June 27, 2025 • 21 mins
Brain disorders are never isolated problems. In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Joseph takes us on a journey through the interconnected landscape of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease, revealing how our brains function as part of a complex bodily system rather than as isolated organs.
The discussion introduces a compelling geographic dimension to Parkinson's risk – the existence of a "Parkinson's Belt" across certain American states where environmental factors increase susceptibility. Dr. Joseph offers practical advice for protecting yourself and aging loved ones, highlighting how seemingly simple life choices like where you live, what you eat, and how often you exercise can significantly impact your neurological health as you age.
Perhaps most fascinating is the behind-the-scenes look at Parkinson's research funding and scientific exploration. Dr. Joseph passionately advocates for more open-minded research approaches, sharing how his own work revealed unexpected cellular mechanisms beyond the traditional focus on alpha-synuclein and Lewy bodies. Through the beautiful analogy of sorting rice to find unexpected elements, he illustrates how scientific discovery often comes from following evidence wherever it leads – even when contradicting established hypotheses.
Whether you're concerned about brain health, caring for someone with a neurodegenerative disorder, or simply fascinated by how science evolves, this episode offers valuable insights into both the cutting-edge research and practical approaches to maintaining cognitive wellbeing. Subscribe to Your World with Dr. Beatrice Ippolit for more conversations that connect science with everyday life.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everyone, I'm Dr Beatrice Ippolit and this is
your World.
Can change in the brain occurin long-term effect on cognitive
abilities, personal regulationand impulse control?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Of course, If you have anything, it's the same.
Okay, the focus is on the brain.
Let me do a systemic approach.
I'm taking a systemic approachwhere I'm not focusing on the
brain.
Let's see the whole organismsright.
Let's say you have a problem.
You have a cut on your arm.
If you leave that cut untreated, that can impact your whole arm
(00:48):
in a long walk can even end upwith.
You can even cut it if possible,because it can be infected so
badly you cannot live with it.
You have to cut your arm.
That's the systemic approach.
I see any part of your body, soI'm considering brain as a part
of your body.
It's the same thing for it.
If you have a defect in anypart of your brain and that
(01:10):
defect is not being held undercontrol, you don't put in the
control.
You'll try to get this undercontrol.
Of course, in the long run thatwill affect not only your brain
, that will affect your wholesystem, your whole body, your
whole organism.
Although we talk aboutdifferent parts of our body, but
they are all linked to eachother and your brand is a major
(01:33):
component of the system of yourbody because all the message,
all the signals, they are beingsent from your brand to the rest
of the body.
The answer to your question is,of course, if you have problem
your brain and it's not beingtreated, it's not being under
control, of course in the longrun it will impact your whole
system.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
If I may say, without the head, the body cannot
function that's exactly true.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
That's the same way.
I can function without my arm,but my head if I don't have it.
That's what I said.
All the messages are being sentfrom your brain.
That's why dopamine isextremely important.
If dopamine cannot be secretedas your transmitters, the signal
cannot be sent throughout yourbody.
So now that can lead to severaltype of other diseases, all the
(02:23):
whole dementia categories wespoke about earlier.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Okay, so then, I've heard you, I understand and I
thank you for all thisinformation that you know you
are sharing with us so far, butwhat can we really do for
Parkinson's?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
What can we do?
It's the same thing I saidearlier.
The first thing I would say wethink about those causes like
genetic factors or environmentalfactors.
But what can we do?
Something that depends on us isto try to get ourselves under
control, our whole body undercontrol, Control what we are
eating.
I said it.
Our diet is important, right,and we saw the environmental
(03:05):
factors, like the chemicals thatare being released, and we saw
there is a high equivalencedepending on where you live.
So if you don't want to beprone as we are aging, of course
we are prone to those kind ofdefects.
But one thing that depends onus, it's where we live.
If you live in what we call theParkinson's Belt, those people
(03:28):
are prone in the United States,for instance, If you live in
Utah, you live in Colorado,which I'm going there at the end
of this month for a conference.
So if you live there, you'remore prone to Parkinson's
disease because of theenvironmental effect on these
regions here.
Probably, if you have youraging parents, try to go to a
(03:49):
place where the environmentfactors is not as elevated for
those people to get Parkinson's.
You can go to a place somewherein New York is not a bad place.
