Dance class lifts Parkinson's patients' spirits

Rush University Medical Center, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago team up to test whether participation alters degenerative disease

By John Biemer

Special to the Tribune

February 25, 2009

The dancers followed their instructor's lead: "Heels together, toes apart," she said, and together they gently bent their knees and stretched their arms in graceful strokes.

But some of the students' hands trembled as they gripped the free-standing ballet barre in the center of the studio. A couple of walkers beside the wall indicated this was no typical dance class.

The weekly gathering for people with Parkinson's disease—a neurological disorder that causes tremors, rigidity and difficulty moving—began last summer as a collaboration between Rush University Medical Center and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, located on the city's Near West Side. Since then, participants say, it has helped them build confidence and dexterity, while forming a tight-knit community among patients who often struggle with feelings of isolation and helplessness.

Sarah Cullen Fuller, who danced with the Hubbard Street company for nine seasons and teaches the class as a volunteer, said she has watched the participants progress from barely standing and making only small, tentative movements to bolder, more expressive dancing. On a recent Saturday, the dancers sat in a circle of folding chairs as the class began and introduced themselves to new participants.

"I find this class to be magic," said Michael Lieb, 68, of Oak Park, a retired University of Illinois-Chicago English professor found to have Parkinson's nine years ago. "This circle we're in is magic, and the person that's responsible is Sarah. She's an angel."

Rush University doctors, meanwhile, are studying the participants to determine if the dancing is not just lifting their spirits, but in fact altering some of the degenerative nature of the disease.

Parkinson's affects up to 1 percent of the population, according to Dr. James Young, Rush's chairman of physical medicine and rehabilitation, with onset typically in people older than 50, but sometimes younger.

The motor problems common to the disease—perhaps best known because of afflicted celebrities Muhammad Ali and Michael J. Fox—are caused by a loss of the brain cells that produce dopamine, an important chemical messenger in the brain.

There is no known cure for Parkinson's, though medications relieve some of the symptoms. Rush researchers are trying to figure out if moving to the music—and stimulating the right hemisphere of the brain associated with creativity—also may help patients rediscover or even reinvent ways to gain their balance and move fluidly.

"This is going to the next step of scientific research, rehabilitative information and probably an insight into the disease that we've never really had," Young said. "That's why we're all sort of excited, because it's sort of like we've just discovered something wonderful and you say, 'Wait a minute, I don't know what it is, but let's find out.' "

Young, Fuller and her husband, who's a chiropractor, got the idea from a similar dance class for Parkinson's patients started by the Mark Morris Dance Group in New York City—although Young said no research was conducted on that group. The Hubbard Street class is paid for by private donations and is free for attendees.

About 20 people showed up on a recent Saturday afternoon. A pianist who plays anything from Beethoven to tangos to rock infuses the class with additional energy and spontaneity. Parkinson's patients—and their caregivers—said the gathering is both fun and supportive.

"The patients end up surprising themselves by being able to do more physically than they thought they were able to do," said Mariel Stitziel, 67, of Oak Park, who attended with her husband, Will, 72, who has Parkinson's.

When Mary Lou Tromanhauser, 72, of Westchester attended her first class, it stirred memories of the dance studio she ran in northwest Chicago for more than 30 years. Tromanhauser had noticed her handwriting slipping about a year and a half ago. The symptoms worsened, and she received a diagnosis of Parkinson's this month.

"I can't believe [this class] exists," she told the circle of dancers at the start of class. Her eyes welled with tears. "I can't believe I found it. I'm so happy to be here."

Chicago Tribune

Fantastic 'Frontline' episode: 'My Father, My Brother and Me'

posted by Audrea Huff on Feb 3, 2009 11:54:44 PM

PBS' "Frontline" series aired tonight an amazing episode about Parkinson's disease called "My Father, My Brother and Me."

It was produced and narrated by journalist Dave Iverson, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2004 -- and is now the third person in his immediate family with it.

So Iverson set out to try to understand the disease, talking with other Parkinson's sufferers as well as leading researchers in the field. Actor Michael J. Fox, a man who has seen remarkable improvement after an experimental surgery and political journalist Michael Kinsley all spoke candidly about their experiences.

What Iverson also learned: Exercise may play a pivotal role in reducing or delaying the effects of the disease.

Iverson went to the University of Pittsburgh, where researchers were using monkeys to study the relationship between exercise and Parkinsons. In a study, one group of monkeys were made to walk on treadmills regularly; another sedentary group sat and watched. After 3 months, both groups were given MPTP, a drug that causes Parkinson's symptoms. The sedentary monkeys lost motor control. But the treadmill monkeys showed few, if any, Parkinson's symptoms.

