
<h6>Fox Insight</h6>
With that in mind, last fall, we <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/new-parkinsons-disease-research-collaboration-michael-j-fox-foundation/">expanded</a> our long-running partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to join forces and extend MJFF’s online clinical study, <a href="https://foxinsight.michaeljfox.org/">Fox Insight</a>, to 23andMe customers with Parkinson’s disease.
Through Fox Insight, people with and without Parkinson’s are providing researchers with critical insights about the lived experience and variability of the disease, simply by answering health-related survey questions. More than 18,000 participants have already enrolled, but that’s just the beginning. The study aims to recruit tens of thousands more participants, because a large, diverse group has great potential to lead to a better understanding of Parkinson’s disease.
<div id="attachment_26189" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26189" class="wp-image-26189 size-medium" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Multi-talents Thao Do and Aaron Petrakovitz show off their ballroom dancing moves.</div>
<div id="attachment_26188" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26188" class="wp-image-26188 size-medium" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Sloshing around the gene pool were one of this year&#8217;s talent show acts the &#8220;Synchronized Scientists.&#8221;</div>
Eligible Fox Insight participants with Parkinson’s can help researchers gain a holistic picture of the disease by joining the Fox Insight Genetic Sub-study, powered by 23andMe. To sign up, individuals first need to join Fox Insight and complete some basic study steps. Eligible enrollees are then invited to participate in the sub-study. Through this sub-study, eligible participants can also receive genetic counseling at no cost.
23andMe customers with Parkinson’s disease are welcome to enroll in Fox Insight and share their genetic data through the Fox Insight Genetic Sub-study. Participants’ de-identified genetic data will be coupled with survey response data and made available to qualified researchers at 23andMe and other organizations to drive Parkinson’s disease research and development of new treatments. <a href="https://foxinsight.michaeljfox.org/">Learn more</a>.

Honoring Parkinson’s Awareness Month

This week The Michael J. Fox Foundation announced the launch of a new Parkinson&#8217;s research initiative called<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fi_logo.svg" alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-25818" width="1" height="1" /><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fox-Insight-e1509055580622-300x93.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-25820 size-medium" width="300" height="93" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fox-Insight-e1509055580622-300x93.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fox-Insight-e1509055580622-768x239.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fox-Insight-e1509055580622-1024x319.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fox-Insight-e1509055580622-880x274.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fox-Insight-e1509055580622-1180x367.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
As part of our broader collaboration with The Foundation, 23andMe is inviting participants of its more than 12,000 strong Parkinson’s Research community to join the <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2017/10/30/23andme-fox-parkinsons/">initiative</a>. While the two organizations have a long history of working together to study Parkinson’s disease, this new initiative will make data broadly available to researchers, drug makers, and regulators worldwide starting in 2018, with the goals of sparking innovation and discoveries around Parkinson’s disease.
The hope is to recruit tens or even hundreds of thousands of people with Parkinson’s to be involved in a collaborative and diverse cohort of patients that will add new kinds of information that could be used quickly accessed by qualified researchers. New technology and leveraging online tools allow for those with Parkinson’s to more easily contribute data, allowing researchers to pair it with genetic data that could ultimately accelerate discovery.

In addition, The Michael J. Fox Foundation and 23andMe are launching the Fox Insight Genetics substudy. This will give eligible Fox Insight participants with Parkinson’s an option to be genotyped by 23andMe at no cost, and contribute their deidentified genetic data to research.
For 23andMe, which pioneered the use of genetics with online tools and people-centered research, this offers a chance to build upon the success of its work on Parkinson’s disease and encourage innovation by qualified outside researchers.
&#8220;Joining forces with The Michael J. Fox Foundation will help our research goals of understanding, treating and preventing this disease,&#8221; said Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe CEO, and co-founder. &#8220;Making the data available to the wider research community will accelerate our understanding of Parkinson&#8217;s disease.”
The goal is to better understand Parkinson’s disease with the hope of finding new treatments. But the initiative is also a response to Parkinson’s patient&#8217;s desire to actively contribute to research and share their own experience, which isn’t always captured in traditional disease research.
“What I find fascinating when I talk to Parkinson’s patients is that we all have a different disease,” says Michael J. Fox, who launched the Foundation in 2000 with a vision of bringing Parkinson’s patients and scientists into a true two-way dialogue to speed patient-relevant research outcomes. “One of our Foundation’s most important goals has been finding a way to incorporate patient involvement and patient knowledge and wisdom and enthusiasm in research. Capturing the natural back-and-forth between patients helps doctors and researchers.”
Starting next year de-identified data from Fox Insight will be made easily accessible to qualified Parkinson’s researchers, for independent study. This sort of access to the research could shorten research timelines, and speed the development of new therapies. 
Go <a href="http://foxinsight.org">here</a> for more information about Fox Insight.

