The North of Scotland Parkinson’s Research Podcast Series

Apathy with Dr Tom Gilbertson, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neurologist, University of Dundee.

This episode focuses on the remarkable research being done by Dr Tom Gilbertson in Dundee, that suggests people with Parkinson’s may be able to reprogram new pathways in their brain to overcome the common symptom of apathy. He also describes his future work and the belief that non-invasive, reversible ultrasound therapies may one day be capable of modifying the function of neurons to provide symptom control.
 

Dr Angus Macleod, Honorary Consultant Neurologist and Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Aberdeen.

Dr Angus Macleod is a Honorary Consultant Neurologist with NHS Grampian specialising in movement disorders inc. Parkinson’s and also a Senior Lecturer at the School of Medicine at the University of Aberdeen.
This podcast focuses on his own research and also his views on the most promising areas of research currently underway. 
The North of Scotland Parkinsons research interest groups:  https://www.nosprig.org/
Research groups nationally:  https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/research/local-parkinsons-research-interest-groups
Parkinson’s UK Scotland:  https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/about-us/parkinsons-uk-scotland
 

Dr Rachel Hardie, N. Scotland Research Ethics Servie & Dr Gillian Lyon, Research & Development Team, University of Aberdeen - Research Ethics

With the help of Drs Rachel Hardie and Gillian Lyon, we examine Research Ethics - the standard of conduct ensuring scientific integrity and study participants' safety. We'll find out about the process of getting approval for a research project and what patients and the public considering taking part in research should be looking out for before signing up.
 

Dr Will Young, Assoc. Professor in Rehabilitation Psychology, University of Exeter - Freezing of Gait

In this episode we cover everything from dancing the Cha-cha to virtual reality, as we hear the innovative lengths Dr Will Young and his team go to in their research into the psychology behind freezing of gait and their development of strategies to overcome it.
 

Amelia Hursey, Research Manager, Parkinson's Europe - Patient and Public Participation in Research

Without the generosity of the many people who give their time towards participating in research there would be no progress in our quest to find new therapies and hopefully one day, a cure for Parkinson's. Amelia Hursey has worked in the public and charity sectors for 12 years specialising in Patient and Public Participation. Now Research Manager for Parkinson's Europe, we talk to her about the challenges of recruiting people for this vital role. 
 
1) Parkinson's Europe website: https://parkinsonseurope.org/
2) Parkinson's Europe Engagement Network: https://parkinsonseurope.org/connect-with-us/join-our-engagement-network/
 
 
 

Richelle Flanagan, Dietitian with Young Onset Parkinson's Disease, Diet and Parkinson's

In this episode we are delighted to have the opportunity to discuss the latest thinking on Diet and Parkinson's with someone uniquely placed to do so from both a professional and a personal perspective.  Richelle Flanagan is not only a leading dietician in Ireland with nearly two decades of experience, but she also lives with Parkinson's Disease having been diagnosed seven years ago when she was expecting her second child. 

Dr Kathryn Bowles, Gene Researcher, UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh and leader of the Bowles Lab.

Dr Kathryn Bowles explains her fascinating research into a little known gene that is thought to help protect the brain. It is hoped that discovering how this process works will provide vital new knowledge as to why some people develop Parkinson’s and others don’t. Kat also talks Julie and Helga through the complex world of genetic research, how it has developed over recent years, and why it can take so long to see progress. 
 
 www.bowleslab.co.uk
 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9284779/pdf/13024_2022_Article_551.pdf

Richelle Flanagan, Co-Founder of the worldwide Women’s Parkinson’s Project and digital health app ‘mymovesmatter.com.’

In this special episode of the North of Scotland Parkinson’s Research Interest Group podcast series to mark International Women’s Day 2024, we are delighted to have with us Richelle Flanagan from Ireland.  Since attending the World Parkinson’s Congress in 2019 following her own diagnosis of Young Onset disease seven years ago, she has worked tirelessly to raise the profile of women with Parkinson’s.  Now a leading advocate for females with the disease across the globe, her pioneering work is driving forward long overdue research into how Parkinson’s and its medications specifically affect women of all ages. She is co-founder of the worldwide Women’s Parkinson’s Project and also  ‘mymovesmatter.com’ – a digital health app allowing users to track every aspect of their health and wellbeing to help them live the best life possible with Parkinson’s.
 
Related links:
https://www.mymovesmatter.com/uccpilotstudy
https://www.mymovesmatter.com/get-the-app
https://movementdisorders.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/mds.28921#:~:text=PD%20and%20physicians.-,Women%20with%20PD%20need%20to%20be%20educated%20and%20empowered%20on,psychological%20and%20social%20support%20needs.
https://www.womensparkinsonsproject.com/
https://pregspark.com/
https://www.yopdwomen.com/resourcees
https://www.womensbrainproject.com/2024/01/21/parkinsonsreport/

Dr David Breen, Hon. Consultant Neurologist & Sen. Clinical Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh.

Sleep issues are one of the most widely reported non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's  In this episode Dr David Breen explains the mechanism of sleep, talks us through some of the theories surrounding sleep as a possible predictor of disease or indicator of prognosis, and the challenges & of researching the science behind it.

Clare Johnson, Parkinson’s Specialist Occupational Therapist, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

As a member of the Parkinson's Disease guideline committee of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Clare Johnson explains the vast number of ways Occupational Therapists help patients and their families cope with the everyday motor and non-motor challenges of living with Parkinsons. We hear about the benefits of multi-disciplinary clinics and why standard measurement scales can fall short compared to individualised evaluation.