ATIVESITE | Dr. Gilbert Hosts: Diagnosing Parkinson’s Disease
2:40 Dr. Saint Hilaire’s introduction
30:06 What if your neurologic exam is consistent with Parkinson’s disease but your skin biopsy is negative?
32:57 Do these tests negate the validity of the clinical exam to diagnose Parkinson’s? Is clinical exam not our gold standard anymore?
35:08 If a person does not have symptoms of Parkinson’s but has a pre-motor symptom such as poor smell or REM behavior sleep disorder, would you perform a test for Parkinson’s?
37:49 How do you participate in a research study?
39:51 What if you have been diagnosed with PD, and you want to get one of these tests, but your doctor does not want to order it?
41:02 If there is abnormal alpha-synuclein in the nerves in the skin (which is detected on the skin biopsy), does that mean there is a connection between peripheral neuropathy and PD?
43:18 How is the skin biopsy performed?
45:31 Will the results of these tests change what my doctor does for me?
47:38 Can the DaTscan distinguish between Parkinson’s and symptoms caused by a stroke?
49:29 What if someone knows that they carry a gene for Parkinson’s but they do not have symptoms? Do any of these tests have value in that situation?
51:27 For what percentage of new patients in your clinic do you order a diagnostic test?
Diagnosing Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a hot topic as there have been scientific advances and new approaches being explored. In the this episode of Dr. Gilbert Hosts we’re going to dive into many aspects of PD diagnosis with special guest Dr. Marie-Helene Saint-Hilaire, a movement disorders specialist and member of APDA’s Scientific Advisory Board.
Until recently, there were no biomarkers (a measurable characteristic in the body which indicates that disease is present) available to detect PD and diagnosis was mainly determined through a clinical exam — but now things are starting to change with some potential biomarkers being explored! This is big news.
Dr. Saint-Hilaire will also explore other interesting aspects of diagnosing PD, like looking at pre-motor PD (the concept that certain symptoms such as loss of smell can be used as a diagnostic clue), clinical diagnosis (the concept that PD has a very specific set of clinical features that can be seen on exam and used to diagnose), and a person’s response to levodopa (this can be a huge clue to diagnosis.)
You will learn about:
• The progress that has been made in diagnosing Parkinson’s
• The lab tests that can shed light on whether or not you have PD
• Other methods of diagnosing PD
• How this progress will make a difference
• How to get a test if your doctor hasn’t ordered one
• The limitations of these tests
• And more!
This program is made possible by: CND Life Sciences.
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