JANUARY 2017

6370 LBJ Freeway

Suite 170

Dallas, TX 75240

(972) 620-7600

www.daps.us

january meeting information 2

thank you 2

weather reminder 3

parkinson’s news 3

memorials, honors, donations 5

holiday luncheon recap 6

executive director’s message 6

group schedules 7

calendar of events 8

INSIDE

Alpha-Synuclein: Stopping the Sticky Protein

behind Parkinson’s Disease

Alpha-Synuclein continues on page 3

Alpha-synuclein is the building block of Lewy bodies, which are now

considered the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Scientists believe Lewy

bodies are toxic to brain cells, but they don’t yet fully understand the underlying

mechanisms. In 2003, German anatomist Heiko Braak categorized PD into six

stages that were correlated to the number of Lewy bodies found throughout the

brain. Generally speaking, the longer the patient has PD, the more Lewy

bodies there are, and the more they are distributed throughout the brain as the

disease progresses. In stages 1, 2, and 3, patients typically don’t exhibit motor

symptoms, but other precursors may exist such as loss of smell, constipation,

erratic sleep patterns, and depression. This may be a result of alpha-synuclein

aggregating in the gut, causing constipation, or in the olfactory bulb, which is

where the brain regulates sense of smell. Stages 3 through 6 are where

patients experience the better known symptoms of PD such as tremors, muscle

stiffness, and difficulties with walking, speaking, and swallowing.

So if alpha-synuclein makes up Lewy bodies, and Lewy bodies cause PD, then

how can we stop alpha-synuclein? First, we must understand it. Alpha-

synuclein is a protein, also known as an amino acid. Proteins are the essential

building blocks of all the cells in our bodies. Alpha-synuclein is found in brain

cells, red blood cells, and in some tissues of the body. Scientists aren’t exactly

sure what its function is, but they believe it has to do with some sort of

communication between nerve cells in the brain. It tends to be found near

lipids, or fats, within nerve cells, and it binds to the tiny vesicles that release

chemicals when brain cells talk to each other. What’s important to understand

is that alpha-synuclein is normally soluble like the proteins found in a raw egg.

But in certain disease conditions, it can become somewhat insoluble, more like

the proteins found in a hardboiled egg. This insoluble condition is what is found

in the alpha-synuclein of Lewy bodies.

Everyone has alpha-synuclein, but in people with PD, something goes awry.

Lower animals, such as worms, don’t have alpha-synuclein, so it is believed to

be associated with higher brain function. Therefore, scientists don’t want to

by Margaret B. Schroeder

JANUARY

general

membership

meeting

Mike Miles

DAPS Executive Director

will present a

State of DAPS Address

See page 2 for details.

Monday, January 9, 2017

1:00 p.m.

University Park

United Methodist Church

4024 Caruth Blvd (at Preston)

Dallas, TX 75225

As always, light refreshments

will be served.

We look forward to seeing you!

PAGE 2 · DAPS · JANUARY 2017

Board of Directors

Chad Swank, Ph.D., President

Barbara Glass, Vice President

Ann Heidger, Secretary

Greg Wood, Treasurer

Jim Struble, Advisory Council Liaison

Chris Clausen

Bentley Foster

Mary Ellen Malone

Chick Martin

Heather Stevens

Dedicated to impacting and improving

the lives of those affected by

Parkinson’s disease

Medical Advisory Board

Shilpa Chitnis, MD, Ph.D.

Richard B. Dewey, Jr., M.D.

Richard L. Fulbright, Ph.D.

Dwight C. German, Ph.D.

R. Malcolm Stewart, M.D.

Gary L. Tunell, M.D.

Newsletter

Jill Dominguez, Editor

The DAPS newsletter is published monthly as an

information guide only, and does not serve as legal or

medical advice. We welcome your feedback,

contributions or requests. Please send to or contact:

Jill Dominguez

Phone: 972-620-7600

jill@daps.us

www.daps.us · facebook.com/daps.us

Submissions must be received by the 1st of the month

preceding publication date and are subject to editing.

