Web Blog

Dear Paula,
Lokkoing back on my days when i was on baclafen , it made sleepy.And I would
take them around the clock every 4 hrs which would make me sleepy all the
time . Try B-complex in the morning,Calcium complex at night,Warm milk and
turkey sandwichs have triphafan which should you sleepy .Good Luck
keep me posted .
Love Hilary

Hi Hilary
Thank you so much for your advise. I will try the calcium pill. I
have alot of trouble standing up which makes it difficult to manage.
Did you have sleeping problems too? zzzzzzzzzzzzthis is the second
time I tried it and bothe times at 40mg I got insomnia. I don't know
if is that if you take it in the morning why would it bother at
night?2 Thank you so much.
Paula

Dear Paula,
I never did well on Baclafen either I was up to 70 mg at one time and I
weaned myself off them slowly. I haven't been on them for years. And this
is some of the tricks I have come up with to quill my spasms. 1) My
mattress has no springs, it is latex foam. So my body kind of sinks into it
a little instead of resting on top of the springs. Also the bed is warm from
the latex, which seems to help with the back and joint pain. Also, I take a
calcium complex supplement with high calcium and magnesium. Magnesium helps
with muscle spasms, and the only other thing I can suggest is watch your
dairy intake. the less you injest dairy the less you will spasm. Try bengay
on the back pain right at the site of pain. Put some begay on give it a try.
Don't know if you would want to try any of this stuff but it works for me.
I have been on baclofen for years. Good luck and stay well.
Hilary

Hi Jayne,

Thank you, e-mail address:

tmbayuk@...

Regards,

Tom

Search Result 7From: MWBOOKREVW (mwbookrevw@...)
Subject: MBR: The Health/Medicine Shelf View: Complete Thread (15 articles)
Original FormatNewsgroups: alt.books.reviews
Date: 2003-04-06 05:18:14 PST
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Life On Cripple Creek
Dean Kramer
Demos
386 Park Avenue So, #201, NY NY 10016
1888799684 $18.95 www.amazon.com
Life On Cripple Creek: Essays On Living With Multiple Sclerosis provides an
autobiographical coverage of what it's like to live with MS. There are numerous
titles which outline the physical condition and its challenges; this follows
author Dean through the failures and victories as she faces ongoing struggles
with a progressive disability: her essays will reach many.
Seeing Without Glasses
Roberto Kaplan
Beyond Words Publishing
20827 NW Cornell Rd. #500, Hillsboro OR 97124-9808
1572700893 $14.95
This third edition of Seeing Without Glasses provides new updates on techniques
which are recommended for improving eye strength and enhancing the healing
process. From reducing eyestrain from prolonged computer use to learning
preventative techniques to avoid side effects of vision stress, Seeing Without
Glasses provides an overall guide to eye health and vision preservation.
Take A Load Off Your Heart
Joseph C. Piscatella & Barry A. Franklin
Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
708 Broadway, NY, NY 10003-9555
0761126767 $14.95 workman.com
Take A Load Off Your Heart by cardiac health expert Joseph C. Piscatella
(President of the Institute for Fitness & Health, Gig Harbor, Washington) and
Barry A. Franklin (Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and Exercise
Laboratories at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan) is a very
practical and "user friendly" guide to for the non-specialist general reader
seeking to improving their cardiovascular system. A little extra effort in
looking after oneself now can save an immense amount of money, pain and grief
in the future. Take A Load Off Your Heart features 109 easy-to-follow tips
ranging from walking briskly, to drinking black tea, to improving the daily
diet, to making exercise a regular habit. Written especially for those seeking
to improve their daily lifestyle routines, Take A Load Off Your Heart is a
"must-read" for all in these heart health conscious times.
Germs, Biological Warfare, Vaccinations
Gary Null, Ph.D.
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
1583225188 $16.95 sevenstories.com
Germs, Biological Warfare, Vaccinations: What You Need To Know by health and
fitness expert Gary Null (with the assistance of James Feast, editor of the
"Journal of the History of Philosophy") offers the basic and readily accessible
information about drug-resistant germs, biological warfare, natural ways to
boost one's own immune system, and much, much more. A very practical and
informative health guide, as well as a useful primer for protecting oneself
against biological pathogens, Germs, Biological Warfare, Vaccinations is a
timely, authoritative, and invaluable informational resource for non-specialist
general readers in these troubled and troubling times.
Home Allergies: Don't Let Your Home Make You Sick
William E. Walsh, M.D.
Adult & Child Allergy Publications, Inc.
University Park Medical Building, Suite 450, St. Paul, MN 55104-3729
0963154419, $12.95, 651-645-8182 (phone), 651-649-3509 (fax)
Written specifically for the non-specialist general reader, Home Allergies:
Don't Let Your Home Make You Sick by Mayo Clinic trained and board-certified
allergist Dr. William E. Walsh is a very practical guide to improving the air
quality of one's home in order to reduce or eliminate allergies. From choose
and properly maintaining the right devices to circulate household air, to
coping with pets in the home, to special precautions to the bedroom where the
average person spends 1/3 of his or her life (usually sleeping), Home Allergies
is a positive and useful handbook recommended for allergy sufferers everywhere.
Hypnosis & Counselling In The Treatment Of Chronic Illness
David Frank & Bernard Mooney
Crown House Publishing Limited
4 Berkeley Street, Norwalk, CT 06850
1899836748, $37.95, 1-203-852-9504, www.amazon.com
Hypnosis & Counselling In The Treatment Of Chronic Illness is a serious and
thoughtful discussion of the healing benefits of hypnosis in the treatment of
life-threatening and chronic diseases. Written by leading figures in the
British Association for the Person Centered Approach David Frank and Bernard
Mooney, Hypnosis & Counselling In The Treatment Of Chronic Illness carefully
and considerately examines therapeutic hypnosis for matters such as childbirth,
pain relief, stammering, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, emotional health,
and more. Hypnosis & Counselling In The Treatment Of Chronic Illness is an
intelligent and articulate study of this branch of alternative medicine that is
suitable for professionals in the field as well as interested non-specialist
general readers.
Misinformed Consent
Lise Cloutier-Steele
Next Decade, Inc.
39 Old Farmstead Road, Chester, NJ 07930-2732
0970090862 $16.95 www.nextdecade.com
Now in a newly revised edition, Misinformed Consent: Women's Stories About
Unnecessary Hysterectomy by Lise Cloutier-Steele is a powerful and articulately
written presentation of the pitfalls, traumas, and harm that come to women from
having their uterus surgically removed - a procedure that happens to
approximately one-third of all North American women by the age of sixty.
Sometimes hysterectomy may be necessary, but it is a drastic medical procedure
that may result in physical, sexual, and psychological damage. Misinformed
Consent informatively examines alternatives to the procedure, as well as
offering the stories of women who underwent it in their own words. If you or a
loved one are considering a hysterectomy, give a careful reading to Misinformed
Consent.
Help For The Caring
Brenda Parris Sibley
Writers Club Press
c/o iUniverse.com
5220 S. 16th, Ste. 200, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595253563 $11.95 www.iuniverse.com
Expertly compiled by Brenda Parris Sibley, Help For The Caring is an
impressively organized bibliography and filmography gathering and presenting
information about literary biographies, poetry, fiction, and instructional and
dramatic movies focused on the subject of Alzheimer's disease and taking care
of those stricken with it. An exemplary resource, packed with descriptions, web
sites, and more, and with its bibliographic entries sorted into several main
categories according to subject matter, Help For The Caring is a very highly
recommended resource for anyone charged with the personal or professional
responsibility of caring for Alzheimer's family members or patients .
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting
literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from
authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on
thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion
groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested
individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.
The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Internet
Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch",
and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book
Review website at http://www.midwestbookreview.com
If you would like to submit a review for inclusion in our Midwest Book Review
publications, please send an email request to mbr@... for our "Reviewer
Guidelines". We invite your comments, questions and suggestions.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575-1129

Sorry - I rather screwed up the links - some of them work
and some don't. If you're interested, you can find the
article at:
http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/EpsteinBarrvirus.html
where most of the links work.
Take care,
Paul
All About MS - the latest MS News and Views
http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/

Brain has great recovery powers
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2906241.stm
The brain is 'plastic' even in adulthood
The brain has a remarkable ability to recover after injury at any age, say
scientists.
Although it is early days, the research might eventually help stroke or multiple
sclerosis (MS)
patients regain lost powers of mobility.
It had been assumed by some that the brain was better able to adapt to injury in
childhood.
However, preliminary work in the United States suggests even the adult brain can
re-wire itself to
help the body recover motor functions such as hand movement.
Two researchers in the US carried out brain scans of 27 patients who had
regained the use of their
hands after stroke, MS or cerebral palsy.
Daniel Hier and Jun Wang found that the brains of all patients had been able to
re-organise
regardless of age.
Regions of the brain such as the cerebellum were able to take over the function
of the primary motor
cortex, which normally controls hand movement. This seemed to compensate for
reduced neurological
activity in the damaged area of the brain.
The pair had expected to find more extensive reorganisation in the six patients
with cerebral palsy,
reasoning that their brains would have had more time to adapt.
'Better outcomes'
Dr Daniel Hier, of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine,
believes the research
has implications for rehabilitation strategies.
"In future studies, we'll analyse whether rehabilitation can influence the
pattern of motor
reorganisation after brain damage and whether certain patterns of reorganisation
produce better
patient outcomes," he said.
A spokesperson from The Stroke Association in the UK said the results confirmed
those of other
research projects.
"The brain is a remarkable organ and is capable of adapting to change.
"In the weeks and months following a stroke, many partially-damaged cells
recover and start to work
again.
"Meanwhile, other unaffected parts of the brain take over jobs that were
previously performed by the
brain cells which were destroyed."
Mike O'Donovan, Chief Executive of the MS Society, said the results would be
studied with interest
by those involved in MS rehabilitation and they looked forward to seeing the
outcome of further
research.
The study is to be presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology
in Honolulu.

Belated happy birthday wishes!! Would you please email me w/
your current email addies? Thanks!
Jayne

So do I, Thank you Judy.