New Parkinson’s Disease Research Collaboration with the Michael J. Fox Foundation

Participants in the 23andMe Parkinson’s disease research initiative have contributed a vast amount of data, that has enabled our researchers and <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-22635" width="287" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg 287w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo.jpg 438w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" />collaborators to improve our understanding of the genetics of Parkinson’s. But we want to do even more to maximize the use of this data. 
Through ongoing collaborations with The <a href="https://www.michaeljfox.org/">Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research</a> (MJFF), 23andMe is working with the Parkinson&#8217;s disease community, piloting novel ways to collect and analyze data and advancing genetic research in Parkinson&#8217;s disease.
Part of that work entails supporting a postdoctoral researcher at 23andMe, Karl Heilbron, who is analyzing this extensive data set. We have previously reported on some of <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/parkinsons-research-community-update/">Karl’s work</a>. This summer he presented his findings related to novel traits associated with Parkinson’s disease at first ever Gordon Research Seminar dedicated to the disease. The <a href="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Karl.jpg">poster</a> was well received and we were happy when Karl was selected to give an oral presentation on his data.
23andMe also worked with MJFF to invite Parkinson’s researchers from around the world, to submit proposals for collaborations with 23andMe. We contacted more than 12,000 researchers and received a significant number of high quality and innovative proposals. Through an exhaustive review process, we have identified the top four proposals regarding technical feasibility and potential impact. We will feature details of these in upcoming blog posts. 
<div id="attachment_24396" style="width: 209px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-24396" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/KarlHeilbron-preferred-199x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-24396 size-medium" width="199" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/KarlHeilbron-preferred-199x300.jpg 199w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/KarlHeilbron-preferred-768x1156.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/KarlHeilbron-preferred-680x1024.jpg 680w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/KarlHeilbron-preferred-585x880.jpg 585w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/KarlHeilbron-preferred-784x1180.jpg 784w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/KarlHeilbron-preferred-scaled.jpg 1701w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px" />Karl Heilbron</div>
<h5>New data projects</h5>
Off-label drug use survey
In medicine, doctors sometimes prescribe treatment for a condition with a drug that has already been FDA-approved to treat a different disease or symptom. This practice is called ‘off-label’ drug use, and there is little information on how common it is in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. To find out, researchers here at 23andMe collaborated with MJFF and The Cure for Parkinson’s Trust to create a new off-label drug use survey to address this question.
Although off-label drug use is practiced in medicine, little is known about the safety and effectiveness of drugs in unapproved indications. The survey is not an endorsement of off-label drug use, but instead, an effort to learn more how common it is for the treatment of Parkinson’s. 23andMe encourages individuals with Parkinson’s to talk with their physicians regarding treatment decisions. 
As part of this effort, 23andMe sent an email to participants in the Parkinson’s Disease Research Initiative asking them to take the off-label drug surveys. Respondents were presented with a list of potential off-label medications; exenatide, isradipine, metformin, nicotine patch, nilotinib, and statins, many of which are currently or were recently in clinical trials for Parkinson’s, as well as an “other” free text option. Interpretation of the results is complicated by the fact that many of these drugs are approved for conditions that are also common in those with Parkinson’s, such as type-2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. We found that 21 of the 1,325 participants (one to two percent), reported that they were prescribed isradipine off-label. None of the other drugs were prescribed off-label to more than a handful of participants if any at all. It’s important to note that we have no information regarding any benefits or side-effects relating to the off-label drugs, or even whether the individuals ever took or are still taking the drugs.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;
Medical records pilot
Online survey questions continue to be the core of our data collection methods. However, we are always interested in new and different sources of data to add to our research. 
With the recent proliferation of electronic medical record systems, we wanted to determine if these records could be a valuable new source of data for Parkinson’s research. In particular, we’re interested in discovering factors that influence the progression of the disease. A traditional approach to studying this would be to enroll people with Parkinson’s disease in a longitudinal study where they would be asked to complete baseline and periodic (e.g., every three months) follow-up surveys to assess changes in the progression of their Parkinson’s symptoms. 
Many individuals with Parkinson’s disease progress relatively slowly, especially in the early stages. This means that it can be a significant challenge to keep participants engaged in such studies for long enough to see substantial changes in their symptoms. We want to explore whether disease assessments in medical records would allow us to access the same information, but looking backward in time. 
To address this, we recruited approximately 200 participants with Parkinson’s disease who were willing to have us retrieve and analyze their medical records. These participants were assigned to one of two companies that specialize in the retrieving and anonymizing electronic medical records. The companies retrieved and anonymized the records, then mined them for information that we deemed points of interest. So what did we find? &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li> Almost all of the participants saw a specialist for management of their Parkinson’s.</li>
<li> The format and content of the medical records were highly variable, as was the number of visits per year.</li>
<li> The most consistently reported data was self-reported data, which can often be more easily recorded by online surveys.</li>
<li> Rating scales for Parkinson’s — the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) — were rarely and inconsistently included in the records, and, even when present the scores were variably reported. More frequently records had Hoehn and Yahr scores for Parkinson’s, but still insufficient to provide any data on progression. 
</li>
</ul>
In conclusion, the two vendors were able to retrieve records for most of the participants, but the data contained therein were too variable and inconsistent to be of any value for research, especially regarding progression.
Many thanks to all of the 23andMe Parkinson’s disease research initiative participants who contributed to the work!