Advisory Council

Sarah Atwood

Dusty Berry

Jean Blomquist

Ben Casey

Carlie Dorshaw-Moe

Shirley Hand

Charlene Noe

Sandi Pautler

Joyce Susman

Barbara Taylor

Cindy Weatherall

Executive Director

Mike Miles

January speaker:

Mike Miles, Executive Director of DAPS

Two years ago, Dallas Area Parkinsonism

Society took the bold step of hiring a full-time

Executive Director, Mike Miles. December 1,

2016, marked Mike’s two-year anniversary with

DAPS. Those two years have been filled with

opportunities for growth and an increase in

awareness of DAPS’ mission, leading to some

exciting and sometimes challenging

developments. While there have been some

growing pains, there have also been many

things to celebrate along the way. We can be

proud of where we are today!

DAPS

“The Fairest of Them of All”

And

“One of Dallas’ Best-Kept Secrets”

These are two things you may have heard Mike say.

They are both great descriptions of DAPS.

Please join us on Monday, January 9, as Mike brings us up to date with

“The State of DAPS”.

December’s Holiday Luncheon

was generously sponsored by:

Thank you!

JANUARY 2017 · DAPS · PAGE 3

completely suppress its production in the body. In some

rare forms of inherited PD, if one or more of the building

blocks of alpha-synuclein is mutated, then it will

be more prone to the creation of Lewy bodies. In other

rare cases, people have an extra copy of the gene that

makes synuclein. Those people make more of the protein,

and so there is a greater propensity for the creation of

Lewy bodies.

In the creation of a Lewy body, a single molecule, also

known as a monomer, binds to another one. This new

double is called a dimer. You might remember from

English classes that “mono” is Latin for “one,” and “di” is

Latin for “two.” When many dimers bind together, they

become an oligomer. (If you guessed that “oligo” is Greek

for “a few,” you’re right.) These oligomers may disturb lipid

membranes, or they may possibly disturb the way calcium

ions are handled within cells. When oligomers join together,

they make fibrils, the main constituent of Lewy bodies.

These fibrils are misfolded clumps of alpha-synuclein that

get stuck within the brain cells like that hardboiled egg

analogy. There is even a theory that Lewy bodies can

spread throughout the brain, possibly placing PD in the

category of prion diseases, the most popular of which is

mad cow disease. Of course, there is no evidence that

PD can be spread from one person to another, as is the

case with mad cow.

What’s exciting for scientists is the fact that this building

block process can be reversed. You may recall that the

2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to

Yoshinori Ohsumi for his discoveries in the mechanisms of

autophagy, or “self eating”. This is the fundamental process

by which cells degrade and recycle cellular components.

Using autophagy, cells can chew up proteins with enzymes,

or they can store bad proteins in little packages called

lysosomes and then eat the proteins.

Studies are ongoing to determine the role of immunotherapy

in the control of Lewy bodies. Since it is now known that

Lewy bodies can be found outside the brain, it is

theoretically possible to create a vaccine for PD. One

clinical study is injecting dead alpha-synuclein proteins into

the body, causing the creation of anti-bodies which take up

the toxic proteins floating in the red blood cells. Another

study is injecting small molecule compounds that bind to

alpha-synuclein clumps to unclump them or prevent more

clumps from forming. These trials are both in Phase I, and

researchers are expecting to continue on to Phase II in

2017-2018. If it’s possible to stop alpha-synuclein from

clumping within the cells and forming Lewy bodies, then

scientists could have a very real and positive impact on PD.

If you would like to participate in a clinical trial as a PD

patient or a healthy control subject, please see

FoxTrialFinder.org. This article references the Michael J Fox

Foundation Third Thursday Webinar Series and is for

informational purposes only.

Alpha-Synuclein continued from front page

From Gut to Brain: New Ideas on the

Path of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a disorder marked by stiffness

of movement, shuffling of feet, and shaking heads and

hands. However, early symptoms include constipation and

loss of the sense of smell. This progression has not been

well understood, but recent studies may hold the key.

Alpha-synuclein is a soluble protein normally found in the

cytoplasm of healthy nerve cells. In people with

Parkinson’s disease, this molecule warps and forms

fibrous strands.

About a decade ago, pathologists doing autopsies found

alpha-synuclein fibers in nerves of the gastrointestinal (GI)

tract of people who had Parkinson’s disease (PD) and in

those of some who had no symptoms of PD but did have

alpha-synuclein fibers in the brain. Now, researchers have

been able to trace the path of alpha-synuclein as it travels

from the GI nerves to the base of the brain, and then to the

part of the brain that controls movement.

Gut to Brain continued on next page

REMINDER…

In the event that there is

bad weather on the day of

a DAPS meeting, group,

or class,

we will follow decisions

determined by the

Dallas Independent

School District.