Regards,

Tom

I just found this site and REALLY enjoyed it. Judy
http://www.multiplesclerosissucks.com/index.html

Regular use of analgesics may lead to chronic daily headache
04/04/2003
People who suffer from primary headacheâspecifically migraineâmay be
predisposed to developing chronic daily headache if they use analgesics, or pain
relievers, on a regular basis, according to a recent study.
The researchers studied 110 patients who attended a rheumatology-monitoring
clinic. Of these, 96 percent were diagnosed with a form of arthritis and 4
percent comprised a miscellaneous group.
In addition, 103 were using one or more analgesics regularly for their
arthritis.
Within the group, eight patients reported a history of chronic daily headache;
each of these patients also had a history of migraine.
The onset of migraine occurred before the onset of chronic daily headache in
seven patients and at about the same time in one patient.
The average interval before the onset of headache was 30 years in those who
experienced migraine before chronic daily headache. Regular use of analgesics
preceded the onset of daily headache in 5 patients by an average of 5.4 years.
Analgesic use and the development of chronic daily headache occurred at about
the same time. In one patient, the onset of daily headache preceded regular use
of analgesics by almost 30 years.
Those who used analgesics regularly consumed an average of 48 tablets per week.
Of those patients who did not have daily headache, 41 percent had a history of
migraine and 27 percent reported a history of tension-type headache.
The study appears in the March issue of the journal Headache.

Spasticity appears to be highly prevalent in MS population
04/04/2003
Results of a recent study show a high prevalence of spasticity in the MS
population, as well as a significant relationship between MS and reduced ability
to function independently.
Spasticity occurs when there is increased tension in muscles and when muscles
are resistant to stretching.
Study participants were recruited from the MS community in Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
England. Functional independence was evaluated in 68 adults with MS using
several questionnaires.
Spasticity was assessed and a physician evaluated the feasibility of antispastic
treatment for the study patients.
Overall, 32 subjects (47 percent) had clinically significant spasticity.
Although 78 percent of the participants received some type of antispastic
treatment, 50 percent were believed to need a drug adjustment or additional
treatment.
âIndividuals with spasticity were found to have significantly higher levels of
disability than those who had no spasticity or clinically insignificant
spasticity,â the study authors commented. âTreatment of spasticity is
suboptimal in a large proportion of the population, and [findings highlight] the
need for further information and education [for] health professionals and [for]
people with MS.â
The study can be found in the March edition of Neurorehabilitation and Neural
Repair.

First, it's still unclear in most jurisdictions just exactly *how* such a
patent runs out.
http://www.ims-global.com/insight/news_story/0106/news_story_010612.htm
However, in Canada, the technical all-clear for generic Beta would be 21
years after the patent was recognised here. Since Beta was first patented
in 1982... that would be 2003... right about now.
Don't hold your breath, though. Canadian regulators (and their counterparts
in most industrial nations) are not known for their courage in the face of
pharmaceutical industry lobbyists.
See the (very long) set of articles below for some of the extremely
convoluted background on this drug.
((U))
M

I just was rereading Dutch neuro Jan de Vries excellent book,
"Multiple Sclerosis" and there is comment by Roger MacDougall that he
did later think that perhaps his recovery was due to the brain finding
new pathways to perform tasks, much as a car accident victim will
sometimes recover lost function rather than due to the repair of
permanent damage. He did still think that his diet stopped and
prevented ongoing damage allowing this to take place.
http://www.direct-ms.org/roger.html
http://www.direct-ms.org/roger2.html