Update on 23andMe Parkinson’s disease research

Researchers at 23andMe and Genentech have identified 17 new genetic variants associated with <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-22635 size-medium" width="287" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg 287w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo.jpg 438w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" /><a href="http://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/parkinsons-disease/">Parkinson’s disease</a>. The findings almost doubling the total number of known risk variants for the condition. They gives scientist hints at potential new targets for drugs to treat the disease.
The work is part of a multi-year collaboration between the two companies begun in early 2015 aimed at identifying new therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s.
<h6>Research on Parkinson&#8217;s Disease</h6>
“We are incredibly excited by these findings and their potential to lead to breakthroughs in therapeutic research and treatment for Parkinson’s disease,” said Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe’s co-founder and CEO. “The 23andMe Parkinson’s community is powered by our customers who are motivated to make a difference and see the Parkinson&#8217;s research advance.   The community is unlike any other, and it is an incredible asset for researchers to make breakthrough discoveries. These findings are a testament to both the power of the 23andMe Parkinson’s community and the company’s novel research model.”
Published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ng.3955.html?foxtrotcallback=true">Nature Genetics</a>, the study is the largest meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease to date, using data from more than 425,000 individuals.
<h6>Large Study Size</h6>
More than 370,000 of those individuals were 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research. About 10,000 of them have Parkinson’s disease and are part of 23andMe’s Parkinson’s Research community, which is now the largest Parkinson’s disease community for genetic research in the world. The researchers also used data from individuals that are part of<a href="http://www.pdgene.org/citing"> PDGene</a>, a clearinghouse for Parkinson’s related research data that also includes data from 23andMe.
In addition to identifying the 17 new risk genetic variants associated with Parkinson’s, the study confirmed many variants already known to be associated with Parkinson’s. A neurology-centric strategy was used to identify candidate genes linked to variants associated with Parkinson’s. These genes are involved in lysosomal and autophagy biology, sometimes referred to as the body’s recycling and trash collection centers. This vital process involves first a sweep of the cells by autophagosomes, which collect damaged material. Then that material is transferred to lysosomes, which either break down the material or recycle it into new structures.
<h6>Hints Concerning the Development and Progression of Parkinson&#8217;s</h6>
More recent research suggest that beyond its important recycling function, autophagy and lysosomal biology may also play important roles in<a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/lysosomes-gene-regulation-signaling/"> regulating cell function</a>. Last year the Japanese researcher<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/03/yoshinori-ohsumi-wins-nobel-prize-in-medicine"> Yoshinori Ohsumi</a> won a Nobel Prize for his work looking at autophagy and its role in certain diseases like Parkinson’s. (Here’s more on <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/lysosomes-gene-regulation-signaling/">autophagy and lysosomal biology</a>.)
Mounting evidence suggests that this process of clearing out damaged cellular material may be impaired in patients with Parkinson’s, and that this may contribute to the development and progression of the disease. Parkinson’s disease, which affects an estimated six million people worldwide, is characterized by loss of nerve cells in various parts of the body, including dopaminergic neurons in the brainstem, an area important for the regulation of movement. The loss of neurons is associated with accumulation of insoluble abnormal forms of the protein alpha-synuclein, which make up the Lewy body deposits characteristic of Parkinson’s. These abnormal proteins are believed to impair nerve cell function and survival.
Not all candidate genes make good therapeutic targets. Most drugs are small chemical molecules. The term <a href="https://commonfund.nih.gov/idg/overview">“druggable genome,”</a> is often used to include those genes that make proteins whose function can be changed by the binding of drug-like small molecules.
A number of the candidate genes identified in this study — such as STK39 and ITPKB — fall into this category. They may therefore represent new targets for the discovery and development of novel treatments for Parkinson’s.

