(10) PD, no lights, no action

Seven years' dark days

Since my diagnosis in 2013, I have avoided taking any Parkinson's Disease (PD) medication, a decision reinforced after viewing the movie "Awakenings" and the GDNF trial documentary, both of which have been reviewed in earlier posts. In both instances, I was made to understand that little can be done to reverse PD, neither by (a) PD medication nor by (b) invasive surgery. Hence, it was reasonable to assume that an alternative approach that does not include (a) or (b) - for which there is anecdotal evidence, but few large-scale clinical trials - would be an avenue to investigate. The Australian trial stopped data collection in 2019 and I hope their results will be published soon.   

When I decided to trust in the power of the original me to cope with darkening days, what I could not foresee was the force with which my body and mind was to be hijacked by the intruder. This takeover has been especially noticeable in the shift in my hand dominance and becoming more of a threat than I thought it would be. One of my few remaining pleasures, driving our car, has gradually also become a challenge. I might have to stop long distance road trips by 2021, because of worsening motor control (excuse the pun!). So, what now? 

Observations made by Palfreman (2013) (the L-dopa Conundrum appeared in an earlier post) regarding motor complications (MCs) are significant. An important one is that the presence of some MCs and possible side-effects on patients taking PD medication result in their having a few "off" days per week, when MC's prevail and symptoms can worsen. This is offset by having symptom-free "on" days. As a parkinsed person, I also have "on" and"off" days, but, without chemical dependency. 
 

Some light

In December 2019, M-Net's Carte Blanche broadcast a documentary regarding the use of low-level Infrared (or near Infrared) light to treat those with PD. The ten minute programme described therapy that was not invasive, caused no physical damage to the brain and was available in South Africa! I will describe aspects of the treatment that, hopefully, will make sense.

According to the Durban Neurolaser Clinic laser therapy is "the use of light from a Low Intensity Laser Diode or an array of Superluminous Diodes to eliminate pain, accelerate healing and decrease inflammation...[and is] also known as...low intensity laser therapy or photobiomodulation therapy." The clinic also treats neurological conditions, such as PD. Naturally, I was curious about this therapy, so I did some online research, and found pros and cons.

Photobiomodulation therapy for PD

The general scepticism of photobiomodulation expressed by medical experts (including some of my own parkinsed friends who subscribe to drug therapy) relate to the absence of clinical trials and accompanying evidence. As one who has been parkinsed and who is not a medical doctor, again, I assume that the pharmaceutical industry and medical science would be sceptical of any PD therapy where no drug is present to address the problem. 

According to Hamilton, et al. transcranial photobiomodulation therapy yielded positive results on PD patients and their tremors, gait and writing. There was significant improvement in most patients in their sample. These writers' view of medical scepticism regarding photobiomodulation is based on their belief that "the concept of light inducing chemical and metabolic change in neurones appears difficult to accept by some colleagues, although they have no trouble accepting the concept that a drug can induce a change..." (Hamilton, et al. page 1739).  

Should I consider transcranial photobiomodulation therapy? More about this next time, dear reader.