A lot of people tend to go toFlorida or go to Texas.
But the prevalence is very highin those southern states as
well because of aging, Becauseyou got a lot of aged people who
(04:13):
live there.
They retire, they go thereright.
But if you're a young personlike you are in the 60s you
think you can live in Florida,you can live in Texas.
That's a good place to livebecause you can see a high
prevalence of Parkinson'sdisease in those, those states,
not among those.
This age range.
(04:33):
I spoke about 60 to 70.
That's not it.
But it's higher in those wholike 75 and up, because those
are the retired people.
They go and live there.
So it's aging issues, so theyare more prone to to this
disease.
So that's why they get it.
You see it higher in thosestates, but it's not because of
the environment per se.
So you can go and live in aplace that is better.
(04:55):
Exercise it's very good becausewhen you're exercising, you're
helping your body to get rid ofa bunch of non-needed chemicals.
Right, you help your body toget rid of these.
That's good for you.
When you're exercising, yourmuscles, your excuse me your
organs, they function better, soyour brain also will function
(05:15):
better.
So by exercising.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Here when you're talking, dr Joseph.
So I come to conclusion that,while there is no cure for
Alzheimer, the only thing thatpeople can rely on is ongoing
research and adverse treatment.
Am I right?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
You are definitely right because, again, we do not
sleep and I think when you sayAlzheimer's, you probably were
talking about Parkinson'sdisease.
You were referring toParkinson's.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
We just said oh, I just said Alzheimer's.
We just said oh, I just saidAlzheimer's.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I think it's Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's yes, we are notsleeping.
It's an emerging field.
A lot of scientists are workingin that field to see
specifically with theParkinson's foundations.
They are raising funds andsupporting research at this
level to see if they can find acure.
Of course you have somelidopovo, for instance.
(06:09):
There are some treatments youcan take to help you to feel
better.
It's not a cure per se, butthere are treatments available
you can take to help you to feelbetter with those kind of
diseases, to try to stimulateyour neuronal cells in this case
.
So they act directly on thosecells to see if they can
(06:30):
stimulate the production ofdopamine, which is very good.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
You know, compared to Alzheimer's disease, how
challenging Parkinson's can be.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
If you remember the statistics I gave about
Alzheimer's, we have more peoplediagnosed with Alzheimer's than
we have with Parkinson'sdisease.
So from there we would saypeople diagnosed with
Alzheimer's would sayAlzheimer's is quite challenging
, more challenging compared toParkinson's disease.
However, the projection is notin our favor and we have an
(07:02):
aging population fever and wehave an aging populations.
It's like we have more peoplewho are over 50, then we have
younger people, so that means weare prone to have more people
diagnosed in the long run, nodegenerative diseases, including
Parkinson's disease.
So if we do not try to geteverything under control right
(07:27):
now, in the long run it can bevery challenging.
That is why, again, we do notsleep on that.
We don't wait until the problemcomes to us.
We are proactive, scientistsare proactive.
We're trying to see how we canget things under control,
including those who are workingin the field of Parkinson's
disease trying to get thingsunder control.
(07:49):
Although I'm saying thatprobably at the end, the
research is right now a littlebit split on that situation.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
In what way and why.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, what happened?
Actually, those who are workingon Parkinson's disease,
including the Parkinson'sFoundation, they invest more in
scientists who are working onalpha-synuclein, which is this
little protein I spoke aboutearlier with Lewy body
accumulation in the Sub-Saharanera.
(08:21):
But it seems like the researchis evolving.
At the end of my PhD werealized that there was a paper
that came out that was veryprovocative in the sense that
they showed that all the moneythat was being spent in that
(08:44):
angle working on alpha-synuclein.
It seems like there are otherways to understand that disease.
It's not like thealpha-synuclein per se, but it
seems like that ATPase that Iwas talking about, which a lot
of focus was put on.
It seems to have otherfunctions in the cells than
(09:05):
trying to get thosealpha-synclin lower bodies, get
them out of control.
So it seems like research isgoing a different way, which is
good for science.
It's good.
Like this ATPase, we saw thatit has to do with polyamine,
like those chemical secretions,how they can transport those
(09:28):
chemicals in and out of thelysosomes of the cells the
lysosomes are literally thegarbage for the cells how they
can control the level of thosepolyamines in the cells.