New Genetic Associations for Parkinson’s Disease Identified

Last year 23andMe focused  on updating plans for how best to <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25240" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Karl-and-Olga.001-300x234.jpg" alt="Karl and Olga.001" width="300" height="234" />use the data that we had already collected. A key element of this was adding Karl Heilbron to the 23andMe research team. 
Karl is  a postdoctoral researcher focused exclusively on Parkinson’s disease. 
Most recently he presented a poster at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, describing some of the preliminary findings of his work to find new phenotypes associated with Parkinson’s.

Some of the important Parkinson’s projects launched last year include a pilot study on the feasibility of incorporating de-identified medical records into the data we use for research. Analysis of the records is ongoing, and we expect to finish the pilot project by later this year. 
We have also updated the background Parkinson’s survey completed by all research participants. 
This new survey includes a new section focused on L-dopa induced dyskinesia , a side effect of the drug levodopa that can emerge over time in many individuals with Parkinson’s. We are interested in factors — genetic and non-genetic — that influence susceptibility to the side effect. Olga Sazonova, a research scientist at 23andMe, leads this effort. Thanks to all of the Community members who contributed data related to Parkinson’s and other research topics during the year.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Top-Ten-Parkinsons-Activities.001-300x223.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25294" width="300" height="223" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Top-Ten-Parkinsons-Activities.001-300x223.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Top-Ten-Parkinsons-Activities.001.jpg 602w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Our goals for for this year, are to analyze our existing data not just in-house but also in collaboration with other Parkinson’s researchers. For example, together with The Michael J. Fox Foundation, 23andMe recently solicited proposals for new collaborative Parkinson’s research projects. Our goal is to find proposal with the most potential to break new ground in what we know about Parkinson’s and with the most potential to meaningfully affect the lives of those living with Parkinson’s. We plan to announce the selected proposals over the summer.


Together with our collaborators the Research Team has also been working on a number of projects related to the collection of new types data. We plan to roll these out during the next few months. Topics to be covered include:<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ASHG-Paper.001-1-300x225.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25295" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ASHG-Paper.001-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ASHG-Paper.001-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ASHG-Paper.001-1-880x660.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ASHG-Paper.001-1.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Off-label prescriptions: This is a common medical practice in which a doctor prescribes a drug for an indication different from those that it has been approved for.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Impulse Control Disorders: Collecting more data on impulse control disorders, which are potentially serious complication, often seen in individuals with Parkinson’s. We are interested in understanding how common it is in the 23andMe Parkinson’s research community and how the risk of developing the condition is influenced by genetics and other factors including medications.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Cognition: The aim of the cognition project is to use a suite of online cognition tools, developed by 23andMe, to understand how Parkinson’s affects cognition and the changes associated with disease progression.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Microbiome: The microbiome project will involve the collection and analysis of samples from volunteers with and without Parkinson’s disease to investigate whether Parkinson’s or its subtypes are associated with changes in the makeup of the microorganisms living in participants’ mouths and intestines. This is a hot topic in Parkinson’s research and an area where the 23andMe’s research community can make a significant contribution.</li>
</ul>
Finally, we are hopeful that <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/parkinsons-awareness-month-2/">a collaborative project </a>we are planning with the Michael J. Fox Foundation will to among other things, expand the number of individuals with Parkinson’s in the 23andMe database.

