Latest news with #Parkinson'sdisease
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
CHRISTUS highlights speech therapy for communication disorders
TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) – For National Speech-Language and Hearing Month in May, CHRISTUS Health is raising awareness of communication disorders that affect people of all ages. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are crucial in diagnosing and treating speech and language difficulties, which include swallowing disorders and cognitive and social communication problems. CHRISTUS Health highlights importance of physical activity and sports participation 'Any unusual behavior that is outside of a person's normal pattern could be a sign of something more serious,' said Linda Hampton, rehabilitation manager and speech-language pathologist at CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System. 'Watch for signs like slurred speech, misused words, or trouble recalling everyday terms—such as calling a cup a spoon or forgetting the name of a loved one.' Communication disorders can appear at birth or develop later in life due to conditions such as strokes, Parkinson's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These disorders can impact speech, language, and hearing, greatly impacting effective communication. SLPs help improve patients' speech, comprehension of language, and communication with others. SLPs work with each patient to formulate therapy plans based on their personal requirements and objectives. Treatment can include practicing sounds, using advanced communication methods, or improving memory and thinking abilities. Signs of Stroke: what to know for Stroke Awareness Month 'The goal is to help patients feel more confident, become more independent, and enjoy a better quality of life,' Hampton said. 'Whether it's helping a child say their first words or supporting someone learning to speak again after a stroke, we play a very important part in their recovery journey.' Timely assistance and routine therapy can also greatly boost recovery and long-term results. Patients and caretakers are urged to talk with their primary care provider about being referred to an SLP if they observe altered speech, memory, or swallowing. For more information about speech therapy or to find a primary care physician, go to Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
NNI, Lien Foundation roll out early palliative care for patients with neurological conditions
Palliative care patient Chia Shyh Shen (bottom) practising on a communication device with Tan Tock Seng Hospital staff on May 29. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG SINGAPORE – The first time Mr Chia Shyh Shen experienced weakness in his right arm, he thought little of it. It was 2021, and the now-71-year-old was trying to change a ceiling light bulb at home. He could not hold his arm raised. At the time , he and his wife, Madam Tam Fee Chin, 70, attributed what they thought was temporary weakness to old age. But soon, M r Chia, who along with his wife was employed at a relative's gold jewellery shop in Johor Bahru, could not even lift a tray at work. Mr Chia was diagnosed in October 2021 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), t he most common type of motor neurone disease, which affects how nerve cells communicate with the muscles . In 2022, the Malaysian couple sought help in Singapore. There is no cure for ALS, which was formerly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. There are around 300 to 400 people living with ALS in Singapore. The condition is more common to individuals older than 50, and afflicts more men than women. Mr Chia is becoming weaker as his motor neurons – the nerve cells sending signals from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, enabling movement – degenerate and die. He now has minimal mobility below the neck. And as his disease progresses, he will lose the ability to speak, eat and , finally, breathe. Mr Chia, however, remains cheerful, and is looking forward to future trips. His doctor at the National Neuroscience Institute@Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where Mr Chia is a patient, is helping to make sure this stays the case for as long as possible. While this may not sound like much , it reflects the transformation of care that is taking place there, particularly after NNI and the Lien Foundation rolled out in April 2024 a $6.8m five-year initiative to provide palliative care from diagnosis onwards. They call it NeuroPal, which stands for Neuropalliative Ecosystem of care. Prior to 2024, patients were referred to palliative care after experiencing advanced symptoms, said Dr Ang Kexin, a senior consultant at NNI, who has undergone training in palliative care. 'They came to me when they were bed bound or could not talk. Now they come earlier and can express their needs,' she said. 'We ask them about their hobbies... We anticipate their needs. We journey with them.' NNI and the Lien Foundation held a press conference on May 29 to announce NeuroPal and its aim of integrating palliative care into standard neurological care. It will go some way to help alleviate the suffering of patients living with ALS , dementia, Parkinson's disease and other complex brain, spine, nerve and muscle conditions. Palliative care patient Chia Shyh Shen (bottom) was diagnosed in October 2021 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the most common type of motor neurone disease, which affects how nerve cells communicate with the muscles. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG NeuroPal has screened nearly 2000 NNI patients with neurological conditions, of which 370 patients are given palliative care. NNI@SGH started the programme at one clinic in 2024. By the time NeuroPal ends in five years' time , it should have supported more than 3,600 NNI patients annually at TTSH and SGH, said NNI and the Lien Foundation. The hope is to expand it to other hospitals, and more community care partners. NNI specialists treat patients at seven hospitals across Singapore. With NeuroPal, patients are routinely screened for psychosocial issues and support can then be tailored for them, based on their distress levels. Associate Professor Adeline Ng, Senior Consultant, Neurology, NNI and NeuroPal co-lead, said they use a self-reported short questionnaire called the Distress Thermometer to understand what matters most to the patients. The initiative pumps funding into training and hiring more palliative care staff, including two psychologists, three medical social workers, four nurses and others. Palliative care patient Chia Shyh Shen (bottom) with Tan Tock Seng hospital staff (from centre-left) National Neuroscience Institute Senior Consultant Dr Ang Kexin, Principal Occupational Therapist Huang Huixin and Senior Speech Therapist Yong Xing Tong at the Centre for Geriatric Medicine, in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, on May 29. