April 20, 2006 Source: :
http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/april06/movement-disorders.html Movement Disorders & Therapeutic Brain Stimulation Program launched Today the University of Calgary and Calgary Health Region officially launched the Movement Disorders & Therapeutic Brain Stimulation Program. (the Program)
Led by Drs. Oksana Suchowersky, Bin Hu and Zelma Kiss, the Program, part of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, is poised to become a leader in care and research in Parkinson’s disease. Discoveries will have a direct impact on patient care, improving the lives of patients and families impacted by movement disorders. "Because of the collaboration between scientists and clinicians we can quickly apply the exciting research discoveries made in the lab to patients living with movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease," said Dr. Oksana Suchowersky. "This is a growing health concern for our aging population, with more than 15-thousand Albertans being afflicted." Under the direction of Dr. Zelma Kiss, Calgary is also leading the country in clinical trials of new surgical therapies. For example, surgeons are inserting pacemakers into the brains of people living with movement disorders. " These innovative treatments developed within the Program are already making a difference," said Judy Axelson, Executive Director, Parkinson’s Society of Southern Alberta. "We are pleased to support the important work going on and look forward to even more collaborative efforts." Made up of a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals including physicians, nurses, therapists and scientists the Program currently treats more than two thousand people. About 80-percent of those people are living with Parkinson’s disease, though other conditions such as Huntington’s disease and Tourette’s syndrome are also prevalent in the population. The Movement Disorders & Therapeutic Brain Stimulation Program is jointly funded by: Calgary Health Region, University of Calgary, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, National Institutes of Health (USA) and the Parkinson’s Society of Southern Alberta. Team to unravel the empowering effects of music Thanks to a generous grant of $1.5 million for five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Dr. Bin Hu, professor of Neurosciences and Co-Director for the Movement Disorder and Therapeutic Brain Stimulation Program at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine and his research team are able to embark on an unprecedented study that could significantly improve the quality of life for millions of people living with Parkinson’s disease. A national collaboration between the Movement Disorders & Therapeutic Brain Stimulation Program in Calgary, the University of Lethbridge, Dalhousie University and the Parkinson’s Society of Southern Alberta will investigate why music and dance can lift some Parkinson’s patients out of a frozen state, known as gait freezing and allow them to walk away from the crippling effects of their disease. "Gait freezing can be a very serious problem for people living with Parkinson’s disease. Patients will often stop short and be unable to move," said Dr. Bin Hu. "By understanding exactly how music helps them to overcome this freezing reaction we may be able to discover effective rehabilitation techniques and determine how to prolong the effects of the music." Thanks to the team grant, researchers will be able to take advantage of advanced research models and techniques, disease models and medical devices that have been specifically developed for this project and are not traditionally used in Parkinson’s research. "There are approximately 100,000 Canadians and 6.3 million people worldwide who are afflicted with Parkinson's disease. We are hopeful that Dr. Bin Hu's research on movement regulation by auditory pathways in the brain will lead to improved care and treatment for people affected by this disease. The innovative work in music therapy conducted by Dr. Bin Hu's team demonstrates the international standards of excellence that CIHR supports," said Dr. Remi Quirion, Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. "Music is a powerful form of communication, transcending the boundaries of gender, age and race," added Dr. Hu. "This research will bring us one step closer to understanding how music can contribute to the health and wellness of an aging population." People living with Parkinson’s disease who would like to participate in this study are asked to E-mail mdtbs@ucalgary.ca For more information:
Leanne Niblock
Interim Director Media Relations
Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary
220-2431
lniblock@ucalgary.ca
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