Says one leading researcher [to "Frontline"]: "It's not at all hard for me to imagine that the results of a properly designed exercise program are going to be more effective than many of the medications and surgeries we have now."

Clearly, Parkinson's is complicated and has many causes, and exercise will not be effective for all forms or even for all people. But the research shows exercise may play a role in treatment of this -- for now -- incurable disease.

* Read a Parkinson's fact sheet at PBS.org here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/parkinsons/etc/faqs.html

* And see the entire "Frontline" episode "My Father, My Brother and Me" here, with chapters, at PBS.org: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=frol02p6c7&continuous=1

Boxing Hazards: Low Blows, Head butts and Parkinson's

Posted Feb 11, 2009 by ■ Leo Reyes

Kevin lole of Yahoo sports reported in his column that the Vic Darchinyan-Jorge Arce fight held at the Honda Center was a one-sided fight. He was suggesting that one-sided fights need quicker stoppages.

Boxing enthusiasts would definitely agree with Kevin on his thoughts about one-sided matches. Fight referees will know during the fight and at certain rounds when the fight appears to be one-sided.

In the case of the boxing match between Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce that was held at the Honda Center last February 8, 2009, it was very clear that Jorge Arce was losing the game from early rounds to past halfway of the 12 rounder fight. Darchinyan was dominating the fight from all angles and he inflicted so much damage on Arce both in the body and the head. The referee could have stopped the fight to save Arce from continued attack on the head and body by Darchinyan.

On the 11th round, the ring physician finally instructed the referee to stop the fight. Fight fans agreed with Kevin that it was a one-sided fight from the very start and should have been stopped by the referee much earlier in the round.

True enough, Arce was hurt and rushed to a nearby hospital in a stretcher after the fight was stopped on the 11th round. He was apparently complaining of about pain at the back of his head. Arce was later released from the hospital early Sunday morning. He admitted that he felt ‘unbalanced’ following the post fight conference.

Head butts and power blows that land on boxer’s head have devastating effect on the brain of boxers when the blows hit certain areas of the head. The effect of these power blows may not show while the boxer is actively fighting but it could affect the brain which, in most cases, leads to Parkinson’s disease.

Some of the world’s most popular boxers, including Muhammad Ali have contracted Parkinson’s disease as a result of too many power head blows, though the some studies have not provided conclusive findings linking repeated head blows on boxers to Parkinson’s diseases.

Adriana Stuijt wrote in her article published by Digital Journal said: ‘Many die young, beaten up to a pulp, or end up with permanent brain and eye damage. Often they suffered early dementia from brain damage, and boxers often suffer much sooner than other people their age of early-aging diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease’.

In her article about the health hazards of boxing, Adriana cited several instances where young boxers have died because of the brain damages caused by powerful head blows.

Recent developments in boxing that touched on the health hazards of the trade have been widely publicized. On top of the many cases cited by Adriana in her article, other disturbing developments related to the game of boxing have recently surfaced. A case in point is the recent discovery by the California Sports Commission of a certain substance that was placed inside the gloves of Antonio Margarito in his recent fight with Shane Mosley, most probably to gain an advantage in his favor.

If not for the vigilance of the California Sports regulators, the substance that the Margarito camp inserted inside Margarito’s gloves could have caused Mosley’s life. Margarito and his trainer have been found guilty and suspended from professional boxing fights in the state of California for one year.

Since boxing as a form of sports is legal in almost all countries of the world, concerned citizens can only do so much. The better option is perhaps to repeal the applicable laws or declare boxing as a form of sports as illegal.

In the meantime, governments must be vigilant and very strict about the implementation of all laws related to the game of boxing. Regulating agencies must be held accountable for any injuries or deaths that may occur as a result of negligence on the part of boxing referees, trainers, managers, promoters and other personalities that are involved in the game.

Dance therapy gets Parkinson's patients moving again

The progressive nature of Parkinson's Disease can make walking a challenge. Now, a new study is helping Parkinson's patients dance into a more mobile future.

Don Ablins tried physical therapy to help manage his Parkinson's Disease, but it isn't a favorite.

Now he's stepping out of his comfort zone into a dance class that's anything but dull.

Doctors say dance therapy has a different effect on patients, and for many individiauls it's like a back door into therapy.

Rush University Medical Center is studying the effect dance has on Parkinson's patients. Dr. James Young says "it allows them to have a certain fluidity of their movements. Now we know that patients with Parkinson's need the movements, they need the space."

The classes are led by a former professional dancer, who encourages stretching and movement.

This spring, Dr. Young's team will start using brain scans to gain a better understanding of why the dance classes are so effective with these patients.