Prevent more of these stories
The government has drastically cut its funding for scientific research. The private sector must take up the challenge of supporting the discovery of cures for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Parkinson’s: Pope John Paul II
The processes that lead to neurological impairment are better understood than they were a generation ago. But dementing diseases like Parkinson's can still inspire secrecy that compounds the suffering of patients.
Pope John Paul II experienced tremors and stiffness for years before revealing that he had Parkinson's in 2005. He was treated with L-Dopa, a drug that boosts levels of dopamine in the brain. But this course of treatment was started late and halted prematurely, compounding his cognitive dysfunction in the last months of his life.