Ken Sharlin: Parkinson's Disease — Preventing and Reversing Neurodegeneration with Integrative Medicine | Episode 99

In this episode, I interview Dr. Ken Sharlin, a neurologist and the author of The Healthy Brain Toolbox, to discuss Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's and ALS. Dr. Sharlin explores the symptoms, causes, and potential breakthroughs in treating these diseases through both conventional and functional medicine.

What We Discuss:

• Parkinson’s Symptoms and Early Signs: Both motor symptoms (such as tremors, rigidity, and shuffling gait) and non-motor symptoms (including anxiety, depression, constipation, and REM sleep behavior disorder) can appear during a pre-motor phase that may last over a decade before diagnosis. 
• The Neuroscience of Parkinson’s: We explore how dopamine loss and damage to the basal ganglia disrupt movement, highlighting the role of dopamine in the disease’s hallmark symptoms.
• Current Treatments: While there’s no cure, treatments like levodopa manage symptoms. Diagnostic tools like DAT and SPECT scans reveal brain abnormalities that guide treatment.
• Levodopa: This vital medication helps restore dopamine but can cause side effects like psychosis, making it important to balance with functional approaches.  Explore its science, benefits, risks, and limitations. 
• Environmental Factors: Toxins, head injuries, and gut health may contribute to Parkinson’s, with inflammation and oxidative stress playing key roles in its development.
• Gut-Brain Connection: We discuss how gut health affects brain function and the potential of diet and probiotics to slow disease progression.
• Diet and Lifestyle: A plant-based, anti-inflammatory diet, along with sleep, exercise, and stress management, is crucial for brain health and reducing inflammation.
• Understanding Systems Biology: We explore systems biology and how our interconnected bodily systems influence neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, advocating for a holistic strategy instead of just treating individual organs or symptoms. 
• Reversing Cognitive Decline: Dr. Sharlin shares success stories of reversing Alzheimer's through functional medicine, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle changes and controlling inflammation.

RESOURCES

BOOKS
- An Essay on the Shaking Palsy by James Parkinson
- The Healthy Brain Toolbox by Dr. Ken Sharlin
- Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky 

DRUGS
- Aducanumab (Aduhelm)
- Donanemab (Kisunla)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Omeprazole (Prilosec, Losec)
- Lecanemab (Leqembi) 
- Levodopa and Carbidopa (Sinemet)

MOVIES & TV
- Awakenings
- Star Trek
- Supersize Me

PEOPLE
- Barbara Pickut
- Brett Favre
- Hans Selye
- James Parkinson
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Morgan Spurlock
- Robert Sapolsky
- Robin Williams
- Robert De Niro
- Walter Cannon

ORGANIZATIONS
- Bened Life
- Biogen
- Eli Lilly
- Eisai 
- Green Bay Packers
- The Institute for Functional Medicine
- University of Michigan

VOCABULARY
- Alpha-synuclein
- Cytochrome P450
- General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
- Glutathione
- Krebs Cycle 
- Lateral ventricles
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH)
- mTOR pathway
- Postencephalitic Parkinsonism 
- Trichloroethylene

Connect & Learn More
Website: functionalmedicine.doctor
Book: healthybraintoolbox.com
The Parkinson's Solutions Summit 2.0: drtalks.com/summit/parkinsons-summit