For your edification.
WB
Found here:
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/mercury.html
Full text follows
#################################################
The Mercury Amalgam Scam:
How Anti-Amalgamists Swindle People
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
More than half a century ago, Orson Welles panicked his radio audience
by reporting that Martians had invaded New Jersey. On
December 23, 1990, CBS-TV's "60 Minutes" achieved a similar effect by
announcing that toxins have invaded the American mouth.
There was, however, a big difference. Welles' broadcast was intended
to be entertaining. The "60 Minutes" broadcast, narrated by
veteran reporter Morley Safer, was intended to alarm -- to persuade
its audience that the mercury in dental fillings is a poison. It was
the most irresponsible report on a health topic ever broadcast on
network television.
Mercury is a component of the amalgam used for "silver" fillings. The
other major ingredients are silver, tin, copper, and zinc. When
mixed, these elements bond to form a strong, stable substance. The
difference between bound and unbound chemicals can be
illustrated by a simple comparison. Elemental hydrogen is an explosive
gas. Elemental oxygen is a gas that supports combustion. When
combined, however, they form water, which has neither of these
effects. Saying that amalgam will poison you is as incorrect as saying
that drinking water will make you explode and burst into flames.
Very sensitive instruments can detect billionths of a gram of mercury
vapor in the mouth of a person with amalgam fillings. However,
the minuscule amount of mercury the body absorbs from amalgams is far
below the level that exerts any adverse health effect [1-6].
One study found that people with symptoms they related to amalgam
fillings did not have significant mercury levels. The study
compared ten symptomatic patients and eight patients with no reported
health complaints. The symptom group had neither a higher
estimated daily uptake of inhaled mercury vapor, nor a higher mercury
concentration in blood and urine than in the control group. The
amounts of mercury detected by the tests were trivial [6]. Some
studies have shown that the problems patients attribute to amalgam
restorations are psychosomatic in nature and have been exacerbated
greatly by information from the media or from a dentist [7-11]
An extensive review published in 1993 by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services concluded that "there is scant evidence
that the health of the vast majority of people with amalgam is
compromised or that removing fillings has a beneficial effect on
health."
[12] In January 1998, the American Dental Association Council on
Scientific Affairs issued a report on dental amalgam safety, with
emphasis on studies that had been published since the 1993 review. The
report concluded:
Millions of people have amalgam restorations in their mouths, and
millions more will receive amalgam for restoring their
carious [decayed] teeth. Over the years, amalgam has been used
for dental restorations without evidence of major health
problems. Newly developed techniques have demonstrated that
minute levels of mercury are released from amalgam
restorations, but no health consequences from exposure to such
low levels of mercury released from amalgam
restorations have been demonstrated. Given the available
scientific information and considering the demonstrated benefits
of dental amalgams, unless new scientific research dictates
otherwise, there currently appears to be no justification for
discontinuing the use of dental amalgam [13].
Dubious Claims
Despite these facts, a small but vocal group of dentists, physicians
and various other "holistic" advocates claim that mercury-amalgam
fillings are a health hazard and should be replaced. The leading
advocate of such advice is Hal Huggins, D.D.S., of Colorado Springs,
Colorado. Dr. Huggins graduated from the University of Nebraska School
of Dentistry in 1962 and received a master of science
degree from the University of Colorado in 1989.
Huggins has held many seminars for dentists on his notions about
"balancing body chemistry" by nutritional methods. The basic premise
of this approach is that many diseases and conditions can be prevented
or cured by diet alone. In 1975, the American Dental
Association Council on Dental Research concluded that there was little
or no evidence to support Huggins' dietary claims.
In 1985 Huggins and his wife Sharon published a book, It's All In Your
Head, which combines the discredited theories of balancing
body chemistry with the assertion that mercury in silver fillings is
toxic. The book states that he became interested in this subject in
1973 when a dentist from Argentina told him that leukemia, Hodgkin's
disease, bowel disorders and a host of other diseases had been
cured by removing silver-mercury amalgams. Huggins says early results
were "sporadic and unpredictable. At best only 10% of the
patients responded." Later he claimed that some fillings have
"negative electrical current" and that removing fillings in the proper
sequence and supplementing with nutrients would improve success rates.
Since then he has crusaded against the use of amalgam and
limited his practice to advice on these matters.
An information packet distributed during 1985 by Huggins' Toxic
Element Research Foundation claims that, "Everyone reacts to the
presence of mercury . . . . Some 80% of the population will experience
only a slight change of their immune system which will result in
three colds per winter instead of only two, or an elevation of
2000-3000 count in their white blood cells. Those sensitive 20% might
experience a drastic drop in immunocompetence to the point of
autoimmune disease, or an elevation of white blood cells of 30,000 or
more."
According to Huggins, "sensitive" individuals can develop emotional
problems (depression, anxiety, irritability), neurological disorders
(facial twitches, muscle spasms, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis),
cardiovascular problems (unexplained rapid heart rate, unidentified
chest
pains), collagen diseases (arthritis, scleroderma, lupus
erythematosus), allergies, digestive problems (ulcers, regional
ileitis), and
immunologic disorders (which he claims include leukemia, Hodgkin's
disease, and mononucleosis). He recommends replacing mercury
fillings with other materials and taking vitamins and other
supplements to prevent trouble following amalgam removal.
Dubious Tests
Anti-amalgam dentists typically use a mercury vapor analyzer to
convince patients that "detoxification," is needed. To use the device,
the dentist asks the patient to chew vigorously for ten minutes, which
may generate tiny amounts of mercury from the fillings. Although
this exposure lasts for just a few seconds and most of the mercury
will be exhaled rather than absorbed by the body, the machines give
a falsely high readout, which the anti-amalgamists interpret as
dangerous.
The most commonly used analyzer is an industrial device which
multiplies the amount of mercury it detects in a small sample of air
by a
factor of 8,000. This gives a reading for a cubic meter, a volume far
larger than the human mouth. The proper way to determine
mercury exposure is to measure urine levels, which indicate how much
the body has absorbed and then excreted. Scientific testing has
shown that the amount of mercury absorbed from fillings is too small
to be significant.
Some antiamalgamists administer a "patch test" with a dilute solution
of mercuric chloride. Redness of the skin or any of a large number
of other symptoms are then misinterpreted as signs of "mercury
poisoning," and the patient is advised to have all amalgam fillings
removed.
Some anti-amalgamists have used a voltmeter to measure supposed
differences in the electrical conductivity of the teeth. One such
device -- the "Amalgameter" -- was sold by Huggins during the early
1980s. In 1985, after another company took over its marketing,
the FDA concluded that the device was misbranded because accompanying
literature alleged that it could be used to recommend the
removal of dental fillings. In a regulatory letter, the agency said:
There is no scientific basis for the removal of dental amalgams
for the purpose of replacing them with other materials as
described in your leaflet . . . . We consider your device as
being directly associated with . . . . a process that may have
adverse health consequences when used for the purposes for which
it was intended.
FDA action appears to have driven Amalgameters from the marketplace
[14]. However, many anti-amalgam dentists use other
devices for the same purpose.
Dubious Consultations
In addition to seeing patients, Huggins operated a consultation
service through which patients were evaluated and received advice by
telephone or mail. The advice centered around a "Mercury Assist
Program," based on the results of hair analysis, a complete blood
count, a chemistry profile, a urine mercury test, and a detailed
questionnaire about diet, lifestyle, past medical history, and current
symptoms. The resultant data were incorporated into a lengthy report
containing recommendations for diet, supplementation, lifestyle,
and amalgam removal. Huggins claims that to successfully rid the body
of mercury, one must be on a restrictive diet, take supplements
that stimulate the cell membrane, and have the mercury fillings
removed in the proper sequence.
In the late 1980s, when Huggins charged $1,500 for an in-office
consultation and $378 for the assist program, I went through the
assist program by mail. The report claimed that my urine mercury level
"suggested toxicity" (because it was too low!), and that my hair
sample showed "deficiencies" in chromium, iron, manganese, potassium,
and lithium, and "excesses" in calcium, zinc, and copper. The
report included 17 pages of biochemical nonsense related to these
findings and more than 30 pages of other advice. The accompany
instructions said to contact Huggins' facility for the name of a
dentist who would replace my amalgam fillings. The report recommended
that I begin taking vitamin C (3 grams per day), potassium, and three
of Huggins' special supplement products two days before the old
fillings were removed and that I have blood, urine, and hair tests
three weeks after removal is completed. The cost of the follow-up
interpretation would be $100 plus the cost of tests done through
Huggins's office.
Neither hair analysis nor computerized nutrition questionnaires
provide a legitimate basis for determining the body's nutritional
state or
for recommending supplements. Nor can a low urine mercury level
"suggest toxicity." Robert S.. Baratz, M.D., D.D.S., an expert on
dental materials, has reviewed about a dozen "Mercury Assist" reports
and concluded: "They vary only slightly from person to person.
All advise that the sender has mercury poisoning. The Assist Program
was a scam." [15]
Huggins also claimed that many alternative dental materials contain
toxic substances and recommended his Serum Compatibility
Testing⢠to determine which materials were least likely to cause
trouble. This test is also invalid [16].
Dubious Ethics
There is overwhelming evidence that mercury-amalgam fillings are safe.
Since 1905, although billions have been used successfully,
fewer than fifty cases of allergy to the amalgam have been reported in
the scientific literature. In 1986, the American Dental
Association Council on Ethics, Bylaws, and Judicial Affairs concluded
that "removal of amalgam restorations for the alleged purpose
of removing toxic substances from the body, when such treatment is
performed at the recommendation of the dentist, presents a
question of fraud or quackery in all but an exceedingly limited
spectrum of cases." The ruling was triggered in part by the case of an
Iowa dentist who had extracted all 28 teeth of a patient with multiple
sclerosis. The dentist received a 9-month license suspension
followed by 51 months of probation.
Removing good fillings is not merely a waste of money. In some cases,
it results in loss of teeth. In 1985 a $100,000 settlement was
awarded to a 55-year-old California woman whose dentist removed her
silver fillings. Based on testing with a Dermatron (a phony
electrodiagnostic device), the dentist claimed that six of her
fillings were a "liability" to her large intestine [17]. In removing
the fillings
from five teeth, the dentist caused severe nerve damage necessitating
root canal therapy for two teeth and extraction of two others.
"Mercury-free" dentists typically use scare tactics to promote their
services. For example, a February 1998 newspaper ad by a
Michigan dentist stated: "After ten years, 85% of the mercury can be
lost. Should we allow our bodies to become a toxic waste
dump?" The National Council Against Health Fraud has pointed out that
practitioners who do not wish to use amalgam can still
practice ethically by giving appropriate advice and and referring
patients elsewhere when amalgam is the best choice. But advertising a
practice as "mercury-free" is unethical because it falsely implies
that amalgam fillings are dangerous and that "mercury-free" methods
are superior [18].
What makes antiamalgamists tick? James R. Berry, associate publisher
of the American Dental Association's newspaper, has
characterized them this way:
We know that some few of them are sincere, though confused by the
Scientific Method. They read nonsense and accept
it. Others have clearer vision and no excuses. They see plainly
enough, and what they see is opportunity, which comes in
green. When the universal quest for health collides with greed,
the collision is loud and dangerous. People get hurt by
those they expect, at minimum, to do no harm.
The anti-amalgamists -- with their mercury meters . . . would be
comical figures if they weren't so insidious. They prey on
easy targets: the desperately ill grasping for hope against a
dark alternative [19].
Dr. Baratz has also pointed out:
Dentists who engage in attempting to "diagnose" or "treat" "heavy
metal toxicity", or who test patients for heavy metals by
any means are not practicing dentistry. These activities fall
outside the scope of dental licensure. Any dentist who believes
a patient requires diagnosis or treatment for any medical
condition outside of the scope of dentistry is obliged to make a
referral to a physician or other health professional as
appropriate. Failure to make such a referral is considered negligent
practice in most jurisdictions [20].
Dubious Research
In 1990, researchers at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada,
reported on an experiment in which they placed 12 amalgam
fillings in each of six sheep. Within two months, the researchers
claimed, the sheep lost much of their kidney function while a control
group (two sheep) had lost none. Newsweek, which accepted the report
at face value, described it as the first evidence that the
amount of mercury escaping from fillings and winding up in body
tissues is harmful. (Newsweek's article was coauthored by very same
writer who had panned fluoridation earlier in the year.) However,
experts in biochemistry, toxicology, dentistry, and veterinary
medicine consider the sheep study meaningless.
Two weeks before the 60 Minutes program aired, Dr. Baratz mailed a
warning to its producer:
The Canadian researchers prepared their amalgam with a method
that has been obsolete for more than 40 years. The resultant
amalgam contained excess mercury and was softer and therefore
more easily worn by chewing, especially in a cud-chewing
animal such as a sheep.
The amalgams were placed in opposing teeth, so they would grind
against each other. This enhanced the already enhanced rate
of release of materials.
Because rubber dams were not used when the fillings were placed,
scrap amalgam was free to enter the sheeps' mouth and be
swallowed.
The methods used to detect and calculate the amount of mercury
absorbed were not valid.
Although the researchers claimed that body mercury levels rose
during the experiment, they had not measured the levels that
were present in the beginning. The data actually showed that the
animals swallowed a lot of free mercury during the placement
of the fillings.
Their claim of kidney toxicity was based on urinary findings that
show just the opposite of what is known to occur in mercury
poisoning in humans.
Baratz and at least one other knowledgeable critic also spoke by
telephone to "60 Minutes" producer Patti Hassler before the
program was aired. But they encountered a stone wall.
Toxic Television
The "60 Minutes" segment on dental amalgam, which was considerably
longer than most of its reports, was called "Poison In Your
Mouth." It interspersed remarks from an American Dental Association
representative with statements by three amalgam critics and
four patients who claimed to have made a remarkable recovery from
arthritis or multiple sclerosis after their amalgam fillings were
removed. The most powerful segment featured a woman who said that her
symptoms of multiple sclerosis had disappeared overnight.
The fact that arthritis and multiple sclerosis normally have ups and
downs was not mentioned during the program. Neither was the fact
that removal of fillings temporarily raises body mercury load, so that
no "overnight cure" could possibly be caused by mercury removal
[21,22].
The American Dental Association's representative was interviewed by
Morley Safer at ADA headquarters. It was obvious from
Safer's questions that the program would be a hatchet job. After
American Dental News published a lengthy article about the
interview, a sharp-eyed dentist noted that an accompanying photograph
showed Safer smoking a cigarette despite the fact that ADA
headquarters has an obvious no-smoking policy.
After the program was aired, I wrote to Don Hewitt, executive producer
of 60 Minutes, explaining why "the overnight cure" was a
hoax. My letter also asked whether Morley Safer had mercury fillings
and, if so, whether he followed his own advice and had them
removed. CBS's director of audience services replied:
Our aim was not to condemn dentists or their use of silver
amalgam fillings. . . . Rather, the 60 MINUTES staff made
every effort to ensure that our report was balanced in presenting
arguments from both sides of the issue.
Not surprisingly, the broadcast triggered an avalanche of queries to
dentists and induced many viewers seek replacement of their
fillings with other materials. Consumer Reports, American Health,
Prevention, and many health newsletters reassured their readers
that amalgam is safe. But the program's damage cannot be undone. In
August, Consumer Reports published the following letter:
"My mother, who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease more than
two years ago, had her mercury fillings removed
immediately after the show aired. After she had spent $10,000 and
endured more than 18 hours of dental work so
painful she once fainted in the waiting room, her condition did
not improve. The pain was outweighed only by the
monumental disappointment she and the whole family experienced as
we lived through one false hope."
In 1990, Consumer Reports Books published Health Schemes, Scams, and
Frauds, a book on quackery that I helped to write. The
book concluded:
In CU's view, dentists who purport to treat health problems by
ripping out fillings are putting their own economic interests
ahead of their patients' welfare. The false diagnosis of
mercury-amalgam toxicity has such harmful potential and shows
such poor judgment on the part of the practitioner that CU
believes dentists who engage in this practice should have their
license revoked [23].
In recent years, Hal Huggins has also targeted root canal therapy,
claiming that it can make people susceptible to arthritis, multiple
sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and other autoimmune
diseases. As with mercury-amalgam fillings, there is no objective
evidence that teeth treated with root canal therapy have any adverse
effect on the immune system or any other system or part of the
body. Huggins's dental license was revoked in 1996. During the
revocation proceedings, the administrative law judge concluded:
Huggins had diagnosed "mercury toxicity" in all patients who
consulted him in his office, even some without mercury fillings.
He had also recommended extraction of all teeth that had had root
canal therapy.
Huggins's treatments were "a sham, illusory and without
scientific basis." [24]
He then worked as a part-time consultant at the Center for Progressive
Medicine, a Mexican clinic that claimed to treat "diseases
frequently created or exacerbated by adverse reactions to common
dental materials and procedures."
For Additional Information
NCAHF Position Paper on Amalgam Fillings
Dental Amalgam page of the American Dental Association
Dental Amalgam Fact Sheet of the California Dental Association
Serum Compatibility Testing
Hugnet: Current views and activities of Hal Huggins
Consumers for Dental Choice: A group crusading to protect
dentists who promote or practice what it calls "mercury-free
dentistry."
References
1.Mackert JR. Dental amalgam and mercury. Journal of the American
Dental Association 122:54-61, 1991.
2.The mercury in your mouth. Consumer Reports 56:316-319, 1991.
3.Olsson S, Bergman M. Daily dose calculations from measurements of
intra-oral mercury vapor. Journal of Dental Research
71:414-423, 1992.
4.Mackert JR. Factors affecting estimation of dental amalgam
exposure from measurements of mercury vapor in levels in intraoral
and expired air. Journal of Dental Research 66:1175-1180, 1987.
5.Mackert JR Jr, Berglund A. Mercury exposure from dental amalgam
fillings: absorbed dose and the potential for adverse health
effects. Critical Review of Oral Biology and Medicine 8:410-436,
1997.
6.Berglund A. Molin M. Mercury vapor release from dental amalgam in
patients with symptoms allegedly caused by amalgam
fillings. European Journal of Oral Science 104:56-63, 1996.
7.Herrstrom P, Hogstedt B. Clinical study of oral galvanism: No
evidence of toxic mercury exposure but anxiety disorder an
important background factor. Scandinavian Journal of Dental
Research 101:232-237, 1993.
8.Lindberg NE, Lindberg E, Larsson G. Psychological factors in the
etiology of amalgam illness. Acta Odontologica Scandinavia
52:219-228, 1994.
9.Bagedahl-Strindlund M and others. A multidisciplinary clinical
study of patients suffering from illness associated with mercury
release from dental restorations: Psychiatric aspects. Acta
Psychiatr Scandinavia 96:475-482, 1997.
10.Malt UF and others. Physical and mental problems attributed to
dental amalgam fillings: a descriptive study of 99 self-referred
patients compared to 272 controls. Psychosomatic Medicine
59:32-41, 1997.
11.Bailer J and others. Adverse health effects related to mercury
exposure from dental amalgam fillings: toxicological or
psychological causes? Psychological Medicine 31:255-263, 2001.
12.Benson JS and others. Dental Amalgam: A Scientific Review and
Recommended Public Health Strategy for Research,
Education and Regulation. Washington, D.C., 1993, US Public
Health Service.
13.ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. Dental amalgam: Update on
safety concerns. Journal of the American Dental Association
129:494-501, 1998.
14.Dentist's device. FDA Consumer 23(8):35-36, 1989.
15.Baratz RS. Personal communication to Stephen Barrett, M.D.,
December 21, 1999.
16.Baratz RS. "Serum compatability" testing. Quackwatch, posted Dec
23, 1999.
17.Sherry v Doe. Calif Sonoma County Superior Court, No. 134740,
March 1, 1985.
18.NCAHF Position Paper on Amalgam Fillings. NCAHF Web site, Oct
2002.
19.Berry JR. False hope suffers a setback. ADA News 27(22):4, 1996.
20.Baratz RS. Important points regarding dental amalgam. Testimony
to the Florida Board of Dentistry,
September 29, 2001.
21.Molin M and others. Mercury, selenium and glutathione peroxidase
before and after amalgam removal in man. Acta
Odontologica Scandinavia 48:189-202, 1990.
22.Sandborgh-Englund G, Elinder C, Langworth S, Schutz A, Ekstrand
J. Mercury in biological fluids after amalgam removal.
Journal of Dental Research 77:615-624. 1998.
23.Barrett S and the editors of Consumer Reports Books. Health
Schemes, Scams, and Frauds. Mount Vernon, N.Y.: Consumer
Reports Books, 1990.
24.Connick N. Before the State Board of Dental Examiners, State
Board of Colorado. Case No. 95-04. In the matter of the
disciplinary proceedings regarding the license to practice
dentistry in the State of Colorado of Hal A. Huggins, D.D.S., License
No. 3057. Feb 29, 1996.

