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In this insightful episode of the Neuron Regeneration Podcast, we explore a groundbreaking new perspective on Parkinson’s disease treatment. Dr. Jonathan Sackner-Bernstein, a physician, engineer, and former FDA and DARPA leader, challenges the long-held belief that Parkinson’s is solely a disease of dopamine deficiency.

Instead, his research suggests that excess dopamine inside neurons may be a key driver of the disease—an insight soon-to-be-tested in human clinical trials with a repurposed drug that could potentially stop Parkinson’s progression.

Dr. Sackner-Bernstein shares his journey from cardiology to neuroscience, how personal experience led him to question conventional wisdom, and why breaking out of silos in research is key to advancing new treatments.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Rethinking Parkinson’s Disease:
  Why the prevailing dopamine deficiency model may be incomplete—and how shifting our understanding could transform treatment.
• From Discovery to Clinical Trials:
  How a repurposed drug, already FDA-approved for other uses, will soon being tested for its potential to stop or even reverse Parkinson’s disease.
• The Challenge of Scientific Dogma:
  What it takes to challenge long-standing medical assumptions and gain acceptance for new ideas in the scientific community.
• Cross-Disciplinary Innovation:
  How expertise in cardiology, drug development, and regulatory science informed Dr. Sackner-Bernstein’s unique approach to Parkinson’s research.
• Funding and the Future of Repurposed Drugs:
  Why securing investment for repurposed drugs is difficult, and how strategic patenting can help ensure their viability as new treatments for new indications.
• The Power of “First Principles” Thinking:
  How revisiting the fundamental assumptions of a disease can unlock new therapeutic possibilities.

Articles being discussed:

• Rethinking Parkinson’s disease: could dopamine reduction therapy have clinical utility?
• Estimates of Intracellular Dopamine in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
  

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Stay Connected:

• Connect with Dr. Jonathan Sackner-Bernstein: 
  • Website: https://www.parkinsonsdisease.blog
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathansb/
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