(dallasisd.org/weather)

PAGE 4 · DAPS · JANUARY 2017

Ian Andersen

Sarah Atwood

Dusty Berry

Edna Buentipo

Leo & Eddi Dagley

Jill Dominguez

Raul Dominguez

Liza Farrow-Gillespie

Bentley Foster

Barbara Glass

Barry & Pat Goukler

Ann Heidger

Leon & Marilyn Levin

Pam & Matt Michel

Donna Miles

Mike Miles

Carlie Moe

Susan Norvell

Sandi Pautler

Jackie Reis

Debora Schoene

Holly Scott

Jim Struble

Joyce Susman

Chad Swank

Linda & Mike Swanson

Kyle Wayne Thomason

Cindy Weatherall

Diana Winkelmann

Greg Wood

GEMs are donors who

Give Every Month.

Our GEMs are very valuable!

Sign up on the DAPS website.

What could cause this damage to the nerve cells of the

gut? Could it be that toxins or microbes, which have easy

access to the digestive tract and the nose, cause the

initial alpha-synuclein damage, which then spreads to

the brain?

It is known that farmers who routinely work with certain

pesticides have a higher incidence of PD. Such an irritant

could cause inflammation, a known trigger for alpha-

synuclein aggregation.

Bacteria could also trigger an inflammatory response.

Research has recently suggested that people with PD

have different bacteria in their GI system.

“That would be game-changing,” says David Burn at

Newcastle University, UK. “There are lots of different

mechanisms that could potentially stop the spread.”

Some doctors are already experimenting with antibiotics

and fecal transplants.

Drugs preventing the formation of alpha-synuclein

fibers are being developed. If we could screen for these

distinctive nerve changes in the gut during routine

colonoscopies and administer a drug that blocks or

destroys the alpha-synuclein fibers before they reach

the brain, we could essentially prevent the later stages

of Parkinson’s from ever developing.

That would put Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society and

many others out of business, and we would gladly go.

We look forward to learning more about this promising

development.

Information taken with permission from the New Scientist article

“Parkinson’s disease may start in the gut and travel to the brain” by

Clare Wilson. https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23231024-100-

parkinsons-disease-may-start-in-the-gut-and-travel-to-the-brain/.

Accessed 13 December 2016.

Gut to Brain continued from page 3

“I support DAPS because of a family

member with PD. I was amazed at the level

of services that DAPS provides free of

charge. Being recently retired, I couldn't

think of an organization that I would feel

better about offering my talents, time and

money to. I have served on the board

almost four years and am excited about our

having an executive director now. The

number of people needing DAPS services is

growing daily. Our financial and volunteer

support must grow too.”

~Diana Winkelmann

Thank you to all those who graciously

volunteered to help set up for the

holiday luncheon.

I have the decorations, but couldn’t do it

without you!

~Shirley Hand

JANUARY 2017 · DAPS · PAGE 5

MEMORIALS · HONORS · DONATIONS

NOVEMBER 2016

In memory of Revis Parkison

From: Wendy Bennett & Ric Bennett

In memory of Harry Morris

From: Clara Brigge Morris

Jackson Brown

Joe & Janet Cuevas

Jill & Raul Dominguez

Sonni Goffman

Joel & Marilyn Goldfinger

Barry Goukler

Rose Ellenzweig

Harriet & Fred Kriegel

Jeannette N. Hooker

Shirley Howard

Rosalind Kaplan

Marsha Kreitman

Gloria & Ralph LaRovere

Marilyn & Leon Levin

Mike & Donna Miles

Barbara & Don Ramp

Robert & Vickie Strong

Joyce Susman

Mike & Linda Swanson

Caren & Bob Tate

Akiko Walker

In memory of Clark Beaird

From: Ann Carlisle

Leo & Eddi Dagley

Brenda & Billy Merriman

In memory of Jean Green

From: Donna Burson

In memory of Solomon Lopez

From: David Cajas

In memory of Caleb David Jeffus

From: Friendship Sunday School Class

In memory of Joanne Brown

From: Joel & Marilyn Goldfinger

Jeannette N. Hooker

Barbara & Don Ramp

In memory of Jim Howard

From: Joel & Marilyn Goldfinger

Barbara & Don Ramp

In memory of Rex Hand

From: The Hand Family

In memory of Merrill Evans

From: Kay Lightle

In memory of Ann S. Lyman

From: John Lyman

In memory of John Zdychnec

From: Mike & Donna Miles

In memory of George Kilpatrick

From: Janis & Dennis Wells

In honor of Gene Burson

From: Brenda Bull

In honor of Lue Taff

From: The DAPS group at Lake Pointe

Church at White Rock

In honor of Misty Owens

From: The DAPS group at Lake Pointe

Church at White Rock

Mike & Linda Swanson

In honor of Pat Warner

From: The DAPS group at Lake Pointe

Church at White Rock

In honor of DAPS Caregivers

From: Abbie Vogt (Theobald)