So it's a brand new way to find, probably to work with
Parkinson's disease.
That's why, when we asscientists, we must be
(09:51):
open-minded, you don't?
That's what again we call itresearch.
We are not working because weknow the result.
We expect a certain type ofresult, but sometimes our
expectations can lead us way,way, way away from what we get.
We may expect to get thisresult, but at the end we have
something else.
(10:11):
We cannot change it.
That's the result, which couldbe better, it could even be
better.
So we have to follow what weget.
What else can we get from it?
And that's exactly what happensin that film.
I love what we are doing, theresearch we're doing, the people
we are working together with inthe lab.
It's great.
(10:32):
So I wish specificallyparkinson's foundations I'm just
calling on them because theyhave a lot of money where they
help research, they give moneyto work on Parkinson's disease
but I wish they can be moreopen-minded in a way that they
do not only focus in one angle.
(10:52):
They need to be moreopen-minded to see other angles,
angles.
I know, if I put a project outthere, if I, if I put a grant
for a specific project, if itdoesn't go in that way, I mean
when you say other project isthe focus is more on Parkinson
or dementia the focus onParkinson just from the get-go.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
If you got the part, you want them to be more
open-minded for their focus tobe on dementia, where all the
subtypes can be addressed, noteven the.
I see what you're, but you wantthem to be more open-minded,
for their focus to be ondementia, where all the subtypes
can be addressed.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
That's what you're saying, but not even that.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I'm still talking about Parkinson's disease.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
But what I'm saying is that when you're doing
research specifically onParkinson's disease, there's an
angle you can take.
It's like in journalism you cansee a scene, an accident, you
can choose whatever angle youwant to report on that accident.
Right, it's the same thing.
When we're doing research, thelead research on Parkinson's
disease focuses onalpha-synuclein, focuses on
(11:50):
Lewis bodies.
They focus on that.
Only the Parkinson Foundation,for instance, they give money
specifically for this kind ofresearch, specifically for that.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
However, I can say, because my work at this level is
not only, it's not on AlphaSinuclein- it's like when you
walk in a place and they havethe money for desks or office
supplies only, but people whoare dying cannot have water, but
because the money is there foroffice supplies, they will not
(12:23):
use it.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
That's the thing.
I want them to be moreopen-minded.
Look, I appreciate the workthey are doing.
The work they are doing ispriceless.
The Parkinson's Foundationtheir work is priceless.
They are helping a lot ofpeople with Parkinson's disease.
They are helping research tomove forward.
This work is priceless.
(12:47):
I really acknowledge that.
However, I wish and I'm noteven wish I suggest that they
are more open-minded.
So when they are talking aboutresearch, we cannot see only one
angle.
We do not want to see one treein the forest.
Let's see all the trees in theforest.
That's how research should be.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
And those are what leads to those Nobel Prizes.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I remember Gunther Blobel from Rockefeller.
He was my former boss, a mentoractually.
He had this kind of vision.
You do not do research in thenow-minded.
You have to open your mind whenyou're doing research.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
And that's how you get the normal price.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
You cannot do research in the now-minded
Exactly because that way youwill get to more, better results
.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
And there are the areas you will be addressed and
focused on in many times,unexpected results is what can
lead to the better price and Iwill not be surprised one of the
paper.
I published it.
What it came from?
Speaker 1 (13:52):
an unexpected result yeah, because while you're
searching for things, let's say,for example, dr Joseph.
So let's say, for example, drJoseph, so let's just pretend,
like you remember back home,like you know, when our parents
were, you know, ready to cookwhatever rice, beans or what,
they'll put the beans or therice in a tray and ask you to
(14:12):
look for little things you knowthat is not, you know that is
not rice for little things.
You know that is not rice, soit's like you may find little
rocks.
You may find little things, soof course they give you the tray
to look for little rocks.
But at the same time, whileyou're cooking for little rocks,
you saw other things.
You saw other things and thoseother things you should pay
(14:35):
attention to them to take themout, because you're not going to
cook the rice with those littlethings.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
That is correct.
So that's a good analogy and Ireally want it to be like that
because I always told mystudents that's actually the
very first chapter I teach mybiology students, which is the
scientific method.