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG Lien Foundation's CEO Lee Poh Wah said during the press conference that with the initiative, they want to dismantle the misconception that palliative care is only for the end of life. 'It's naive to frame neurological diseases as a battle to be fought at all costs... I think we need a more humane and humble approach to healthcare, one that acknowledges the complexities of living with serious illness.' Palliative care aims to help relieve the symptoms and stress of serious illness and support caregivers, and it can help to reduce unnecessary suffering when it is given early in the disease trajectory, he said. Neurological conditions often unfold as a long journey of progressive decline, where a patient suffers emotional distress and is gradually robbed of his or her independence. Among those who receive palliative care, 60 per cent are cancer patients, but cancer only accounts for 26 per cent of all deaths, he said. The hope is to train more healthcare professionals to deliver general palliative care, he added. Associate Professor David Low, Deputy CEO (Clinical), NNI, told the media that people often think of palliative care as something that is given at the terminal stages of life. But for neurological conditions, the care can start early, for instance, when a person is diagnosed with motor neuron disease. ALS patients typically live for around 3 to 5 years, but there are a lot of outliers, and Mr Chia is one of them, said Dr Ang. To help improve his quality of life, the NeuroPal team at NNI@TTSH regularly monitor him and recommend solutions to help him cope with the inevitable changes that the disease brings. They recently let him try out an eye-tracking device called Tobii, which will enable him to communicate with others or pick out videos to watch, and a tilted wheelchair that can support his neck. 'We are future-proofing him. With Tobii, he can learn it faster now because he can still communicate verbally,' Dr Ang said. With that wheelchair, should he opt to buy it, he can travel in greater comfort, she added. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Supernus to Participate in the 2025 Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUPN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases, announced today that Jack A. Khattar, President and CEO of Supernus Pharmaceuticals, will participate in a fireside chat at the 2025 Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. ET in New York City. Investors interested in arranging a meeting with company management during the conference should contact the Jefferies conference coordinator. A live audio webcast of the presentation can be accessed here or by visiting Events & Presentations in the Investor Relations section on the Company's website at An archived replay of the webcast will be available for 60 days on the Company's website following the conference. About Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Supernus Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Our diverse neuroscience portfolio includes approved treatments for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients receiving levodopa-based therapy, hypomobility in PD, epilepsy, migraine, cervical dystonia, and chronic sialorrhea. We are developing a broad range of novel CNS product candidates including new potential treatments for epilepsy, depression, and other CNS disorders. For more information, please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements do not convey historical information but relate to predicted or potential future events that are based upon management's current expectations. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. In addition to the factors mentioned in this press release, such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to sustain and increase its profitability; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to fully implement its corporate strategy; the implementation of the Company's corporate strategy; the Company's future financial performance and projected expenditures; the Company's ability to increase the number of prescriptions written for each of its products and the products of its subsidiaries; the Company's ability to increase its net revenue from its products and the products of its subsidiaries; the Company's ability to commercialize its products and the products of its subsidiaries; the Company's ability to enter into future collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions or to obtain funding from government agencies; the Company's product research and development activities, including the timing and progress of the Company's clinical trials, and projected expenditures; the Company's ability to receive, and the timing of any receipt of, regulatory approvals to develop and commercialize the Company's product candidates; the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property and the intellectual property of its subsidiaries and operate its business without infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others; the Company's expectations regarding federal, state and foreign regulatory requirements; the therapeutic benefits, effectiveness and safety of the Company's product candidates; the accuracy of the Company's estimates of the size and characteristics of the markets that may be addressed by its product candidates; the Company's ability to increase its manufacturing capabilities for its products and product candidates; the Company's projected markets and growth in markets; the Company's product formulations and patient needs and potential funding sources; the Company's staffing needs; changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry, the impact of macroeconomic factors, such as economic downturns or uncertainty, international conflict, trade disputes and tariffs; and other risk factors set forth from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the information in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. CONTACTS: Jack A. Khattar, President and CEOTimothy C. Dec, Senior Vice President and CFOSupernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(301) 838-2591 or INVESTOR CONTACT:Peter VozzoICR Healthcare(443) in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Parkinson's disease four times more likely among people with autism, study suggests