Donation to DAPS

From: CNC Homecare

Communities Foundation of Texas

Anonymous individuals at November

General Membership Meeting

Susan MacDonald

Mike Miles for #GivingTuesday

Pepsico Employee Giving Program -

Matching gift for NTGD donation from

Kristina Casanova

Diane & Rick Rogers

DAPS at Custer Road (Plano)

DAPS McKinney

DAPS at Preston Hollow (Dallas)

DAPS at Trinity (Duncanville)

Donation to DAPS McKinney

From: Anonymous individuals

PAGE 6 · DAPS · OCTOBER 2014 PAGE 6 · DAPS · JANUARY 2017

Highway 2017

A new year has begun. Have you or a loved one frozen,

stumbled, or fallen yet? At the risk of being the bearer of

bad news, you will. And the unfortunate mishaps to which I

refer have nothing to do with Parkinson’s disease.

Most of us approach the New Year with a sense of renewal.

A time when the turn of the last calendar page signals a

chance to begin again. A chance to reflect upon days gone

by and to set our sights on the days ahead. Resolutions

and dreams of success are pondered.

I wish you the best with your resolutions. I have mine as

well. The truth is there were times last year when each of

us froze (didn’t act when we should have), stumbled (had

those minor setbacks), and perhaps even fell (fell short of

what we hoped to accomplish). That is life. The important

thing is that you got up, you started again, you learned. As

painful as they are, I have learned more from my failures

than I ever have learned from a victory lap.

The only way to avoid setbacks and failure is to never take

that first step or venture anything new. Perhaps,

somewhere, there is that timid person who shelters himself

from failure by never trying something new. But I have not

met that person here at DAPS.

So, best wishes as you start your journey down US

Highway 2017. It is a road with curves and maybe some

detours, but along the way, there are new experiences and

joys that make the trip worthwhile. Savor them, and you will

have a happy New Year!

Kindest regards,

A message from Mike Miles

Executive Director

This year’s DAPS Holiday Luncheon was pure fun.

Sponsored by First Call of Dallas (thank you!), the

luncheon featured a delicious meal catered by

Amore Italian Restaurant and two gorgeous cakes

from Stein’s Bakery.

Shirley Hand and a band of hard-working volunteers

decorated the room so beautifully it was truly magical.

DAPS Board and Advisory Council members helped

our Administrative Associate, Jill Dominguez, check

in guests, and later helped serve drinks and cake.

And the Woodrow Wilson Variations show choir once

again gave such a wonderful performance! It is

always a joy to listen to their beautiful harmonies and

watch their perfectly timed choreography. We owe a

big “Thank you” to Mrs. Katie Anderson and Mr. John

Beaird for arranging this performance, and to all the

volunteers who helped us make this luncheon such

an enjoyable experience for everyone.

DAPS’ NO-CHARGE

exercise · speech therapy · support groups

JANUARY 2017 · DAPS · PAGE 7

NON-CONTACT BOXING

FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Title Boxing Club of Allen

300 N. Greenville Ave.

214-644-2640

allen-greenville.titleboxingclub.com

Tuesday/Thursday..10:30 to 11:30 am

Wednesday...8:15 to 9:15 pm

Saturday...10:15 to 11:15 am

DAPS has partnered with

Title Boxing of Allen to obtain

reduced rates. Learn more about

the program at FreeMotionPD.com.

Contact the class trainer, Heidi

Weimer, with any questions

regarding schedules or rates.

