Neuroethics International Consortium

[Michael Okun @MichaelOkun]

History was made yesterday as the National Advisory Council on Parkinson's Research, Care, and Services (National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act) gathered for its inaugural meeting. Prevention and many other pressing topics took their seats at the national table. Can we prevent Parkinson's disease before it begins? Well, the new 8 C's framework just dropped in a new paper and it aims to change the conversation. Primary prevention means reducing the chances of Parkinson's disease developing in the first place, rather than treating symptoms after diagnosis or slowing progression once the disease has already started. However, we cannot forget secondary and tertiary prevention too! Mantri and colleagues describe in a new paper in npj Parkinson's Disease the proceedings and position statement from the first Parkinson's Disease Prevention Think Tank held at the Fixel Institute in Gainesville, Florida and sponsored by the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Key points:
- The Think Tank proposed 8 C's for prevention including accurate Counts, longitudinal Cohorts, policy Change, individual Counseling, science Communication, disease Coalitions, Cross-disciplinary approaches and sustained financial Commitment.
- Environmental exposures including pesticides and industrial chemicals were highlighted as important areas for research, mitigation and policy action.
- The group emphasized that preventing Parkinson's disease will require coordinated efforts across science, public health, policy and communities.
My take: For decades we have focused appropriately on treating Parkinson's disease after it arrives. It may now be time to invest just as aggressively in preventing it from arriving in the first place. The rise in Parkinson's disease across the globe appears too rapid to be explained by aging and genetics alone. Though many environmental associations remain hypothesis generating and require additional study, history teaches us that waiting for perfect evidence can come at a tremendous cost. The future of Parkinson's may not simply be in better treatments. It may also be in cleaner air, safer water, healthier food systems, smarter regulation and earlier action. I am biased as an author, so read for yourself.
Here are 5 points that resonated w/ me about this article:
1- Prevention should become a central pillar of Parkinson's research alongside treatment and cure.
2- Genes matter, however, genes are not destiny and environment likely plays an important role in shaping risk.
3- Better tracking of Parkinson's cases and exposures will help us understand where interventions can make the biggest difference.
4- Small individual choices including exercise, healthy diets and reducing unnecessary toxic exposures may matter, especially for folks w/ a family history or genetic risk.
5- The biggest victories may ultimately come from policy decisions and societal changes that protect entire communities rather than relying only on individual action.
https://t.co/8Qb5WD75Gd @ParkinsonDotOrg

[SfN Journals @SfNJournals]

New in #JNeurosci from Song et al: The connection patterns among brain areas involved in attention and cognitive control can predict how effectively adults learn a language. https://t.co/Kn4C91QsC2

[bioethics.com @bioethicsdotcom]

Wearables, and the flood of data they generate, inch closer to entering the clinic

(STAT News) – A major selling point for wearable devices is the promise that they’ll help identify hidden health conditions before they lead to major harm. But a nagging… https://t.co/7ZDbku2F5W

[Cambridge University Press - Philosophy @CambUP_PHILNYUK]

New Cambridge Element, Wittgenstein on Belief Formation by Nuno Venturinha, out now! Read for free for the next 2 weeks at
https://t.co/YjYdO6TRlo
#cambridgeelements #philosophy

[Michael Young @MJYoung_MD]

The discovery of covert consciousness challenges us to better detect, understand, and ultimately unlock the voices of patients who are there but cannot yet speak for themselves.

https://t.co/oOPUMmX6Iy @MassGenBrigham @HarvardMed @ComaRecoveryLab @CuringComa @MassGenNeuro

[Mass General Brigham Research @MGBResearchNews]

A new perspective piece by @MassGenBrigham researcher @MJYoung_MD and colleagues provides a framework for safeguarding neural data amid a rise in neurotechnologies.

Read more: https://t.co/zon9qgxczC https://t.co/Myqp5cekus

[JAMA @JAMA_current]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (#ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness due to degeneration of upper motor neurons in the brain and lower motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord.

Diagnosis relies on clinical criteria with mixed upper and lower motor neuron features, and is often supported by electromyography and genetic testing, which may direct treatment.

📌 Learn more in this JAMA Review: https://t.co/2gvxr8EQUA

[Feixiong Cheng @FeixiongCheng]

Alzheimer's disease drug development pipeline: 2026 published today! The 2026 AD drug development pipeline includes 158 unique therapies in 192 trials, marking continued growth in disease-modifying agents, with 35% being repurposed drugs. Thanks @DrJeffCummings @NIHAging @TheADDF

[Eric Topol @EricTopol]

Challenging medical dogma, our understanding of the thymus and its impact on our health throughout lifespan has been completely revamped
w/ @HugoAerts @TheLancet
https://t.co/Wx4n7zeJwp

[Neuroethics International Consortium @NeuroethicsLab]

@ThaddeusPope “Deaf,” not “dead.” Unless HHS is adding necromancy to its portfolio.

[SfN Journals @SfNJournals]

#JNeurosci: Li and colleagues explored how the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) contributes to AD. They manipulated the p75NTR gene in a mouse model of AD and discovered that doing so alleviated some hallmark molecular and behavioral symptoms. https://t.co/I7f4GFZtUR

[Dr. Alison Bateman-House @ABatemanHouse]

Sarepta touts 3-year Duchenne gene therapy data after patient deaths - https://t.co/mOtNNBDiBJ

[Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation @TheADDF]

Under Priority Review, the FDA has accepted @EisaiUS and @biogen's application for Leqembi Iqlik as a subcutaneous starting dose in early Alzheimer’s —an important step toward expanding treatment options & improving access for patients and caregivers.
https://t.co/SOIIBy2K7D

[Matthew Loftus @matthew_loftus]

Very good article summarizing what we know about "covert consciousness" (i.e. people who are still conscious despite appearing comatose) and how to avoid inadvertently murdering people during organ donation.
https://t.co/KAchpN22wt

[Neuroethics International Consortium @NeuroethicsLab]

@ThaddeusPope Thank you for sharing this vital story

[Neuroethics International Consortium @NeuroethicsLab]

https://t.co/nb0qGdIyPz

[M Velia Antonini @FOAMecmo]

On consciousness, controlled donation after circulatory determination of death, and risk of mismanagement. Ethical structure of cDCDD rests on key premises: decisions to limit or withdraw treatment are consistent with patient’s values, preferences, goals and independent of considerations related to OD, and the patient is unconscious when peridonation procedures begin. The implications of covert consciousness extend to WLSM decisions more broadly, sharpening the need for diagnostic and prognostic humility, clear communication of uncertainty, and neurologically informed safeguards.
🔗 https://t.co/UfVQ2bTEh0

[BCM Ethics & Policy @BCMEthics]

Most people put off end-of-life planning, often for the wrong reasons.

In a new Forbes commentary piece, Dr. @peterubel explains what really matters when thinking about end-of-life decisions.

Read here: https://t.co/Zq6ceYKLIU

#EndOfLifeCare #HealthDecisionMaking #Bioethics

[World Medical Association @medwma]

Important insights from Dr Christofer Lindholm, Chair of the WMA Medical Ethics Committee, featured in this Euractiv piece on the EU Biotech Act.
🔗 https://t.co/rPrVznaNw6

#Bioethics #ClinicalTrials #PatientSafety