We have this process, which isas all as research actually,
when research started, actually,that's anyone who is a
(15:03):
researcher with following thesame process, the same method
you see something, you askquestions.
When you ask questions, youformulate a hypothesis, you try
to give an explanation to it.
After trying to give theexplanation, you will design an
experiment so that you can tryto get proof for what you said.
(15:24):
You will draw conclusions, butthe conclusion that I will be
drawing is crow.
It came from the experiments.
I cannot change that conclusion.
I can change my hypothesis, butI cannot change the conclusions
no, it's not feasible.
That's right.
You need to follow the leadwhere it brings you.
It may not bring me to when youwanted.
(15:46):
Yeah, which is my hypothesis.
It can bring me to a totallydifferent way, but I need to
open my mind to say no, myhypothesis was that I must get
this result.
No, you cannot get that'sexperiment, that's research.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I always say and even if the result that you found,
you know will not serve you andthat may serve somebody else,
let it be Because, at the end ofthe day, you're not working for
you, you're not working for you.
That's my point.
You're working for the greatercommunity.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
You're not in the greater community exactly that's
what it is you know that's whyI say people must be open-minded
.
I love this forum.
Now.
I enjoy your world because yourworld gives you space to speak
to the world like this, andthat's great.
Definitely I enjoy your worldbecause, as scientists look, we
have platforms to educate people.
(16:34):
I'm not a politician, I'm ascientist.
We need to give space forscience to evolve.
We need to give space to thescientists so that they can
speak about how the world is.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
That's why I said earlier stay on your lane.
Yeah, we have to stay on ourlane.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Let the politicians deal with the country the way
they are managing the country.
So let's try to find cure tohelp people with diseases how
they can cure their disease.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
And things are really , really, things are not good.
And it seemed like, you know,when you look at the way things
are going, you're like, oh, youfeel like, hey, society is
sinking declining.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Things are is declining, I don't know.
But you know what I still hopethe the best is still yet to
come.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
I'll say amen to that .
But that is not the end of ourshow.
So my other question, if it isnot the last which one is more
when I say which one?
So you know Alzheimer's andParkinson's, which one is more
easier to live with?
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Which one is easier to live with.
It depends.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
It's the lifestyle you remember when, because I
remember last time you said youknow, with alzheimer you
basically lost.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Yeah you know, you know it's a memory.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Yeah, it's a memory you don't lose your memory it's
a behavior, it's movement.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
It's movement but also it's deals with behavior.
And dealing with behavior meanslike we tend to call Parkinson
as the movement disease.
And we just saw it's not onlymovement.
There are no movement there.
We have non-movement symptomsthat can be as difficult as the
movement and actually, if I canget back to it, when we get the
(18:25):
non-movement symptoms, usuallythey precede the movement
symptoms, so you see them evenbeing diagnosed with Parkinson's
disease.
This kind of anxiety.
You start those feelings, youstart having them even before
you get diagnosed withParkinson's disease and you
start having them even beforeyou get diagnosed with
Parkinson's disease.
Now, with Alzheimer's you getto a point where you don't
(18:47):
remember anything, you'retotally under somebody else's
care.
But with Parkinson's, becauseit also has movement with it.
So if it has to deal withmovement, sometimes you cannot
carry yourself.
You need someone to help you tostand up, to get up.
You need someone to be alwaysby your sides.
(19:11):
You got your postural that youcannot keep your posture.
And it's not even you, it'sinvoluntarily because you start
bending yourself.
It's involuntarily.
So I would say your lifestyle,your attitude towards the
disease is what will help you tosurvive it.
(19:31):
You may not rememberinganything, but that doesn't make
you useless.
You can still stay in the house.
You're still there.
You are not dead.
You don't remember, but you'restill performing something.
You can forget where you putyour pen, but that doesn't mean
you cannot move in the house.
It's the same thing forParkinson's disease.
(19:52):
You may not be able to fullywalk on your own, but you can
have some help.
It's your attitude towards it,your behavior towards towards it
, that can trigger how long youcan live with the disease or not
.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
That's how it is okay , so that's so well.
Put anything else before wewrap up?
Speaker 2 (20:15):
anything else, I would just say thank you, uh to
you, dr epoli, for inviting meon the stage again.
I truly appreciate it and it'salways a pleasure whenever I
have to come here to your wallto talk to the people in the
world, and I'm glad to do that.