I thought that some of you may find the following bulletin published by the
BC multiple sclerosis society of interest. This is their winter 2003 issue
which would have come out about a month ago. It is in PDF format.
The topics include bladder, bowel and MS; Canada pension plan disability
benefits -- quick facts; tips for filling out your disability tax credit
form; etc.
http://www.mssociety.ca/bc/pdf/bull_wint_2003.pdf
to get the index for past issues use the following URL
http://www.mssociety.ca/bc/pubs.htm
Larry

Below is an article I've just writen about Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
I've put in links to Medline articles - they're in square brackets in
italics. Personally, I'm rather persuaded that EBV plays some kind of
role in the disease.
Sorry about the html - it would have taken too long to do the links
otherwise.
Take care,
Paul
All About MS - the latest MS News and Views
http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/
Epstein-Barr Virus
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a member of the herpes virus family and is a
very common infective agent. It is estimated that 95% of all adults have
been infected by the time they reach 40 years of age, though most people
are infected by the time they reach 20.
In more than half the population, EBV infections have no associated
symptoms but the virus often causes infectious mononucleosis with
resulting fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. It is rarely
fatal in temperate regions but, in the tropics, it is associated with
two forms cancer, Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Infectious mononucleosis is also known as glandular fever.
Once Epstein-Barr virus has infected the body, it remains semi-dormant
in both the immune system and in the throat. It then retains the ability
to infect new people via the saliva - hence the title, âthe kissing
diseaseâ. It does not appear to be transmissable via the blood or
through the air.
Epstein-Barr virus is relevant to multiple sclerosis because several
studies have shown that people with MS have larger than expected numbers
of antibodies to the virus.
The volume of data linking EBV with MS is very impressive. As early as
1981, it was suggested that EBV might be linked to MS [Warner and Carp]
and several subsequent studies have noted that the onset of MS often
follows infectious mononucleosis [Operskalski at al], [Lindberg et al],
[Marrie et al], [Haahr et al] and [Hernan et al]. It seems that, few
people develop MS during or immediately after their first EBV infection
although the vast majority of people with MS have been previously
infected by the virus [Munch et al].
Other studies have found higher than expected antibodies to EBV proteins
or EBV serum DNA in people with MS [Levin et al], Ascherio et al],
[Larsen et al] and [Shirodaria et al]. These studies have found that
antibodies to the viral proteins, Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA-1
and EBNA-2), viral capsid antigen (VCA) and diffuse early antigen
(EA-D), are significantly raised in people with MS. One of these studies
found that people with the highest levels of antibodies to EBNA were 33
times more likely to develop MS than people with the lowest levels
[Levin et al]
Pertinently, two studies have found that very few people with MS have no
evidence of previous EBV infections [Ascherio and Munch] and [Wandinger
et al]. This last study also demonstrated that active EBV replication is
rarely seen in people with stable MS but is correlated MS relapses.
Direct action by Epstein-Barr virus in the central nervous system is
thought to be an unlikely cause of MS because studies have failed to
find any evidence of active virus in MS lesions [Morrie et al] and
[Hilton et al].
A possible mechanism to explain how Epstein-Barr virus is involved in
multiple sclerosis is called epitopic or molecular mimicy. The idea
behind this is that a small section of one of the viral proteins
resembles a small section of one of the proteins in myelin. Such small
sections are known as epitopes and are the means by which the immune
system identifies foreign invaders for destruction.
The theory goes on that when the immune system detects the identical
epitopes in myelin, it is unable to recognise that they belong to
self-proteins, and attacks them. This results in the damage seen in MS
lesions.
Such recognition is known as acquired immunity and involves cells known
as lymphocytes. There are two main types of lymphocyte, T cells, which
orchestrate the immune response, and B cells, which release antibodies.
Both of these types of cell are believed to be involved in multiple
sclerosis.
Usually, the immune system doesnât allow autoreactive lymphocytes (ones
that attack its own body) to develop. However, it seems that one myelin
protein, Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG), is protected by this
process [Bruno et al].
Further support for the theory comes from the discovery of T cells are
reactive to both EBV and myelin [Lang et al]. Additionally, it has been
demonstrated in mice that a virus can precipitate Experimental
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS [Olson et al].
Epstein-Barr virus links:
Epstein-Barr Virus Antibodies and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
Epstein-Barr Virus and Infectious Mononucleosis
Past Viral Infection Linked to Multiple Sclerosis
High Levels Of Antibodies Against EBV In PwMS
Study Links Epstein-Barr Virus to Risk of MS
Link Between MS and Epstein-Barr Virus
T Cell Receptor Reacts With Self-Antigen and Viral Peptide in MS
Virus-Induced MS Supports Molecular Mimicry Model

hi anyone that can help,
i haven't talked in awhile cause i have been really sick. i tried the
baclophen again and before i got to 40mg i got insomnia again, which
in turn gave me a serious sinus infection and then
a terrible stomach bug. the month of march has not been good. now i am
on a sleeping pill which helps most of the tme,last night was a badf
night.i am not taking the baclophen but find myself unable to move and
have alot of back pain. i am at whits end. i think i need the
baclophrn but can't take it. i have also tried zanaflex and that
didn't work either. do you know of any other spasicity drug that might
help me. . i am also getting very depressed.
sorry to bothr you.
please help
paula

Swimming for strength
Getting in the pool is a great way to exercise without overworking muscles and
joints
http://www.bgdailynews.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?/200303/31+swimming20030331_top-feat\
ure.html+20030331+top-feature
March 31, 2003
By Alicia Carmichael
Bowling Green Kentucky KY Daily News
Swimming has long been touted by fitness experts as one of the most perfect
exercises.
Those with bad ankles, knees or backs can do it often.
Pregnant women and the elderly are encouraged to swim.
Those with arthritis, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis can often swim when
other exercises hurt.
And swimming can help you shed lots of pounds while feeling better about
yourself.
Stephanie Johnson, a personal trainer and fitness manager at Total Fitness
Connection in Bowling Green, talked about what swimming has done for her.
âI just had my baby three months ago,â she said. âAt seven months
pregnant, I started going into the pool because my body wouldnât allow me to
do weights out hereâ on the gym floor.
Johnson hadnât felt like herself for months then.
Her back often ached. She was getting bigger.
Swimming helped her stay physically in shape, while also helping her mental
status.
âThe night after I went into the pool, I said, âI feel more like myself than
Iâve felt in a long time,ââ she said.
While swimming, her aching back felt normal.
Itâs because âthe water takes a lot of your body weight off and that helps
as far as your joints are concerned,â Johnson said.
She thinks staying active on a regular basis until about a month before she had
her baby helped her shed 35 of the 40 pounds she had gained during her pregnancy
within two weeks of giving birth.
âThe more you start moving, the more it gets your metabolism going,â she
said.
Pam Brown, a physical therapist at Total Fitness Connection, works in the TFC
pool with patients who are recovering from a variety of ailments.
âThe water is warm and it relaxes them and their muscles and makes exercising
less painful,â she said. âWe get a lot of patients here whoâve had surgery
on an ankle, knee or hip or their lower back. Doctors will allow them to
exercise in the water because it isnât detrimentalâ to their recovery.
In fact, swimming can strengthen weak spots very well.
âThey can swim, walk in the water, or jog in the water to build endurance,â
Brown said.
Cardiovascular strength is another plus.
Johnson said swimming can be a God-send for those who didnât think they could
exercise at all.
âA lady with arthritis two years ago was going to cancel her membership (to
Total Fitness Connection) because of pain,â Johnson said. âI put her in the
pool and she did exercises. She progressed.â
Now, the woman exercises in the water regularly.
Itâs a place where stretching is easier because of buoyancy.
Cool or warm water can prevent overheating that may accompany other exercises.
In the water, you can find a world of your own.
âItâs not a competitive thing,â Johnson said.
But remember, before beginning any exercise program, itâs important to consult
your physician.
Â
© Copyright 2003, Bowling Green Kentucky KY Daily News

Ambient air quality increases the occurrence of relapses
http://www.newsrx.com
Mar 20, 2003
Immunotherapy Weekly
NewsRx.com
According to recent research from Finland, "Infectious viruses and bacteria can
trigger multiple sclerosis (MS) exacerbations. Seasonally changing
concentrations of ambient air pollutants are known to predispose to
transmissible infections, to induce systemic immune responses and to enhance
existing peripheral inflammation. Ambient air quality and monthly MS relapse
occurrence in southwestern Finland were compared by multivariate logistic
regression.
"The odds ratio of the risk of a relapse onset was over fourfold (4.143,
p<0.001) when the concentration of inhalable particulate matter (PM10) was at
the highest quartile. Inhalable airborne particulate matter concentrations were
connected to relapse occurrence. Poor air quality may enhance the seasonal
changes in MS relapse occurrence by an increased susceptibility to transmissible
infections," wrote M. Oikonen and colleagues, Turku University, Department of
Biology.
Oikonen and colleagues published their study in Neuroepidemiology (Ambient air
quality and occurrence of multiple sclerosis relapse. Neuroepidemiology,
2003;22(1):95-99).
For additional information, contact M. Oikonen, Turku University, Department of
Biology, Sect Ecology, Aerobiol Unit, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland.
To subscribe to the journal Neuroepidemiology, contact the publisher: Karger,
Allschwilerstrasse 10, CH-4009 Basel, Switzerland.
The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of
Bacteriology, Multiple Sclerosis, Environmental Exposure, Transmissible
Infection, Airborne Disease, Disease Susceptibility, Immunology, Infectious
Disease, Autoimmune Disease, Neurology, Epidemiology and Pulmonology. This
article was prepared by Immunotherapy Weekly editors from staff and other
reports.
Â
Â
© Copyright 2003, Immunotherapy Weekly

This is simply a reminder to contact your senators &
representatives abt this rehabilitation matter.

