The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson's Podcast

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson's Podcast

Subscribe for coverage and analysis of current neurology/brain research, patient and caregiver profiles, drug development strategy, pioneering nonprofit management and other topics of interest in a wide-ranging series of conversations that include the voices of those affected by Parkinson's as well as clinicians.

  1. The Role of Diet and Nutrition in Parkinson’s Disease and Brain Health with Puja Agarwal

    12/31/2024

    The Role of Diet and Nutrition in Parkinson’s Disease and Brain Health with Puja Agarwal

    It is widely known that a healthy diet can provide essential nutrients and lead to a multitude of benefits, but growing evidence has highlighted important links between diet, nutrition, and brain health, particularly related to neurodegenerative disease. In this episode, Dr. Puja Agarwal discusses her research investigating the role that diet and nutrition may play in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Evidence from her studies and the work of others suggests that certain diets, including the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, are associated with brain health and may have the potential to delay the onset or slow progression of Parkinson's disease or other neurodegenerative conditions. We hear more about her ongoing MJFF-funded research project examining the role of diet in the progression of parkinsonian signs and its association with Lewy body pathologies, as well as future directions for this exciting line of research. Puja is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush University. Mentioned in this episode: This podcast episode was part of a limited series created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2023 and 2024 for clinicians and researchers in our audience.  These episodes provide a deeper dive into exciting new scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, as well as innovative tools and valuable resources, through conversations with a variety of experts in the field. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

    43 min
  2. Developing a Novel App to Improve Speech Intelligibility in Parkinson's Disease with Gemma Moya-Galé

    12/17/2024

    Developing a Novel App to Improve Speech Intelligibility in Parkinson's Disease with Gemma Moya-Galé

    Parkinson's disease significantly impacts various aspects of communication, and this can make it challenging for people with the disease to communicate effectively, be understood by others, and engage in social situations. Dr. Gemma Moya-Galé joins this episode to talk about her work on voice and communication in people with Parkinson’s disease. In particular, she discusses a novel app she and her team are developing, with funding from The Michael J. Fox Foundation, to help people with Parkinson’s improve how well their speech is understood. The app uses evidence-based principles from speech therapy and noise-augmented automatic speech recognition to provide speech training and feedback. She also shares her recent research on linguistically and culturally responsive methods for addressing communication challenges in both English- and Spanish-speaking individuals with Parkinson's disease, and how this approach has the potential to improve clinical care. Gemma is an Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, as well as the Director of the Communication, Technology, and Language Diversity Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University. Mentioned in this episode: This podcast episode was part of a limited series created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2023 and 2024 for clinicians and researchers in our audience.  These episodes provide a deeper dive into exciting new scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, as well as innovative tools and valuable resources, through conversations with a variety of experts in the field. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

    44 min
  3. Increasing Diversity in Research and Addressing Brain Health Inequities with Monica Rivera-Mindt

    12/03/2024

    Increasing Diversity in Research and Addressing Brain Health Inequities with Monica Rivera-Mindt

    Certain populations are disproportionately affected by neurological diseases, including Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. A lot of work remains to be done to improve brain health outcomes and promote healthy brain aging across the lifespan, particularly for minoritized, underrepresented populations. Including participants from diverse backgrounds in research helps ensure that the results from studies and clinical trials in the field are valid, generalizable, and representative of all individuals affected by these diseases.  In this episode, Dr. Monica Rivera-Mindt discusses brain health inequities in neurodegenerative diseases, her work using culturally informed community-engaged research methods to improve representation in research studies, important gaps in the literature, lessons learned from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) Diversity Task Force that could be applied in Parkinson's disease research, and more. Monica is Professor of Psychology, Latinx studies, and African and African American studies at Fordham University, and she has a joint appointment as Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is also a board-certified neuropsychologist. Mentioned in this episode: This podcast episode was part of a limited series created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2023 and 2024 for clinicians and researchers in our audience.  These episodes provide a deeper dive into exciting new scientific research in Parkinson’s disease, as well as innovative tools and valuable resources, through conversations with a variety of experts in the field. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

    45 min
4.1
out of 5
188 Ratings

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Subscribe for coverage and analysis of current neurology/brain research, patient and caregiver profiles, drug development strategy, pioneering nonprofit management and other topics of interest in a wide-ranging series of conversations that include the voices of those affected by Parkinson's as well as clinicians.

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