Thank you to everybody, thankyou to those behind the camera,
thank you to you and, I hope,specifically to the listeners,
(20:39):
your audience.
They can learn something aboutwhat we talked today.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
I hope so too, man.
Thank you so much.
It's always a pleasure havingyou and I cannot wait to be on
Podium Dation.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
I will invite you, too, on my show.
It's going to be soon, it will.
I will invite you.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Thank you for coming.
You look good.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
You look fantastic.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
The family is taking good care of you yeah, my wife
always did a good job okay,thank you very much, wifey, we
salute you thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
You look great, but as well, dr.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
I knew you were coming, so I had to do something
oh my goodness, oh gosh, okay,all Okay.
All that said it was with you,dr Beatrice Ippolite, with your
walk.
Hello everyone, I'm Dr Beatrice Ippolit and this is
your World.
Can change in the brain occurin long-term effect on cognitive
abilities, personal regulationand impulse control?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Of course, If you have anything, it's the same.
Okay, the focus is on the brain.
Let me do a systemic approach.
I'm taking a systemic approachwhere I'm not focusing on the
brain.
Let's see the whole organismsright.
Let's say you have a problem.
You have a cut on your arm.
If you leave that cut untreated, that can impact your whole arm
(00:48):
in a long walk can even end upwith.
You can even cut it if possible,because it can be infected so
badly you cannot live with it.
You have to cut your arm.
That's the systemic approach.
I see any part of your body, soI'm considering brain as a part
of your body.
It's the same thing for it.
If you have a defect in anypart of your brain and that
(01:10):
defect is not being held undercontrol, you don't put in the
control.
You'll try to get this undercontrol.
Of course, in the long run thatwill affect not only your brain
, that will affect your wholesystem, your whole body, your
whole organism.
Although we talk aboutdifferent parts of our body, but
they are all linked to eachother and your brand is a major
(01:33):
component of the system of yourbody because all the message,
all the signals, they are beingsent from your brand to the rest
of the body.
The answer to your question is,of course, if you have problem
your brain and it's not beingtreated, it's not being under
control, of course in the longrun it will impact your whole
system.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
If I may say, without the head, the body cannot
function that's exactly true.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
That's the same way.
I can function without my arm,but my head if I don't have it.
That's what I said.
All the messages are being sentfrom your brain.
That's why dopamine isextremely important.
If dopamine cannot be secretedas your transmitters, the signal
cannot be sent throughout yourbody.
So now that can lead to severaltype of other diseases, all the
(02:23):
whole dementia categories wespoke about earlier.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Okay, so then, I've heard you, I understand and I
thank you for all thisinformation that you know you
are sharing with us so far, butwhat can we really do for
Parkinson's?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
What can we do?
It's the same thing I saidearlier.
The first thing I would say wethink about those causes like
genetic factors or environmentalfactors.
But what can we do?
Something that depends on us isto try to get ourselves under
control, our whole body undercontrol, Control what we are
eating.
I said it.
Our diet is important, right,and we saw the environmental
(03:05):
factors, like the chemicals thatare being released, and we saw
there is a high equivalencedepending on where you live.
So if you don't want to beprone as we are aging, of course
we are prone to those kind ofdefects.
But one thing that depends onus, it's where we live.
If you live in what we call theParkinson's Belt, those people
(03:28):
are prone in the United States,for instance, If you live in
Utah, you live in Colorado,which I'm going there at the end
of this month for a conference.
So if you live there, you'remore prone to Parkinson's
disease because of theenvironmental effect on these
regions here.
Probably, if you have youraging parents, try to go to a
(03:49):
place where the environmentfactors is not as elevated for
those people to get Parkinson's.
You can go to a place somewherein New York is not a bad place.
A lot of people tend to go toFlorida or go to Texas.
But the prevalence is very highin those southern states as
well because of aging, Becauseyou got a lot of aged people who
(04:13):
live there.
They retire, they go thereright.
But if you're a young personlike you are in the 60s you
think you can live in Florida,you can live in Texas.
That's a good place to livebecause you can see a high
prevalence of Parkinson'sdisease in those, those states,
not among those.
This age range.
(04:33):
I spoke about 60 to 70.
That's not it.
But it's higher in those wholike 75 and up, because those
are the retired people.
They go and live there.
