Members of U3A Cambridge were treated to an inspiring and informative presentation about Parkinson's disease research and the realistic prospects for finding a cure. The session, led by a Dr McGowan from Cure Parkinson's New Zealand, provided both sobering statistics and genuine reasons for optimism about the future.

LINKS: https://www.onein37.org.nz/ (for the documentary)

https://www.cureparkinsonsnz.org.nz/ (for more information and to donate)

Understanding the Challenge

Parkinson's disease is the world's fastest-growing neurological condition, affecting at least 13,000 New Zealanders and over 12 million people worldwide. The numbers are startling - cases have doubled over the past six years and are predicted to double again by 2040. When asked for a show of hands, at least half the room knew someone affected by Parkinson's, highlighting how widespread the condition has become.

The disease affects people of all ages and backgrounds, with one in twenty diagnosed before age 50. The presentation emphasised that Parkinson's is not just an elderly person's disease - it can strike anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Early Warning Signs

One of the most significant insights shared was about the early symptoms that appear years before the characteristic movement problems develop. Loss of smell is a key early indicator, affecting 90-95% of people who eventually develop Parkinson's. Other warning signs include constipation and REM sleep behaviour disorder, where people act out their dreams during sleep.

By the time of diagnosis, 60-80% of the brain's dopamine-producing neurons have already died, making early detection crucial for future treatment success.

Environmental Factors

The presentation highlighted concerning environmental triggers, describing Parkinson's as potentially a "man-made disease." Exposure to herbicides, pesticides, and industrial chemicals significantly increases risk. Farmers and agricultural workers face higher rates of the disease, as do people living near golf courses due to chemical runoff into groundwater.

Air pollution, head trauma from contact sports, and certain bacterial infections also contribute to risk. The good news is that just last week, Syngenta agreed to stop manufacturing paraquat, a particularly dangerous pesticide linked to Parkinson's.

Groundbreaking New Zealand Research

Cure Parkinson's New Zealand has funded world-first research at the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research. The team has created the first-ever 3D reconstruction of the human olfactory system, mapping how smell travels from nose to brain. This painstaking work involved examining 2,000 tissue sections and revealed we have an incredible 2.7 million sensory neurons in our noses.

This research opens the door to early diagnosis and intervention before the movement symptoms appear - potentially screening people with smell disorders and treating them before Parkinson's progresses.

Treatment Advances

While current treatments remain largely symptomatic, the research pipeline is promising. Nearly half of the 160+ drugs currently in trials are disease-modifying therapies - treatments that could actually stop or slow the disease's progression rather than just managing symptoms.

The presentation emphasised that finding a cure is a matter of "when, not if." Advances in cancer treatment, multiple sclerosis, and HIV provide encouraging examples of how medical breakthroughs can transform previously devastating conditions.

What You Can Do

For those living with Parkinson's, exercise is fundamental - particularly boxing classes that work on fitness and coordination. Diet matters enormously, with high-fibre Mediterranean-style eating recommended to support gut health, which is increasingly recognised as connected to brain health.

The research is entirely donation-funded, with no government support despite the $600 million annual economic impact in New Zealand. The charitable trust relies on public generosity to fund the world-class research happening right here in our universities.

A Message of Hope

Perhaps most importantly, the presentation conveyed genuine optimism. With dedicated researchers making world-first discoveries, promising drugs in development, and growing understanding of the disease, there are compelling reasons to believe that Parkinson's can be conquered. The dream is to detect and treat the condition before it progresses to the movement disorder that defines it today.

For more information about the research featured in this presentation, visit the 1in37 documentary website to watch the full 60-minute film that aired on TVNZ.