New Delhi: People with autism could be four times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease later in life, according to a study among Swedish population. Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder affecting thought processes and social behaviour. It is diagnosed in early childhood, while Parkinson's disease is ageing-related neuro-degeneration, in which one experiences tremors in limbs and affected movement. "This indicates that there can be shared biological drivers behind ASD ( autism spectrum disorder ) and Parkinson's disease," first author Weiyao Yin, a researcher at the department of medical epidemiology and biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, said. The study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Neurology, analysed data from more than 22 lakh people born in the country between 1974 and 1999, who were followed from the age of 20 up to the end of 2022. Findings "suggest a potential shared etiology between neuro-developmental disorders and PD (Parkinson's disease), warranting increased awareness of long-term neurological conditions in individuals with ASD," the authors wrote. Yin said, "One hypothesis is that the brain's dopamine system is affected in both cases, since the neurotransmitter (brain chemical) dopamine plays an important part in social behaviour and motion control." While there is considerable evidence that dopamine production is affected in Parkinson's disease, the role of dopamine in autism is not yet clear, even though studies have shown that the brain chemical is involved, the researchers said. The researchers also took into account the fact that people diagnosed with autism are commonly prescribed anti-depressants and anti-psychotic drugs, which can cause Parkinson's-like symptoms. The link between autism and Parkinson's disease became less pronounced, "but the risk was still double", the researchers said. "The healthcare services need to keep people with ASD -- a vulnerable group with high co-morbidity and a high use of psychotropics -- under long-term observation," last author Sven Sandin, a statistician and epidemiologist at the department of medical epidemiology and biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, said. "At the same time, it's important to remember that a Parkinson's diagnosis before the age of 50 is very rare, including for people with autism," Sandin said. The researchers pointed out that they only analysed early-onset Parkinson's disease before the age of 50 and that the average age of participants by the end of the study was 34. The incidence of Parkinson's disease was therefore very low -- 24 cases among 51,954 people with autism (0.05 per cent), and 438 among 22,26,611 people without autism (0.02 per cent). Future studies will need to examine if the elevated risk persists into older age, the team said. Global estimate of autism prevalence is one per cent, while in India, the estimate is 1.5 per cent, according to a 2023 study published in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics.
Time Business News
4 days ago
- Health
- Time Business News
Neurologist vs Psychiatrist: Know the Difference
Since the brain is the center of body control, any malfunction has an impact on everything, including emotions and bodily activity. Psychiatrists and neurologists both study the brain, yet they specialize in distinct fields. You can find the proper professional more quickly if you are aware of these differences. A neurologist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders related to the nervous system. This includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, migraines, and multiple sclerosis often require neurological care. Neurologists use advanced imaging, clinical assessments, and lab tests to identify the root cause of symptoms. While they don't perform surgeries, they often work alongside neurosurgeons when surgical intervention is needed. Psychiatrists are trained medical doctors who specialize in mental health. They assess, diagnose, and treat emotional and behavioral disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety. What sets psychiatrists apart from psychologists is their ability to prescribe medication. They often combine pharmacological treatment with psychotherapy or refer patients to clinical psychologists when needed. Both neurologists and psychiatrists begin their journeys in medical school. Afterward, neurologists complete residency programs focused on the nervous system, while psychiatrists undergo specialized training in mental health. Although their foundations are similar, their residency experiences shape their clinical perspectives. Neurologists focus on physical symptoms and disease mechanisms, whereas psychiatrists are trained to explore thought patterns, behavior, and emotions. Neurologists manage a wide range of neurological issues. Common conditions include: Stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) Epilepsy and seizure disorders Parkinson's disease Migraines and cluster headaches Neuropathy and nerve pain Multiple sclerosis These conditions can be chronic and progressive, requiring lifelong monitoring. Psychiatrists handle mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Major depressive disorder Generalized anxiety disorder Schizophrenia Bipolar disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) They often assess how these conditions affect daily functioning and relationships, and develop a treatment plan that might include medications, talk therapy, or hospitalization in severe cases. Neurologists rely heavily on diagnostic imaging such as MRI, CT scans, EEGs, and lumbar punctures to visualize brain and nerve function. These tools help pinpoint physical causes of neurological symptoms. Psychiatrists, on the other hand, focus on detailed clinical interviews, psychological questionnaires, and observation to identify emotional and behavioral patterns. They may also order blood tests to rule out hormonal or metabolic issues affecting mental health. Neurologists typically treat conditions with medications, physical therapy, and sometimes nerve stimulation techniques. For instance, anti-seizure medications are prescribed for epilepsy. Psychiatrists may use medications like antidepressants or antipsychotics, but therapy also plays a large role. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and psychoanalysis are common tools in psychiatric care. Consider seeing a neurologist if you experience persistent or unexplained: Seizures or blackouts Frequent headaches/migraines Memory loss or confusion Muscle weakness or numbness Coordination issues If your symptoms suggest something affecting your nerves or brain physically, a neurologist is the right choice. Ahmedabad has become a destination for neurological and psychiatric care in India. Whether it's for long-term care or second opinions, finding a qualified neurologist in Ahmedabad allows you to get comprehensive care. You might need a psychiatrist if you're dealing with: Long-standing depression or anxiety Panic attacks Hallucinations or delusions Sudden changes in mood or personality Difficulty coping with daily life TIME BUSINESS NEWS