So it's aging issues, so theyare more prone to to this
disease.
So that's why they get it.
You see it higher in thosestates, but it's not because of
the environment per se.
So you can go and live in aplace that is better.
(04:55):
Exercise it's very good becausewhen you're exercising, you're
helping your body to get rid ofa bunch of non-needed chemicals.
Right, you help your body toget rid of these.
That's good for you.
When you're exercising, yourmuscles, your excuse me your
organs, they function better, soyour brain also will function
(05:15):
better.
So by exercising.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Here when you're talking, dr Joseph.
So I come to conclusion that,while there is no cure for
Alzheimer, the only thing thatpeople can rely on is ongoing
research and adverse treatment.
Am I right?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
You are definitely right because, again, we do not
sleep and I think when you sayAlzheimer's, you probably were
talking about Parkinson'sdisease.
You were referring toParkinson's.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
We just said oh, I just said Alzheimer's.
We just said oh, I just saidAlzheimer's.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I think it's Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's yes, we are notsleeping.
It's an emerging field.
A lot of scientists are workingin that field to see
specifically with theParkinson's foundations.
They are raising funds andsupporting research at this
level to see if they can find acure.
Of course you have somelidopovo, for instance.
(06:09):
There are some treatments youcan take to help you to feel
better.
It's not a cure per se, butthere are treatments available
you can take to help you to feelbetter with those kind of
diseases, to try to stimulateyour neuronal cells in this case
.
So they act directly on thosecells to see if they can
(06:30):
stimulate the production ofdopamine, which is very good.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
You know, compared to Alzheimer's disease, how
challenging Parkinson's can be.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
If you remember the statistics I gave about
Alzheimer's, we have more peoplediagnosed with Alzheimer's than
we have with Parkinson'sdisease.
So from there we would saypeople diagnosed with
Alzheimer's would sayAlzheimer's is quite challenging
, more challenging compared toParkinson's disease.
However, the projection is notin our favor and we have an
(07:02):
aging population fever and wehave an aging populations.
It's like we have more peoplewho are over 50, then we have
younger people, so that means weare prone to have more people
diagnosed in the long run, nodegenerative diseases, including
Parkinson's disease.
So if we do not try to geteverything under control right
(07:27):
now, in the long run it can bevery challenging.
That is why, again, we do notsleep on that.
We don't wait until the problemcomes to us.
We are proactive, scientistsare proactive.
We're trying to see how we canget things under control,
including those who are workingin the field of Parkinson's
disease trying to get thingsunder control.
(07:49):
Although I'm saying thatprobably at the end, the
research is right now a littlebit split on that situation.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
In what way and why.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, what happened?
Actually, those who are workingon Parkinson's disease,
including the Parkinson'sFoundation, they invest more in
scientists who are working onalpha-synuclein, which is this
little protein I spoke aboutearlier with Lewy body
accumulation in the Sub-Saharanera.
(08:21):
But it seems like the researchis evolving.
At the end of my PhD werealized that there was a paper
that came out that was veryprovocative in the sense that
they showed that all the moneythat was being spent in that
(08:44):
angle working on alpha-synuclein.
It seems like there are otherways to understand that disease.
It's not like thealpha-synuclein per se, but it
seems like that ATPase that Iwas talking about, which a lot
of focus was put on.
It seems to have otherfunctions in the cells than
(09:05):
trying to get thosealpha-synclin lower bodies, get
them out of control.
So it seems like research isgoing a different way, which is
good for science.
It's good.
Like this ATPase, we saw thatit has to do with polyamine,
like those chemical secretions,how they can transport those
(09:28):
chemicals in and out of thelysosomes of the cells the
lysosomes are literally thegarbage for the cells how they
can control the level of thosepolyamines in the cells.
So it's a brand new way to find, probably to work with
Parkinson's disease.
That's why, when we asscientists, we must be
(09:51):
open-minded, you don't?
That's what again we call itresearch.
We are not working because weknow the result.
We expect a certain type ofresult, but sometimes our
expectations can lead us way,way, way away from what we get.
We may expect to get thisresult, but at the end we have
something else.
(10:11):
We cannot change it.
That's the result, which couldbe better, it could even be
better.
So we have to follow what weget.
What else can we get from it?
And that's exactly what happensin that film.
