After explaining our grid computing project to Dr. Weinstein, he said that he had never heard of grid computing, but that he thought it sounded like a great way to advance protein misfolding research. It is important that people know about protein misfolding, he said, because our lifespan is older than it used to be, which has led to an increase in mutations and protein misfoldings. There is a higher frequency of disease due to protein misfolding in older individuals, and the general public should be aware of this. Diseases caused by protein misfoldings are not limited to neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s; protein misfoldings can also cause nonneurological diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Dr. Weinstein said that health education is important so that the public is not misinformed about the causes of diseases and can start taking preventive steps.
This led us to ask about common misconceptions that the public might have about Parkinson’s. Dr. Weinstein said that many people think that Parkinson’s disease is mostly hereditary and that it is affected by lifestyle. Only a small percentage of people with Parkinson’s develop the disease due to genetics, and usually it is early onset Parkinson’s. Lifestyle might play a role in causing the disease, he said, but the main culprit is protein mutation and misfolding.
Dr. Weinstein decided on his career in medicine because he enjoyed not only the academic aspect of science, such as the intellectual challenge and taking exams, but also because he was fascinated by the way medicine uses deductive reasoning to solve problems and help people. He was particularly interested in neurology because it requires a great deal of reasoning and innovation, and the field is rapidly developing new technologies for the treatment of neurological disorders.
This led us to inquire about specific treatments that are commonly used to treat Parkinson’s. Dr. Weinstein said that the most common treatment is a combination of the drugs Levadopa and Carbidopa. Levadopa is in a class of drugs called central nervous system agents, and works by converting to dopamine when metabolized by the body. Carbidopa is in a class called decarboxylase inhibitors, and works to lessen the side effects caused by Levadopa and to ensure Levadopa does not break down before reaching the brain. Another common treatment that Dr. Weinstein mentioned was dopamine agonists, which act as false transmitters and are similar to Levadopa, but are less potent.
Dr. Weinstein discussed current research and new treatments for Parkinson’s, namely surgical treatments for dyskinesia, a movement disorder that consists of involuntary movements or diminished voluntary movements associated with Parkinson’s disease. The surgery basically involves deep brain stimulation in the thalamus to reduce dyskinesia and greatly improves a patient’s quality of life.
The interview with Dr. Weinstein increased our knowledge about Parkinson’s disease and the treatments that are currently being used, as well as new treatments that are being developed. We also learned that our grid computing project goes beyond the scope of Parkinson’s disease because of the numerous diseases caused by protein misfolding. Dr. Weinstein gave us some new insights about how medicine is changing as our population ages, and the many ways protein misfolding research can benefit people.
A special thanks to Dr. Weinstein for agreeing to be interviewed for this project, and to better our understanding of Parkinson’s disease and protein misfolding.