Designing for the Future
As U.S. Population Ages, the Need Grows for Homes Accessible to People With
Disabilities
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40049-2003Mar27.html
Saturday, March 29, 2003
By Sandra Fleishman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Kevin Porreco doesn't use a wheelchair, but he knows he might have to someday.
He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis six years ago and needs a cane to get
around.
So when Porreco, 42, and his wife, Joanne, decided to relocate from Boston to
the Washington area, they looked for a home builder with floor plans that
accommodate wheelchairs or that could be adjusted without costing a fortune.
Altering an existing home, they knew, could be expensive.
The couple wanted a one-level design, an open layout for easy wheelchair
maneuverability and a community "where other people were retired and there were
activities" during the day accessible to wheelchair users, said Kevin Porreco.
They also wanted to be within a short drive of Georgetown University Medical
Center's Multiple Sclerosis Center.
They checked several new developments, focusing on "active adult" communities,
tailored to people 55 and up. These types of developments have sprouted locally
and nationally as the baby-boomer generation grays. They typically offer
one-level designs, with basements and second stories as options.
Porreco had seen active adult communities featuring wheelchair-accessible
layouts on the West Coast, where he was diagnosed. So he thought there would be
some here.
But he did not find any. So the couple decided last Thanksgiving on Heritage
Hunt, a 2,000-unit U.S. Home Corp. development near Gainesville.
They liked it because the model they chose had an open floor plan, with a master
bedroom and bath on the first floor and garage access to the house that they
could later adapt with a ramp.
They also liked the amenities. The country club, for example, offers pool
therapy every other day, and the community has sidewalks and accessible
recreational and entertainment facilities.
"We thought Heritage Hunt was one of the nicest ones we'd seen," Porreco said.
They also liked the community because U.S. Home, a major national builder, was
accommodating in making floor plan changes at a reasonable cost.
But, as the Porrecos found out, national production builders, even in active
adult settings, do not routinely provide floor plans that permit wheelchair
access as part of their standard menu of options. Del Webb Corp., a leading
retirement community and active adult community builder, offers layouts in some
communities that are wheelchair-friendly, spokesman Sean M. Patrick said. But
the plans would not include features that some disabled buyers might want, such
as wheelchair-accessible appliances in kitchens.
"I was surprised that builders didn't seem to offer it here," Porreco said.
With America's population aging, he thought it made great sense to have such
choices. But in looking around the Washington area, he found "it's not as if you
could pick a house where Plan A was the regular model and Plan B was for the
disabled."
Porreco ended up working with U.S. Home to remake one of its three-bedroom,
three-bath models to meet building specifications on the Justice Department's
Americans With Disabilities Act Web site (www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada).
Although federal accessibility requirements don't apply to single-family homes,
regulations spell out access obligations for most multifamily builders, down to
the measurements needed in hallways and bathrooms to accommodate wheelchairs.
Porreco wanted wider doorways and halls throughout the first floor of his new
house. He also wanted space to put in a ramp later from the garage to the
laundry room, and a bathroom big enough for a roll-in shower. The bathroom
toilet also had to be moved to make room for a wheelchair to turn around. And he
wanted grab bars next to the toilet and in the shower.
Because he's not in a wheelchair now, Porreco didn't alter the kitchen by
lowering countertops or putting in accessible appliances, with dials on the
front rather than on the top. The changes would be inconvenient for a person who
is not seated, he believed.
U.S. Home's sales and design staff were "fabulous," Porreco said. They responded
quickly to requests and worked out engineering wrinkles almost on the spot
during a marathon eight-hour design consultation in January. He credits design
consultant Rhonda "Sunny" Bondurant and Washington regional Vice President Jerry
Berman with smoothing out the bumps.
And to Porreco's relief, the modifications were well within his budget. By law,
a builder must make reasonable accommodations for any buyer, but can charge on a
cost-plus basis.
"I was terrified thinking about the price of making these accommodations," said
Porreco, "but it would have been shortsighted not to."
He found, though, that the changes would "cost me only a little over $1,000. . .
. That's nothing compared to what we would have had to do in an already-built
house. We'd be talking $20,000."
The Porrecos also paid $19,000 to upgrade to hardwood floors, to allow
wheelchair travel. With other upgrades, unrelated to his needs, the $331,000
base price of the house went to $390,000.
The Porrecos are living in an apartment in Manassas while waiting for their new
home to be completed, scheduled for June.
But his experience raises the issue of why big national builders haven't jumped
on what advocates for the disabled believe is a natural and growing market. The
nation's population is aging, and the Census Bureau has estimated that 20
percent of Americans have a disability that affects one or more activities.
With more people living longer and more people living with debilitating diseases
because of medical advances, "you have to wonder why builders are not doing
more," said Eleanor Smith, a wheelchair user and founder of a Georgia advocacy
group called Concrete Change.
Smith's group has been pushing for more than a decade for laws requiring
"visitable" homes or for builders to establish voluntary programs as a
compromise. "Visitable" basically means that Grandma or the kid down the street
who broke his leg or any visitor in a wheelchair can get into a house and use
the first floor, including a bathroom.
In 1992, Atlanta passed the nation's first ordinance requiring a zero-step
entrance in single-family homes built with city funding or city-administered
state and federal money. More than 600 visitable homes had been constructed
under the ordinance as of 2002.
Smith thinks the day can come when all houses are visitable. She first realized
the situation could change one day in 1986 when she was driving around Atlanta,
her home city, and passed though a large development of new homes.
The houses, as usual, had steps at every entrance, she says on her Web site. But
"very suddenly I saw the houses differently. I thought, 'These homes could have
all had access.' "
Smith, who was disabled by polio at age 3, says she and others are motivated by
their own struggles, which could have been addressed with a few simple changes.
She said: "I had paid the price of the lack of access over and over again, when
I could not go to friends' parties, suffered from being unable to get my
wheelchair through bathroom doors when visiting other people's homes, had great
difficulty finding an apartment or home I could rent, and in fact lived for six
months in a home where I had to enter the bathroom by crawling on the floor."
Georgia also pioneered the EasyLiving Home program -- co-sponsored by Concrete
Change, the Home Builders Association of Georgia, and government and consumer
groups -- to certify builders that build visitable homes and to advertise them.
About 15 builders have signed up for the voluntary program in only a couple of
years.
The nation's builder trade groups say their surveys show little demand for
accessible designs, even in active adult communities, and buyer resistance to
giving up floor space to wider doors and hallways. But, Smith said, "other
surveys say people do want access."
U.S. Home's Berman said the company is "always willing to work with any
customer," but he also hasn't seen much demand.
The 25,000 surveys that U.S. Home sent to potential buyers at Heritage Hunt
showed that "overwhelmingly, the potential customers did not want standard
features to imply that they were old," Berman said. "What we've been told is
that I want a home that's adaptable or accessible, but I don't want that now."
To make future changes easier, many of Heritage Hunt's floor plans feature open
spaces and master bedrooms and baths on the first floor. "Every home is one
floor," Berman said. "If you want a second floor, that's optional. If you want a
basement, that's optional."
In 900 sales at Heritage Hunt, Berman said, "probably 20 have asked for some
sort of accommodation. The majority of the requests have been simply for wider
doors. The second most requested was to eliminate the threshold, or the lip, on
the shower; we've done that four times."
Berman has added only one ramp, from the garage into a house.
He said U.S. Home also hasn't incorporated modifications into floor plans
because buyers don't all seem to be asking for the same things. The company will
keep Porreco's floor plans in its files for others who request similar
modifications, but Berman said offering an array of plans isn't economical for
most national production builders.
U.S. Home has also found "that the answer is rarely as simple as it seems,"
Berman said. "If someone wants a door moved, and it's a bearing wall, we may
have to get an engineer to certify how to move it and how to make it work."
He added: "We don't make these kinds of changes for people unless it is for
accessibility -- we're not a custom builder. Most of the large builders do it
that way."
Indeed, the National Association of Home Builders, the major trade association,
says it has no idea whether any national builders offer accessible floor plans.
But an NAHB official said interest is growing.
"We are getting an ever-increasing number of phone calls from builders and
individuals" who see a need and a market for accessible housing, said Jeffrey
Inks, NAHB assistant staff vice president for construction codes and standards.
"And we are seeing production builders looking at an aging population and the
market that could develop."
But the issue is "extremely complex," Inks said. Advocates for accessible
housing haven't coalesced around a particular plan to increase that housing
stock or agreed which design changes should be made as a matter of course.
"A fundamental issue is that there are two primary aspects to this," Inks said.
"One is the conceptual side that everyone agrees with -- that it would be great
if there were more accessible single-family housing. But then there is the
practical side -- which is how to do it -- and that's very difficult."
Consumer surveys, Inks said, continue to show that there is little demand and
that buyers want bigger rooms and more space. "At some point it will probably be
more the rule than the exception to build wider doorways and wider hallways and
bigger baths," he said. "But either people are going to have to pay for the
[extra] space or give up the space."
While the NAHB opposes mandatory accessibility requirements -- "that's when it
gets ugly," Inks said -- it is encouraging voluntary programs.
Activist Smith sees continued resistance from builder groups but is eager to
work with them. "If you talk to the national association, you will get a very
conservative view because they don't believe in regulation . . . unless it's by
themselves," Smith said. "But within the building industry, there are certainly
other perspectives."
For Kevin Porreco, making his home accessible now is a great relief.
He has been worrying about the future, in a very practical way, he says, since
he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
MS is an incurable, degenerative disease of the nervous system. According to the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, MS symptoms are unpredictable and vary from
person to person and from time to time in the same person.
For example, one person may experience abnormal fatigue, while another might
have severe vision problems. A person with MS could have loss of balance and
muscle coordination, or slurred speech, tremors, stiffness or bladder problems.
Even severe symptoms, though, may disappear completely, and the person will
regain lost functions.
At the time of diagnosis, Porreco was living in a multi-level townhouse in the
San Francisco area and working as vice president of sales for a Japanese weather
information company, traveling to nine countries.
He continued to work until March 2000, when his doctors put him on disability.
That's when the townhouse started to become difficult to negotiate.
Porreco said he had always been healthy before the diagnosis. "After a bike ride
one day, I woke up the next morning and my left leg was completely numb."
Thinking it was a pinched nerve, Porreco didn't take immediate action.
Later, after a long, exhausting trip to Australia, he felt poorly again and
decided to take a long steam bath -- "exactly the wrong thing to do for MS," he
recalls. The next day, his right arm was completely numb.
Luckily, he said, the neurologist he contacted was Douglas S. Goodin, medical
director of the University of California at San Francisco Multiple Sclerosis
Center. Goodin gave Porreco what he called "the bad news and the good news."
"The bad news was that I had MS and there is no cure," Porreco said. "The good
news is that I had very few lesions," or scar tissue that indicates that nerve
fibers are damaged.
Housing became one of the first big problems Porreco faced.
"Every room in the two-level townhouse [in San Francisco] had a step down,"
Porreco said.
The couple looked for other housing but couldn't afford the Bay Area anymore on
Porreco's disability income.
They relocated to the Boston area, near Joanne Porreco's family and another
major MS center. That one-level house worked, Porreco said, but the 100-mile
commute from the less-pricey suburb of Longmeadow, Mass., to the treatment
facility took a toll. The harsh winters also were a problem.
Porreco decided to move to the Washington area because of Georgetown's Multiple
Sclerosis Center.
The Heritage Hunt home, he said, will fit in with his family's philosophy of
"hoping for the best and planning for the worst."
While Porreco "prays it never happens," he said, "I wanted to prepare for the
day I'm in a wheelchair."
"I'm a very pragmatic person, and so is my wife," he said. "She has made having
this disease so much more palatable."
And finding the house "is another worry put to rest."
Â
© 2003 The Washington Post Company

Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Releases New Publication for Families Coping With
MS
http://www.msfocus.org
March 17, 2003
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Source: The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
A family's response to a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis [MS] can be as
unpredictable as the disease itself. It is important that not only the person
diagnosed but the family also educate themselves about MS and how to cope with
it. The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation [MSF] has released a brief, easy-to-read
fact sheet as a guide for families faced with MS. This publication also provides
contact information to access the many programs and services provided to
patients and families by the MSF, free of charge.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, degenerative autoimmune disease of the central
nervous system. People with MS may be affected in an obvious way, confined to a
wheelchair or unable to care for themselves. Others with MS may not show a
single visible symptom; in fact, you may know someone with MS and have no idea
that person has been diagnosed. Because so many common symptoms of MS are not
outwardly visible, such as fatigue, weakness, balance disturbances and numbness,
knowledge and understanding of the disease are critical. This new publication
from the MSF provides some tips and answers some questions for families.
March 2003 is the first annual National MS Education and Awareness Month,
sponsored by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation [MSF]. Throughout the month, the
MSF is providing volunteer awareness kits, releasing new publications and
sponsoring educational activities for those with MS as well as for those
interested in learning about MS. Doctors, MS specialists, counselors and
volunteers provide information and inspiration, as the MSF works to increase
public support, caring and understanding of those affected by this disease.
Information and a full schedule of events and activities for National MS
Education and Awareness Month are posted on www.msfocus.org
[http://www.msfocus.org/nmseam.htm]. Information on MS and the MSF is available
on the website or by calling the toll free Helpline, 1-888-MSFOCUS [673-6287].
ABOUT THE MSF
The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation [MSF] is a national, non-profit service
organization, assisting people diagnosed with MS since 1986. The mission of the
MSF is to enhance the quality of life of those affected by this chronic disease
through various programs and services. For additional information about National
MS Education and Awareness Month, any other services of the MSF or to order the
new family fact sheet call 1-888-MSFOCUS [673-6287] or visit www.msfocus.org.
Â
© Copyright 2003, The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation

Common drug Zocor may give relief to MS patients
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/nation/5528166.htm
Mon, Mar. 31, 2003
By Linda Lamb
Knight Ridder Newspapers
A drug commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol may also treat the devastating
effects of multiple sclerosis, medical researchers said Monday.
It is hoped that further studies will support use of the drug - simvastatin,
known as Zocor - to help patients with the neurological disorder, which afflicts
2.5 million people worldwide.
"It's a relatively safe drug, and it's relatively inexpensive," said Dr. L.
Lyndon Key of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), who helped design
the study.
The drug appears to work by decreasing the brain lesions that cause such
symptoms as weak or spastic muscles, pain, fatigue and paralysis.
And unlike the drugs most commonly used by MS patients, it is taken orally, not
by injection. That's important to people like Lisa Kleinfelder of Lexington,
S.C., whose treatments for MS have included one medication that required
injections every other day for nine years.
"Finally I told my doctor I was sick of taking shots," said Kleinfelder, 44. "I
felt like a human pincushion."
Kleinfelder has "secondary progressive" MS, meaning she suffers symptoms that
are steadily getting worse.
Symptoms vary widely among patients and may include muscle weakness, loss of
coordination, vision problems, fatigue, stiff or spastic muscles, tremors,
paralysis, pain and incontinence.
The new study involved patients in an earlier phase of the disease, the
"relapsing-remitting" stage. About 80 percent of multiple sclerosis patients
have this diagnosis initially.
They have flare-ups of symptoms followed by periods of few or no symptoms.
The research started six years ago with experimentation by MUSC's Inderjit
Singh.
He is a pediatric researcher whose specialty is a rare genetic disorder,
adrenoleukodystrophy, which afflicted the boy portrayed in the movie "Lorenzo's
Oil."
He found that drugs like simvastatin reduced damage of brain inflammation, first
in cell cultures and then in rodents.
A trial for humans was designed by Singh, Key and Dr. Timothy Vollmer of the
Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. It started in December 2000 and lasted
almost two years. It was carried out at MUSC in Charleston, S.C., Yale
University and the University of Colorado's Denver Health Sciences Center.
Multiple sclerosis can start subtly. In Kleinfelder's case, her legs felt numb,
that's all.
Symptoms occur following inflammation and breakdown of myelin, the protective
insulation around nerve fibers of the brain and spinal cord. Multiple hardened
or "sclerotic" lesions appear and disrupt transmission of nerve signals from the
brain to the rest of the body.
Patients in the study had to have developed at least one lesion. Magnetic
resonance imaging scans charted their progress.
Key said the study found a 43 percent decrease in the number of active lesions,
and a 41 percent decrease in the volume of brain tissue affected.
Of the 28 patients, two had an increase in lesions and 23 showed a decrease;
three showed no change.
"Certainly, we're encouraged by the fact that it seems to offer some
neuroprotection," Key said.
Lonnie Atkins of Eastover was diagnosed with MS in 1990, but he's still in the
relapsing-remitting stage. He is the type of patient for whom the new study is
most promising.
After every relapse, "I always lose a little bit," said Atkins, 48. He has
problems with
fatigue and spastic muscles and uses an electric scooter to get around.
"I see people who were in the same shape I was 10 years ago and are in
wheelchairs now. I'm one of the lucky ones."
Kleinfelder, also diagnosed in 1990, does use a wheelchair. She's thankful she
could move about more easily when her son, now 20, was younger. She has periods
she calls "MS meltdowns" when she loses the use of her legs.
"Some days you feel like a million dollars, then the next day you feel like
crap," said Kleinfelder, a former bank vice president.
She has tried many medications, currently relying on a weekly injection of
Avonex and regular treatments with steroids.
The researchers don't advise MS patients to start taking Zocor. Larger studies
will have to be done, Key said, and FDA approval of the drug to treat MS may be
years away.
MUSC will participate in the next stage of studies, which may start in a few
months.
Definite information is not available now, but might be posted later on
www.musc.edu - search for "Catalyst" and click on "research studies."
Â
© 2003, The State (Columbia, S.C.)

Guide To Planning Access Launched
http://www.mssociety.org.uk/news_events/news/daily/planning_access.html
27th March 2003
The built environment should be accessible to everyone, says a new good practice
guide launched by Planning Minister, Tony McNulty.
The guide shows how the planning system can help bring about accessible
environments in which nobody is disadvantaged.
Creating such environments is not only a socially responsible thing to do - it
also makes financial sense for developers by enabling better access for more
people, says the guide.
Said Mr McNulty: "I want to see the planning system breaking down unnecessary
physical barriers and exclusions imposed on people by poor design of buildings
and places.
"Too often the needs of disabled people are considered late in the day and
separately from the needs of others. We want the needs of disabled people
properly considered as an integral part of the development process."
Planning and Access for Disabled People: A Good Practice Guide, priced at £15,
is available from:
ODPM Publications
PO Box 236, Wetherby
West Yorkshire LS23 7NB
Tel: 0870 1226 236
Fax: 0870 1226 237
Textphone: 0870 120 7405
The guide is also available at:
http://www.odpm.gsi.gov.uk
Â
© Copyright 2003, Multiple Sclerosis Society