I love what we are doing, theresearch we're doing, the people
we are working together with inthe lab.
It's great.
(10:32):
So I wish specificallyparkinson's foundations I'm just
calling on them because theyhave a lot of money where they
help research, they give moneyto work on Parkinson's disease
but I wish they can be moreopen-minded in a way that they
do not only focus in one angle.
(10:52):
They need to be moreopen-minded to see other angles,
angles.
I know, if I put a project outthere, if I, if I put a grant
for a specific project, if itdoesn't go in that way, I mean
when you say other project isthe focus is more on Parkinson
or dementia the focus onParkinson just from the get-go.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
If you got the part, you want them to be more
open-minded for their focus tobe on dementia, where all the
subtypes can be addressed, noteven the.
I see what you're, but you wantthem to be more open-minded,
for their focus to be ondementia, where all the subtypes
can be addressed.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
That's what you're saying, but not even that.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I'm still talking about Parkinson's disease.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
But what I'm saying is that when you're doing
research specifically onParkinson's disease, there's an
angle you can take.
It's like in journalism you cansee a scene, an accident, you
can choose whatever angle youwant to report on that accident.
Right, it's the same thing.
When we're doing research, thelead research on Parkinson's
disease focuses onalpha-synuclein, focuses on
(11:50):
Lewis bodies.
They focus on that.
Only the Parkinson Foundation,for instance, they give money
specifically for this kind ofresearch, specifically for that.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
However, I can say, because my work at this level is
not only, it's not on AlphaSinuclein- it's like when you
walk in a place and they havethe money for desks or office
supplies only, but people whoare dying cannot have water, but
because the money is there foroffice supplies, they will not
(12:23):
use it.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
That's the thing.
I want them to be moreopen-minded.
Look, I appreciate the workthey are doing.
The work they are doing ispriceless.
The Parkinson's Foundationtheir work is priceless.
They are helping a lot ofpeople with Parkinson's disease.
They are helping research tomove forward.
This work is priceless.
(12:47):
I really acknowledge that.
However, I wish and I'm noteven wish I suggest that they
are more open-minded.
So when they are talking aboutresearch, we cannot see only one
angle.
We do not want to see one treein the forest.
Let's see all the trees in theforest.
That's how research should be.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
And those are what leads to those Nobel Prizes.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I remember Gunther Blobel from Rockefeller.
He was my former boss, a mentoractually.
He had this kind of vision.
You do not do research in thenow-minded.
You have to open your mind whenyou're doing research.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
And that's how you get the normal price.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
You cannot do research in the now-minded
Exactly because that way youwill get to more, better results
.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
And there are the areas you will be addressed and
focused on in many times,unexpected results is what can
lead to the better price and Iwill not be surprised one of the
paper.
I published it.
What it came from?
Speaker 1 (13:52):
an unexpected result yeah, because while you're
searching for things, let's say,for example, dr Joseph.
So let's say, for example, drJoseph, so let's just pretend,
like you remember back home,like you know, when our parents
were, you know, ready to cookwhatever rice, beans or what,
they'll put the beans or therice in a tray and ask you to
(14:12):
look for little things you knowthat is not, you know that is
not rice for little things.
You know that is not rice, soit's like you may find little
rocks.
You may find little things, soof course they give you the tray
to look for little rocks.
But at the same time, whileyou're cooking for little rocks,
you saw other things.
You saw other things and thoseother things you should pay
(14:35):
attention to them to take themout, because you're not going to
cook the rice with those littlethings.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
That is correct.
So that's a good analogy and Ireally want it to be like that
because I always told mystudents that's actually the
very first chapter I teach mybiology students, which is the
scientific method.
We have this process, which isas all as research actually,
when research started, actually,that's anyone who is a
(15:03):
researcher with following thesame process, the same method
you see something, you askquestions.
When you ask questions, youformulate a hypothesis, you try
to give an explanation to it.
After trying to give theexplanation, you will design an
experiment so that you can tryto get proof for what you said.
(15:24):
You will draw conclusions, butthe conclusion that I will be
drawing is crow.
It came from the experiments.
I cannot change that conclusion.
I can change my hypothesis, butI cannot change the conclusions
no, it's not feasible.
That's right.
You need to follow the leadwhere it brings you.
It may not bring me to when youwanted.