CARROLLTON:

Grace Lutheran Church

1200 E. Hebron Pkwy. (972-492-4474)

Group Exercise:

Wednesday...10:00 to 11:00 am

Speech Therapy:

Wednesday…11:00 to 11:45 am

DALLAS:

Finley Ewing Cardiovascular &

Fitness Center, Studio 3

5721 Phoenix Drive (214-345-7074)

Dance for Movement Disorders:

Tuesday…2:00 to 3:15 pm

Thursday...2:00 to 3:15 pm

Lake Pointe Church at White Rock

9150 Garland Rd. (214-324-1425)

Dance for PD®:

Wednesday...9:30 to 10:30 am

Speech Therapy:

Wednesday...10:30 to 11:15 am

Partners-in-Care Group:

Wednesday...10:15 to 11:15 am

Preston Hollow United Methodist

Church

6315 Walnut Hill Lane (214-363-4393)

Speech Therapy:

Tuesday...11:30 am to 12:30 pm

Group Exercise:

Tuesday...10:30 to 11:30 am

Thursday...10:30 to 11:30 am

DUNCANVILLE:

Trinity United Methodist Church

1302 S. Clark Rd. (972-296-2155)

Speech Therapy:

Thursday...1:00 to 1:45 pm

Group Exercise:

Monday...12:00 to 1:00 pm *New Time

No class last Monday of the month

Thursday...2:00 to 3:00 pm

Support Meeting:

Last Monday...6:00 to 8:00 pm

Partners-in-Care Group:

3rd Thursday...1:00 to 2:00 pm

Dance for PD®:

Monday...10:30 to 11:30 am *New Time

No class last Monday of the month

GARLAND:

South Garland Baptist Church

1330 E. Centerville Rd. (972-271-5428)

Group Speech:

1st & 3rd Monday… 9:30 to 10:15 am

Thursday… 9:30 to 10:15 am

Group Exercise:

Monday...10:30 to 11:30 am

Thursday...10:30 to 11:30 am

Discussion Group:

Monday...9:30 to 10:30 am

Partners-in-Care Group:

Thursday...10:30 to 11:30 am

IRVING:

MacArthur Hills Sr. Living

1295 Kinwest Pkwy. (469-251-4349)

Group Exercise:

Tuesday...10:00 to 11:00 am

Friday...10:00 to 11:00 am

MESQUITE:

Mesquite Rehabilitation Institute

1023 North Belt Line Rd.

(972-216-2400)

Speech Therapy: Tuesday...9:30 to 10:00 am

Group Exercise:

Tuesday...10:00 to 11:00 am

PLANO:

Custer Road United Methodist

Church

6601 Custer Road (972-618-3450)

Speech Therapy:

Thursday...11:00 to 11:45 am

Group Exercise:

Monday...9:45 to 10:45 am

Thursday...9:45 to 10:45 am

Partners-in-Care Group:

Monday...9:45 to 10:45 am

RICHARDSON:

Arapaho United Methodist Church

1400 W. Arapaho Rd. (972-231-1005)

Group Exercise:

Tuesday...10:00 to 11:00 am

Friday...10:00 to 11:00 am

Non-Profit

Organization

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Dallas, TX

Permit No. 3255

RETURN SERVICE

REQUESTED

Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society

6370 LBJ Freeway, Suite 170

Dallas, Texas 75240

(972) 620-7600

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

january general meeting Monday, January 9– 1:00 p.m.

Speaker: Mike Miles, Executive Director of DAPS

Topic: State of DAPS Address

open board meeting

Monday, January 16 - 1:00 p.m.

february general meeting Monday, February 13 - 1:00 p.m.

Speaker: Sandra Lewis

Topic: Life at the Table

daps mckinney

Tuesday, January 17 - 10:00 a.m.

Speaker: Susan B. Sterling, Ed.D.*

Topic: Move. Laugh. Connect….extending the

functional years

* Charles & Susan Sterling spoke at last October’s

DAPS General Meeting. Read the biography here.

february in mckinney

Tuesday, February 21 - 10:00 a.m.

Speaker: Sandi Pautler

Topic: Cruising with Parkinson ’s

All General Membership Meetings are held at University Park

United Methodist Church, 4024 Caruth Blvd., Dallas, TX 75225.

For more information, call 972-620-7600.

DAPS McKinney meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at

St. Gabriel the Archangel Church, 110 St. Gabriel Way, McKinney,

TX 75070. Email mckinney@daps.us for more information.

disclaimer: The contents or opinions expressed in this Newsletter are those of the individual writers or presenters and do not constitute an endorsement or approval by DAPS staff. Please consult your personal physician regarding your individual medical problems.

For change of address or corrections, please indicate the changes on this page and mail it to DAPS, or email: daps@daps.us

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