The 15th International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders was held in Toronto, from June 5th to 9th. To see Parkinson’s-related news from the Congress, visit Movement Disorder Society Toronto 2011 Congress – News Releases.

Several new and innovative research projects are underway or recently completed. For example: An international study led by Dr. Michael Schlossmacher, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Parkinson’s disease at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, has provided the first link between the most common genetic risk factor … Read more

If you take Sinemet or the generic form Levocarb, please be aware that, over the past 18 months, the supply of Sinemet and Levocarb has changed; the markings on the Sinemet CR (controlled release) and Sinemet IR (immediate release) pills have also changed. These changes include new colours, shapes, markings, non-medicinal ingredients and storage conditions. … Read more

Parkinson’s isn’t a homogenous disease An interview with Dr. Francesca Cicchetti, Associate Professor and researcher at Laval University, in Tandem, the English-language complement to Corriere Canadese, Canada’s Italian newspaper. New insights into Parkinson’s Parkinson’s Disease: Why Dopamine Replacement Therapy Has a Paradoxical Effect On Cognition Potential Cause of Severe Sleep Disorder Discovered, Implications for Parkinson’s … Read more

Parkinson’s: the Facts Progression of Parkinson’s Disease Information Sheet Parkinson’s Medications – What you need to know! Taking Control – 10 steps to help you cope with a recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s These resources are now available online in Chinese, German, Italian, Punjabi and Spanish, in addition to English and French, making them accessible to … Read more

By Amanda Strong, Medical Writer, Montreal, QC This article was scheduled to be published in June in Dimensions, the online magazine of the National Research Council of Canada. Recent progress in our understanding of Parkinson’s disease is challenging long-established beliefs and may even pave the way for a cure. Not long ago, Parkinson’s disease was a bit … Read more

On May 18, 2011, Liberal MPP Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence) introduced a private member’s bill in the Ontario legislature to amend the Ontario Human Rights Code to include “genetic characteristics” as a prohibited ground of discrimination, along with race, marital status and disability. If passed, the bill, would prohibit insurance providers from denying coverage or charging … Read more

By Yvon Trepanier, Chair, National Advocacy Committee Fast forward to 2011,In 2005, Parkinson Society Canada’s national advocacy committee set a big goal – to launch a national study to learn about the impact of Parkinson’s disease in Canada. Little did they know, this national study would grow to become Canada’s first-ever study of not only … Read more