Cannabis medicine 'on sale this year'
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,919559,00.html
Saturday March 22, 2003
Alan Travis, home affairs editor
The Guardian
The first cannabis-based prescription medicines for more than 30 years will be
available in high street chemists this year, the drugs minister, Bob Ainsworth,
revealed yesterday.
GW Pharmaceuticals, which was licensed by the Home Office to carry out clinical
research trials on cannabis, has submitted "an extremely positive" report to the
medicines control agency before final approval.
"We could be in a situation where we are able to make cannabis-derived medicines
available before the end of the year," Mr Ainsworth told MPs.
The drug company has been testing an under-the-tongue spray in trials involving
about 350 patients. The spray has been useful in treating multiple sclerosis and
helps reduce nerve damage pain and sleep disturbance.
Additional trials looking at its effectiveness in treating pain in cancer and
spinal cord injury are under way. GW says it is discussing the marketing of its
new product with several drugs companies.
The main ingredient in the cannabis-derived medicines does not contain the
active substance found in recreational cannabis and so patients taking the new
drugs will not become intoxicated. Their prescriptions will not be subject to
the international treaties banning the production and sale of cannabis.
Cannabis-based medicines were outlawed in 1968 after legislation banned doctors
from prescribing tincture of cannabis which contained a high concentration of
the active THC psychotropic ingredient which was popular among some recreational
cannabis users. While Mr Ainsworth was able to report "really good progress" to
MPs on medicinal cannabis, he was less forthcoming when challenged over new
research reported earlier this week in the Guardian, which showed that as much
as half the cannabis smoked in Britain may be homegrown.
Mr Ainsworth told the Commons home affairs select committee that the government
would not adopt a lenient approach to those who cultivated cannabis for personal
use.
"We feel that the courts should deal with that. It is down to the courts to
apply their discretion. We have no intention of being more lenient on what is
the production of an illegal substance," he told Chris Mullin, chairman of the
committee which questioned him on the issue.
"I don't think the courts deal with a serious international drug trafficker in
the same way as the people you are talking about," Mr Ainsworth said.
The minister also indicated that plans to prescribe heroin to drug addicts who
do not respond to methadone treatment had run into a new problem.
He said that some supermarkets had made it clear that they would be unwilling to
allow medicinal heroin to be prescribed in their new pharmacy departments.
Mr Ainsworth said he would raise the matter with the Department of Trade and
Industry, which is to rule on an office of fair trading inquiry into the
supermarkets' expansion into the pharmacy trade.
New Home Office guidance to doctors on prescribing heroin is to be issued next
month. One aim is to boost the number of doctors willing to treat class-A drug
addicts.
Â
© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003

Two brain systems tell us to breathe
http://www.scienceblog.com/community/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1360
Monday, March 31, 2003
Until now, scientists believed that a single area in the brain generated
breathing rhythm, enabling breathing to speed up or slow down to adapt to the
body's activity and position. But UCLA neurobiologists have discovered that two
systems in the brain interact to generate breathing rhythm -- a finding that may
translate into better treatment for sleep apnea and sudden infant death
syndrome. The journal Neuron reported the findings in its March 6 issue.
"We originally thought that only one brain center was responsible for generating
breathing rhythm," said Dr. Nicholas Mellen, UCLA assistant researcher in
neurobiology and principal investigator of the study. "But our research
indicates that two cellular networks closely collaborate to control breathing.
This brings us an important step closer to understanding how breathing control
is organized in the brain."
"Breathing is a good model for understanding brain function in general," said
Dr. Jack Feldman, UCLA professor of neurobiology and senior author. "Once we
learn how the brain commands humans to breathe, we will gain valuable insight
into how the brain produces other meaningful behaviors."
The UCLA finding could enhance prevention, diagnosis and treatment for sleep
apnea and sudden infant death syndrome, as well as speed the development of
drugs for neurological disorders that can interfere with breathing, such as
stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, he added.
Previously, UCLA neurobiologists located a brain region they identified as the
key command post for generating breathing and dubbed it the preBotzinger
Complex. When they exposed the preBötzinger Complex nerve cells in a rat's
brain to a narcotic, the animal's breathing slowed dramatically. This led the
UCLA team to conclude that the preBotzinger Complex served as the brain's
headquarters for breathing rhythm.
"Overdoses of narcotics kill people because they slow your breathing until it
stops entirely," Feldman said. "The cells in the preBotzinger Complex replicated
this phenomenon."
Release URL, if available: The URL must point to the specific release, not a
general page of releases or your organization's main homepage.Researchers
Hiroshi Onimaru and Ikuo Homma of Showa University in Tokyo, however, had
described a second set of brain cells that did not respond to narcotics. They
called them "pre?I" cells, for pre-inspiratory, because they are active before
inhalation. The UCLA researchers decided to test the effect of a low amount of
narcotics on a rat's breathing. They first tested the drug on a slice of
brainstem that did not contain pre-I neurons and then exposed the drug to a
block of brainstem that did contain pre-I neurons.
When the pre-I neurons were present, the animal's breathing slowed continuously.
When the cells were absent, however, Mellen and Feldman witnessed a surprising
event. Instead of slowing down gradually, the rat's breathing pattern slowed by
skipping entire breaths. This suggested that two distinct systems in the brain
interact to generate breathing rhythm.
"Exposing the pre-I cells to narcotics still reduced the rat's intake of oxygen,
but it did so by skipping beats rather than slowing the rhythm," Mellen said.
In addition to responding to narcotics differently, the two cellular networks
varied in other ways, too. The UCLA team discovered that sensory feedback from
the lungs affected the preBotzinger Complex brain cells, but not the pre-I
cells. The scientists hypothesize that this is the brain's way of striking a
balance between stability and sensitivity.
"Humans breathe no matter what. Yet breathing is an instinctual process,"
Feldman said. "We do it 24/7 from the second we're born. The process must adapt
and be sensitive to all sensory input, yet be extraordinarily stable and
reliable."
For example, the act of sitting requires 250 millileters of oxygen per minute to
support resting human metabolism. The minute a person stands up and begins to
walk, breathing must immediately accelerate to take in 1,000 millileters of
oxygen per minute to support the activity.
"Our findings suggest that the pre-I cell system controls stability, while the
preBotzinger network responds to sensory feedback," Mellen said. "This division
of labor allows breathing to quickly adapt to sensory and other input, yet
rapidly return to its normal rhythm."
"Humans and other mammals are the only vertebrate species to possess a
diaphragm. This muscle played a key role in our ascending the evolutionary
ladder by letting us take in more oxygen to feed our bigger brains," Feldman
said. "We think that the preBotzinger Complex also may have evolved to control
the diaphragm."
The UCLA data suggests that the preBotzinger Complex is dominant under normal
circumstances, but the pre-I cell network also can give rise to the breathing
rhythm. Because the two cell networks function in such an integrated manner,
scientists cannot readily tease their roles apart. Only the systems' different
sensitivity to narcotics revealed their interaction.
The UCLA team will next try to unravel how the two cellular networks communicate
in the brain to produce breathing.
The National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood funded the research. UCLA
researchers Wiktor Janczewski and Christopher Bocchiaro were co-authors on the
study.
Â
© 2003 by Science Blog

'I can walk again'
Judy Hobson on a medical breakthrough that offers hope for Parkinson's sufferers
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,926979,00.html
Tuesday April 1, 2003
The Guardian
A neurological team working in second world war prefabs at Bristol's Frenchay
hospital has developed a new treatment that is reversing the distressing effects
of Parkinson's disease. The team, led by consultant neurosurgeon Steven Gill, is
the first in the world to infuse a substance called GDNF directly into patients'
brains to reactivate damaged cells. The five volunteer patients, men aged
between 42 and 62, are continuing to improve.
The symptoms of Parkinson's, first described as the "shaking palsy" by James
Parkinson in 1817, include difficulty walking, tremor, muscular rigidity,
clumsiness and a proneness to falling over. There are 120,000 sufferers in the
UK; the disease affects 1-2% of all people over 50, and of the 10,000 new cases
diagnosed every year, one in 20 is under 40.
Frenchay hospital is now leading a worldwide study into the use of GDNF to find
the optimum dosage. But the team's work is being hampered by a shortage of beds
to accommodate the trial patients during the detailed assessment needed to
monitor treatment.
All five patients in the pilot study have become more active. One of them is
64-year-old widower Henry Webb, a retired Welsh miner from Gwent. "It is
unbelievable to see me now when you think of how I was before the treatment," he
says. "I had difficulty walking 50 yards. Now I go walking, play lawn and indoor
bowls and go dancing. I still have a slight tremor in my right hand, but the
best thing of all is that I sleep a lot better. In fact, you can say I am
marvellous."
"What we are seeing is that GDNF has the potential to reverse the effects of
this disease," says Gill. "In patients with Parkinson's, loss of cells producing
dopamine causes their symptoms. GDNF is able to reactivate and restore these
cells and in so doing reverse their symptoms.
"From scans of their brains, we have found an increase in dopamine levels in the
damaged regions where the GDNF is now being delivered."
He believes the technique is the most exciting development in the treatment of
Parkinson's in years. "The prospect of reversing the process opens the way for
treating a range of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease,
Huntingdon's chorea, motor neurone disease, stroke and multiple sclerosis."
The GDNF is delivered through a fine catheter implanted into the brain, which is
in turn connected to a pump implanted in the abdominal wall. The pump is
refilled with GDNF on a monthly basis when the patient is assessed. Gill
believes that once the technique is properly established and scientists have a
better understanding of the activity of the growth factor, the pumps may need
refilling only every three to six months.
GDNF (glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor), obtained from human protein, is
produced by American biotech company Amgen. If further trials prove successful,
Gill says GDNF could become available for treatment of patients with Parkinson's
in three to four years' time.
In the interim, deep-brain stimulation, pioneered in France in the 1980s, is the
treatment of choice, but is available to few sufferers in the UK because there
are only a handful of centres that carry out this surgery. The Frenchay team has
pioneered a rapid, safe and precise method of targeting deep-brain structures
under general anaesthetic - a big step forward from inserting probes to find the
target under local anaesthetic and less distressing for the patient.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) builds up a 3D picture of the brain, enabling
surgeons to perform highly accurate deep-brain stimulation. Gill, who has
operated on 60 patients in this way over the last 18 months, outlines the
precision required: "Not only is the target deeply situated in the brain, it is
also very small - between two and a half and three and a half millimetres in
diameter. Misplacement of the electrode from the target by as little as one to
two millimetres can cause distressing side effects, so a high degree of accuracy
is required."
To identify the target, the team uses high-resolution MRI scans taken over a
long period with the patient under a general anaesthesic. "On these we can see
the small target with sufficient clarity to target it directly. The first part
of the operation involves the implantation of a plastic guide tube and a plastic
probe into the target using a 3D guidance system. The patient then has another
MRI scan to identify if there is any slight displacement of the probe from the
planned target due to brain movement.
"Once the target has been sufficiently localised, the probe is removed and a DBS
wire is passed down the guide tube into the target. Being able to see accurately
where the DBS is placed is, I believe, why we have such a low rate of
complications. Our patients are able to leave hospital very quickly - they come
in for surgery on the Friday and go home on Tuesday or Wednesday - because the
electrode ends in the correct place and adjustments of the current settings are
usually minor."
But, says Gill, the team desperately needs money and resources to continue its
research. "We are in a strong position to do stem cell research, which cannot be
done in the US because of legislative restraints. But we face serious
constraints. The first of these is a critical shortage of beds. Another is the
limited MRI scanning time available to us because the scanner is shared with
busy neurosciences and general hospital services.
"To make the recent advances in functional neurosurgical treatment more widely
available, we urgently need facilities for the education and training of other
neurosurgeons in these complex techniques."
He has drawn up a draft proposal for the building of a centre for functional
neurosurgery, which would cost £3m to build and equip. "This would solve the
critical problems of bed space for trial patients and would enable us to provide
high-quality training.
"Regional health authorities don't have the resources for this kind of thing. At
present we operate out of prefabricated buildings put up in the 1940s by the
Americans for the D-Day troops. Competing with routine traumas is holding back
our clinical research. What we are desperately looking for now is a
philanthropist to give us a proper building."
For more information, contact the Parkinson's Disease Society, 215 Vauxhall
Bridge Road, London SW1V 1 EJ, tel 020-7931 8080; www.parkinsons.org.uk.
Donations can be sent to Diane Cornish, academic development manager,
Neurosciences Directorate Office, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol BS16 1LE.
· Parkinson's awareness week begins on April 6
Â
© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003