Parkinson’s Research Community Update

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and this year it also marks the eighth anniversary of 23andMe’s <a href="https://www.23andme.com/pd/">Parkinson’s Research Community</a>, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/pd/"> 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-22635" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg" alt="Brain Logo" width="287" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg 287w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo.jpg 438w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" /></a>which introduced a game-changing model for science, one that leverages online tools and is powered by average, everyday people — people like you.


Parkinson’s Awareness Month also comes on the heels of an <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/good-news-health-reports/">FDA authorization</a> for 23andMe to offer several Genetic Health Risk Reports to customers, including one on genetic risk for Parkinson’s Disease. Genetics is one of many factors that influence a person’s chance for developing Parkinson’s disease. 23andMe’s new Parkinson’s Disease Genetic Health Risk Report looks at two of the most common variants associated with significantly higher risk for the disease LRRK2 G2019S, and GBA N370S. 


Putting this information into the hands of individuals is important for them personally, but it can do so much more. It can trigger the sort of engagement that powers important research as 23andMe has seen with the Parkinson’s Research Community, which now includes more than 11,000 people and is the world’s largest study cohort of genotyped individuals with Parkinson’s. 


The community has powered important research from the beginning, first helping to replicate known genetic associations for Parkinson’s and then leading researchers to find never before known associations. Beyond that work 23andMe has also joined in hugely important ongoing collaborations — with organizations like the <a href="https://www.michaeljfox.org/">Michael J. Fox Foundation</a> — which are helping lead to important insights and valuable data for future research. 
Right now 23andMe is working on a new research effort with The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), and we expect to announce more details about the program later this year. In the meantime, we strongly encourage people interested in supporting or participating in Parkinson’s research to learn more about the MJFF’s <a href="https://foxinsight.michaeljfox.org/">Fox Insight</a> program. 


For people with Parkinson’s or those who love them, the research done through the 23andMe Parkinson’s Research Community and its collaborators offers something else — a chance to make a difference. This is a true human desire. Not all of us have the resources or skills to do the science, but we all have the ability to offer what may be even more valuable, our interest and participation. As Thelma, the wife of one of our research participants, told us a few years ago, participating in research offered her a chance to make a difference.


“I have six grandchildren … and I don’t want (Parkinson’s) to befall them,” she said. “This is something I can do for them as well.”


Engaging people like Thelma is part of what 23andMe does well, but we offer something else too. 
Even individuals who do not have a specific condition, who are healthy and are not personally touched by some of the health conditions we study, can help by simply consenting to research. Having aggregated data from healthy individuals for which to compare is important for disease research. 
In addition, some individuals who remain healthy their whole lives, even though they have the variants that put them at a higher risk, could also offer researchers valuable information in their study of Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. In fact, some scientists are starting to hypothesize that developing interventions before someone is symptomatic could be key to prevention or more effective treatment for some neurodegenerative diseases. 
One powerful way to study this hypothesis is to identify people with specific risk factors &#8211; like genetics &#8211; to focus on in future studies. 
The ability for people to participate in research and become engaged in this kind of work is game changing, said 23andMe co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki.

&#8220;What gets me up every day is the excitement of our potential for research and the opportunity to advance science and understanding of the underlying biology of conditions like Parkinson’s disease,&#8221; she said.  
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-22634" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Parkinsons-Research-Community-640x238.jpg" alt="Parkinson's Research Community" width="640" height="238" />

Parkinson’s Awareness Month

Attending the annual American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Vancouver next week?<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-6586" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-200x200.jpg" alt="23andMe_Logo_blog" width="200" height="200" />
We&#8217;d love to hear from you! Attend our talks, come by our posters, and find us at our booth.
The 23andMe research team has a full slate of presentations and posters at ASHG this year.


