Thursday, November 30, 2023

Particle hidden in old coffee grounds may help protect against Parkinson's and Huntington's

A groundbreaking study at The University of Texas at El Paso reveals that compounds derived from spent coffee grounds could potentially prevent or treat neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s by protecting brain cells.

The study found that caffeic-acid-based Carbon Quantum Dots (CACQDs), which can be derived from spent coffee grounds, have the potential to protect brain cells from the damage caused by several neurodegenerative diseases — if the condition is triggered by factors such as obesity, age and exposure to pesticides and other toxic environmental chemicals. Their work is described in a paper published in the November issue of Environmental Research. Click here to learn more.

Colorado Gives Day returns next Tuesday: here's how it works

Colorado Gives Day is a 24-hour period of online giving and a movement to celebrate and encourage philanthropy throughout Colorado. The day is powered by ColoradoGives.org – a year-round website featuring more than 3,400 nonprofits, including Movement Disorders Foundation.

Colorado Gives Day has raised more than $415 million since it launched in 2010, including more than $70 million in 2022. Donations can be made on Colorado Gives Day or scheduled online in advance.

As previously, Colorado Gives Day will have an incentive fund worth more than $1 million provided by the Colorado Gives Foundation, FirstBank and other community members. The fund is proportionally allocated to each nonprofit that receives donations.

Last month, Movement Disorders Foundation received a $3000 challenge grant that matches dollar for dollar contributions made to our General Fund during the Colorado Gives Day campaign. So, any gift you make now through Colorado Gives Day counts double thanks to this offer! Click here to learn more.

Nonclumping forms of mHTT drive early Huntington’s

Forms of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein that don’t clump initially drive early disease progression in people with Huntington’s disease, according to a recent study published in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. “Development of more effective therapies for neurodegenerative diseases requires a better understanding of which are the most toxic protein species, when and where they accumulate, and how they spread throughout the brain,” wrote researchers. Click here to learn more.

Involvement of coenzyme Q10 in various neurodegenerative diseases

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an antioxidant that occurs naturally in the body and is found in some foods, may help to treat Friedreich’s ataxia and other neurological diseases, according to a review article published in Biochemistry Research International by a team of researchers in Iran.

While CoQ10 helps the body work well and stay healthy, it also helps mitochondria, the cells’ powerhouses, to produce energy and counteracts oxidation by scavenging harmful molecules, preventing damage. “CoQ10 may protect the neurological system from degeneration and degradation due to its antioxidant and energy-regulating activity in mitochondria,” the researchers wrote. Click here to learn more.

Scientists say tai chi can improve Parkinson's symptoms

New research published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry showed promising results related to practicing long-term tai chi and Parkinson's disease (PD). Tai chi is a low-impact form of exercise originating in China that focuses on slow and gentle movements paired with controlled breathing. 

The study found tai chi to have a long-term beneficial effect on PD, with improvements in symptoms and a reduction in complications. Tai chi training also delayed the need for increasing anti-Parkinson's therapies. Click here to learn more.