Immune Response Depends On Key Molecule, According To New Study
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030401072431.htm
Apr 1, 2003
Source: University Of Toronto
In a new study published in the April 1, 2003 issue of Genes and Development,
scientists at University Health Network's Advanced Medical Discovery Institute
(AMDI)/Ontario Cancer Institute (OCI) have shown that a molecule called
caspase-8 plays a key role in the immune system response, by controlling how
T-cells are activated to respond to infections.
T-cells are white blood cells that recognize and fight off viruses and bacteria.
When T-cells encounter these foreign invaders they build up a T-cell "army" by
multiplying themselves many thousand-fold in process known as activation. Once
their job is complete, T-cells are eliminated in a process known as apoptosis.
While caspase-8 is largely recognized as a critical factor in this elimination
process, this study produced a new finding: caspase-8 is also essential for the
activation of T-cells at the start of the immune response.
"This research has helped us better understand how caspase-8 activates the
immune system response by triggering T-cells to proliferate. When caspase-8 is
inhibited, the immune response is significantly decreased," explains Dr.
Razqallah Hakem, principal investigator AMDI/OCI and Assistant Professor in
Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto.
The research builds on findings published last fall in Nature, which revealed
that caspase-8 mutations are linked to immunodeficiency in humans. But the in
vivo role of caspase-8 has remained uncertain until now, because deleting the
molecule is lethal to embryos-making it impossible to fully understand what
happens to cells without the molecule.
Researchers overcame this hurdle by targeting and eliminating caspase-8 from
specific organ tissues in mice, enabling them to see how these tissues are
affected by the absence of caspase-8.
"The research we've done has created a unique model that we and other scientists
can use to further study the role of caspase-8 in the immune response," reports
AMDI researcher and lead author of the study, Leonardo Salmena, who is a PhD
candidate in Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto.
Understanding how caspase-8 operates in T-cell proliferation and activation is
an important first step towards understanding immune system abnormalities and
how these processes might be controlled to treat overactive immune systems.
Researchers hope that continued research could impact therapies for autoimmune
disorders such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, and Type I diabetes.
The research was supported by Amgen Incorporated, and by grants from the
Canadian Institute of Health Research, and the National Cancer Institute of
Canada.

Cannabinoids in Multiple Sclerosis: is it time to take the lid off the pot?
http://www.veritasmedicine.com/d_home.cfm?type=WU&did=121&cid=72576
03/14/2003
Amit Bar-Or, M.D.
Neurologist and Neuroimmunologist, McGill University and the Montreal
Neurological Institute
Extracts of the plant Cannabis sativa, including cannabis (a.k.a. marijuana) and
other cannabinoids, have long since been proclaimed to have potential as medical
therapeutics. However, concerns over their safety as well as efficacy have led
to caution when considering legislature of these compounds. In recent years,
there has been an accumulation of pre-clinical research into cannabinoids
(including studies in the laboratory and in animal models of human diseases)
that has generated renewed interest in this diverse family of compounds (1).
Based on animal model studies, including studies in the commonly used animal
model of multiple sclerosis (EAE), natural as well as synthetic cannabinoids may
have a role in reducing pain perception, decreasing spasticity and tremors, and
alleviating nausea and vomiting. Reports suggesting that these compounds may act
as anti-inflammatory agents, and studies suggesting that they may reduce the
production of toxic substances in the brain (such as glutamate or oxygen
radicals) have prompted researchers to investigate their potential in
neuroprotection. For example, various cannabinoids appear to rescue dying
neurons in experimental models of acute neuronal injury, such as stroke or
trauma (2). Our understanding of cannabinoid neurobiology, however, must improve
if we are to effectively exploit this system and take advantage of the numerous
characteristics that make this group of compounds potential therapeutic agents,
while avoiding their potential risks.
Humans have cannabinoid receptors in the central and peripheral nervous system,
although the functions of these receptors, and the roles of natural substances
that may bind to these receptors, remain unclear. Cannabis has been used
recreationally because of the euphoria that it produces. Reported adverse side
effects have included slowed thought process, decreased retention of memories,
anxiety, panic attacks, and even paranoia. Physical side effects may also
include dry mouth, blurred vision, rapid or irregular heart beat and decreased
blood pressure. Interestingly, at least two naturally occurring cannabinoid
receptors have been described (CB1 and CB2). Many of the available cannabinoids
appear to interact with both these receptors. However, it appears that the
adverse psychological effects of cannabinoids are largely mediated through
binding to the CB1 receptor. Researchers are now exploring strategies that might
enable cannabinoids to preferentially interact with the CB2 and not the CB1
receptors. This could serve to maximize the separation between the sought-after
therapeutic effects and the unwanted side effects of these drugs.
In the United Kingdom (UK) physicians were able to prescribe cannabis up to
1971, and in a 1994 survey 74% of UK doctors wanted cannabis to be available
again by prescription. Similar sentiments have been voiced by both patients and
medical teams in North America. The debate has included both the natural
chemicals that act on cannabinoid receptors and the synthetic cannabinoids. The
synthetic nabilone is legally available in several countries where its license
is largely restricted for use in nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy
(mostly for patients with cancer). A particularly potent cannabinoid,
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is available in the United States to help
increase appetite in patients with HIV wasting illness. In Canada, while the
Canadian Medical Association has not formally endorsed the medical use of
cannabis, an Ontario court recently ruled that preventing individuals suffering
from intractable conditions from having access to this agent is
unconstitutional. There have been recent reports of a government supported and
regulated facility that has been developed to produce âMedicinal Marijuanaâ
- or âMarihuanaâ (the h is for health).
Until recently, the majority of the evidence that cannabinoids may have a role
in reducing pain or alleviating other symptoms in humans, has been either
anecdotal (personal reports, questionnaires), or from small series of
case-reports. However, several controlled trials comparing cannabis to other
established analgesics or to placebo, have been emerging in the last few years.
In a recent review of such trials (3), mostly carried out with rather small
numbers of patients, it was reported that THC and nabilone can produce some
relief from symptoms of spasticity, pain, tremor, and the need to void
frequently, in patients with multiple sclerosis (8 trials) or spinal cord injury
(1 trial).
In one recent study, Wade and colleagues reported on a controlled trial to
determine whether cannabis extracts can improve intractable pain symptoms (4).
Twenty-four patients (including 18 with MS and 4 with spinal cord injury) were
given either THC, cannabidiol (CBD), a combination of the two, or matched
placebo. Patients recorded their own symptoms, well-being and intoxication
scores on a daily basis. At the end of each two-week period an independent
observer rated the severity and frequency of their symptoms and recorded adverse
events. The study found that pain relief associated with both THC and CBD was
significantly superior to placebo. Impaired bladder control, muscle spasms and
spasticity were also improved in some patients with these symptoms. Three
patients had transient drops in blood pressure and symptoms of intoxication.
Larger scale studies are underway. Possibly the most ambitious is a 660-patient
trial, taking place in over 30 medical centers around the world. In this study,
supported by the Medical Research Council, patients are assigned to one of
several groups: some are taking capsules containing the whole cannabis; others
are being given THC, and a final group is being given a placebo. The trial is
one-year long and the results are expected by late Spring 2003.
References
1. Croxford, JL. Therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in CNS disease. CNS
Drugs. 17(3):179-202, 2003.
2. Grundy, RL. The therapeutic potential of the cannabinoids in neuroprotection.
Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs. 11(10):1365-74, 2002.
3. Pertwee, RG. Cannabinoids and multiple sclerosis. Pharmacology &
Therapeutics. 95(2):165-74, 2002.
4. Wade, DT, et al. A preliminary controlled study to determine whether
whole-plant cannabis extracts can improve intractable neurogenic symptoms.
Clinical Rehabilitation. 17(1):21-9, 2003.
This information was last reviewed March 14, 2003.
Â
© 2003 Veritas Medicine

Study seeks multiple sclerosis patients for new drug trial
http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2003/03/31/daily10.html
[As far as I can work out this may be a trial of Campath-1H - see:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/show/NCT00050778?order=1 ]
March 31st, 2003
Orlando Business Journal
Phase II clinical trials designed to evaluate a cancer drug in patients with
multiple sclerosis are under way now in nine cities, including Orlando.
Researchers say the drug may have the potential to slow or stop the progression
of multiple sclerosis.
Metro Orlando is one of only nine cities in the nation in which this trial is
being conducted, and patients are needed.
Dr. Daniel Jacobs of Neurological Services of Orlando is conducting the studies
in Orlando. He is one of 20 neurologists worldwide administering the study.
Multiple sclerosis patients who are interested in learning more should call
Sharon Parrisch-Kach at (407) 540-1097.
Â
© 2003 American City Business Journals Inc.

Brains of MS Patients
Gray Matter Structure Shrinks in Brains of MS Patients, UB Neuroimaging
Scientists Find Research could point to new mechanisms of disease development,
progression
http://www.healthnewsdigest.com
Mar 31, 2003
Health News Digest
Buffalo, N.Y.
A brain structure called the caudate nucleus, which plays an important role in
cognition, emotions, mood, and motor function, may shrink by nearly 20 percent
in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers from the University at
Buffalo have shown.
By constructing three-dimensional images from high-resolution MRI scans of the
caudate nuclei of MS patients and healthy controls, UB researchers have been
able to compute the volume of this portion of the brain's deep gray matter,
suggesting for the first time that atrophy of the caudate nucleus occurs in MS.
Results of the research appeared in the March 3 issue of NeuroReport.
Researchers led by Rohit Bakshi, M.D., associate professor of neurology in UB's
School of Medicine and Biomedical Science, showed that the volume of the caudate
nucleus in 24 MS patients was on average 19 percent lower than in 10 age-matched
healthy controls. This result persisted after adjusting for the amount of
whole-brain atroph