Wednesday, Oct 19

TALK 
11:30am &#8211; 12:00pm


From GWAS and Mendelian Genes to Therapeutic Drug Targets

Richard Scheller, 23andMe Chief Science Officer and Head of <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24403" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/richard-small.jpg" alt="richard-small" width="100" height="94" />Therapeutics 
The Therapeutics group at 23andMe is using human genetic data as the starting point for identifying new therapies for both common and rare diseases.

Session 20.
From GWAS and Mendelian Genes to Therapeutic Drug Targets 
Ballroom B, West Building, Convention Centre


POSTERS 
3 pm &#8211; 4 pm


<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24402" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Karl-small.jpg" alt="karl-small" width="100" height="94" />

Karl Heilbron, 23andMe Post-doctoral Computational Biologist

Poster #: PgmNr 406

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24401" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RobertB-1.jpg" alt="robertb-1" width="100" height="99" />

Robert Bell, 23andMe Bioinformaticist

Poster #: PgmNr 430

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24404" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Aaron-Small.jpg" alt="aaron-small" width="100" height="97" />

Aaron Kleinman, 23andMe Senior Computational Biologist

Poster #: PgmNr 496

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24440" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Nick-Small.jpg" alt="nick-small" width="100" height="83" />

Nicholas Furlotte, 23andMe Statistical Geneticist

Poster #: PgmNr 514

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


Thursday, Oct 20 
EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR (registration required) 
1pm — 2:30pm


New Models in Genotyping: Incentivizing Recruitment, Engaging Participants and Accelerating Research Results

Location: Ballroom B, East Building, Convention Centre


Program includes:<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24437" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Joyce-Small.jpg" alt="joyce-small" width="100" height="82" /> 
How the consumerization of genomics benefits research

Joyce Tung, 23andMe VP of R&amp;D


Reimagining genetic studies: Genotyping Services for Research

Robert Borkowski, 23andMe Product Manager<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24438" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RobertB-small.jpg" alt="robertb-small" width="100" height="88" />


POSTERS 
2 pm &#8211; 3 pm
&nbsp;

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24439" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Olga-Small.jpg" alt="olga-small" width="100" height="89" />

Olga Sazonova, Computational Biologist

Poster #: PgmNr 1409 
Convention Centre,
Exhibit Hall B, West Building
3 pm &#8211; 4 pm

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24436" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Janie-Small-1.jpg" alt="janie-small" width="100" height="109" />

Janie Shelton, 23andMe Survey Methodologist

Poster #: PgmNr 350 
Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building

&nbsp;

<a href="https://ep70.eventpilot.us/web/page.php?page=Speaker&#038;project=ASHG16&#038;id=341749">The impact of personal experience with direct ­-to- ­consumer genetic testing on physician readiness</a>

Erynn Gordon, 23andMe Director of Clinical Development<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24441" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Erynn2-small.jpg" alt="erynn2-small" width="100" height="89" />

Poster #: PgmNr 3098

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


Friday, Oct 21


POSTERS 
2 pm &#8211; 3 pm
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24400" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Mike-Small.jpg" alt="mike-small" width="100" height="102" />

Michael Multhaup, 23andMe Product Scientist

Poster #: PgmNr 477

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24399" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Fah-small.jpg" alt="fah-small" width="93" height="99" />

Fah Sathirapongsasuti, 23andMe Computational Biologist

Poster #: PgmNr 1719

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


Saturday, Oct 22
TALK 
9:15am &#8211; 9:30am

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24398" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/chao-small.jpg" alt="chao-small" width="100" height="121" />

Chao Tian, 23andMe Senior Statistical Geneticist

PgmNr 276 
Session 78.
Neuropsychiatric Diseases of the Young and Old 
Room 221, West Building, Convention Centre
You can also find us at our marketing booth #211.


<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/23andme-scientists-to-present-new-findings/">Read more</a> about our scientific presence at ASHG.

Find Us At ASHG

After four days in Berlin attending the massive annual meeting of the<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-22635" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg" alt="Brain Logo" width="287" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo-287x300.jpg 287w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brain-Logo.jpg 438w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" />back hopeful for the future.


The challenge for Paul is distilling the most important takeaways from a meeting that included more than 5,500 participants, 2,111 scientific abstracts and hundreds of presentations.
This year the meeting included news of promising clinical trials, innovative technology for monitoring symptoms, and new findings in the hunt for the genetics behind the disease.


“Since this was a meeting primarily intended for specialists and others caring for individuals with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders there was a lot of focus on new therapies including non-drug related ones,” said Paul.
There was also a lot of new data on the importance of nonmotor function symptoms associated with Parkinson’s, including a sobering study that showed that half of all Parkinson’s patients<a href="https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/865758"> suffer anxiety</a> which in turn can lead to debilitating depression.
For both those treating and studying the disease understanding these nonmotor symptoms is <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-23733" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PD-Infographic-Top-244x300.jpg" alt="PD Infographic Top" width="244" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PD-Infographic-Top-244x300.jpg 244w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PD-Infographic-Top-768x946.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PD-Infographic-Top-831x1024.jpg 831w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PD-Infographic-Top-714x880.jpg 714w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PD-Infographic-Top-958x1180.jpg 958w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PD-Infographic-Top.jpg 1010w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px" />important not just to maintain a patient’s health but also for understanding whether these seemingly unrelated symptoms might shed new light on the progression of the disease or even offer new ways of making an earlier diagnosis.
But patients themselves often do not draw attention to these symptoms – which might include such things as insomnia, difficulty with regular bowel movements and sexual dysfunction – because they believe they are unimportant for treating Parkinson’s.
Paul was particularly interested in the work presented around sleep disorders for individuals with Parkinson’s, particularly related to something called<a href="http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/06/11/brain.aww124.long"> REM sleep behavioral disorder</a> or RBD. It’s a common symptom among Parkinson’s patients that includes vigorous movement during REM sleep. This can sometimes be dangerous for both the patient and their partner. It’s also an early sign of the disease and, similar to Parkinson’s is believed to be related to misfolding and clumping of alpha-synuclein in the brain.


“It’s of interest in terms of Parkinson’s research because it appears to be a precursor to a number of alpha-synucleinopathies,” Paul said.


RBD occurs in about half of individuals with Parkinson’s often, but not always preceding PD diagnosis. Looking at many of these non-motor symptoms collectively may help researchers identify people who are at risk for developing Parkinson’s, Paul said. The challenge, at least with RBD, is that formal diagnosis, currently requires overnight observation in a sleep clinic, an option that is impractical for many Parkinson’s patients.
Another highlight of the meeting in Berlin was new research around mutations in the GBA gene, carrying two copies of which is associated with developing Gaucher’s disease, an inherited disorder that causes fatty substances to accumulate in cells.
This rare condition was first linked to Parkinson’s in 2008. The same mutations that put someone at risk for Gaucher’s are also associated with a higher risk for developing Parkinson’s. Unlike Gaucher’s, carrying one mutant version of the gene is sufficient to increase the risk of PD. Researchers are looking at parallels in the biology of the diseases. In Gaucher’s disease the genetic mutations lower the level and activity of an enzyme that helps break down proteins and lipids. Lower levels of this same enzyme may allow for the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in the brain.
There’s much more, but for Paul what was most compelling was news that there is research from a number of groups that has identified compounds that target that key enzyme and may in turn be useful for treating both Gaucher’s and Parkinson’s.
“There is also reason to believe that this mechanism might work on regular Parkinson’s not just those cases that are due to GBA mutations,” said Paul.


But as yet none of the compounds are in the clinical testing phase.
That said, the meeting in Berlin did include information on several different promising treatments that are in either the clinical trials phase or beyond. Some of those involved several new treatments for patients who have tremors, including the use of<a href="http://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/blog/NeurologyTodayConferenceReportersMDSInternationalCongress/Pages/post.aspx?PostID=13"> focused ultrasound</a>. There is also progress in testing of the drug<a href="https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?record-pace-of-recruitment-speeds-isradipine-trial"> isradipine</a>, a drug used for treating high blood pressure, use of which has been shown to be associated with a lower incidence of Parkinson’s. The drug is now in a phase three clinical trial, according to Paul.
Finally, he noted that the Berlin meeting also featured several studies showing the steady progress around exploration of Deep Brain Stimulation as a way to treat many of the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s.


“In one clinical study DBS appeared to have better outcomes than ‘best medical treatment’,” Paul said.

Parkinson's Disease — Page 3