(15:46):
Yeah, which is my hypothesis.
It can bring me to a totallydifferent way, but I need to
open my mind to say no, myhypothesis was that I must get
this result.
No, you cannot get that'sexperiment, that's research.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I always say and even if the result that you found,
you know will not serve you andthat may serve somebody else,
let it be Because, at the end ofthe day, you're not working for
you, you're not working for you.
That's my point.
You're working for the greatercommunity.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
You're not in the greater community exactly that's
what it is you know that's whyI say people must be open-minded
.
I love this forum.
Now.
I enjoy your world because yourworld gives you space to speak
to the world like this, andthat's great.
Definitely I enjoy your worldbecause, as scientists look, we
have platforms to educate people.
(16:34):
I'm not a politician, I'm ascientist.
We need to give space forscience to evolve.
We need to give space to thescientists so that they can
speak about how the world is.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
That's why I said earlier stay on your lane.
Yeah, we have to stay on ourlane.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Let the politicians deal with the country the way
they are managing the country.
So let's try to find cure tohelp people with diseases how
they can cure their disease.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
And things are really , really, things are not good.
And it seemed like, you know,when you look at the way things
are going, you're like, oh, youfeel like, hey, society is
sinking declining.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Things are is declining, I don't know.
But you know what I still hopethe the best is still yet to
come.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
I'll say amen to that .
But that is not the end of ourshow.
So my other question, if it isnot the last which one is more
when I say which one?
So you know Alzheimer's andParkinson's, which one is more
easier to live with?
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Which one is easier to live with.
It depends.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
It's the lifestyle you remember when, because I
remember last time you said youknow, with alzheimer you
basically lost.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Yeah you know, you know it's a memory.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Yeah, it's a memory you don't lose your memory it's
a behavior, it's movement.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
It's movement but also it's deals with behavior.
And dealing with behavior meanslike we tend to call Parkinson
as the movement disease.
And we just saw it's not onlymovement.
There are no movement there.
We have non-movement symptomsthat can be as difficult as the
movement and actually, if I canget back to it, when we get the
(18:25):
non-movement symptoms, usuallythey precede the movement
symptoms, so you see them evenbeing diagnosed with Parkinson's
disease.
This kind of anxiety.
You start those feelings, youstart having them even before
you get diagnosed withParkinson's disease and you
start having them even beforeyou get diagnosed with
Parkinson's disease.
Now, with Alzheimer's you getto a point where you don't
(18:47):
remember anything, you'retotally under somebody else's
care.
But with Parkinson's, becauseit also has movement with it.
So if it has to deal withmovement, sometimes you cannot
carry yourself.
You need someone to help you tostand up, to get up.
You need someone to be alwaysby your sides.
(19:11):
You got your postural that youcannot keep your posture.
And it's not even you, it'sinvoluntarily because you start
bending yourself.
It's involuntarily.
So I would say your lifestyle,your attitude towards the
disease is what will help you tosurvive it.
(19:31):
You may not rememberinganything, but that doesn't make
you useless.
You can still stay in the house.
You're still there.
You are not dead.
You don't remember, but you'restill performing something.
You can forget where you putyour pen, but that doesn't mean
you cannot move in the house.
It's the same thing forParkinson's disease.
(19:52):
You may not be able to fullywalk on your own, but you can
have some help.
It's your attitude towards it,your behavior towards towards it
, that can trigger how long youcan live with the disease or not
.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
That's how it is okay , so that's so well.
Put anything else before wewrap up?
Speaker 2 (20:15):
anything else, I would just say thank you, uh to
you, dr epoli, for inviting meon the stage again.
I truly appreciate it and it'salways a pleasure whenever I
have to come here to your wallto talk to the people in the
world, and I'm glad to do that.
Thank you to everybody, thankyou to those behind the camera,
thank you to you and, I hope,specifically to the listeners,
(20:39):
your audience.
They can learn something aboutwhat we talked today.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
I hope so too, man.
Thank you so much.
It's always a pleasure havingyou and I cannot wait to be on
Podium Dation.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
I will invite you, too, on my show.
It's going to be soon, it will.
I will invite you.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Thank you for coming.
You look good.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
You look fantastic.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
The family is taking good care of you yeah, my wife
always did a good job okay,thank you very much, wifey, we
salute you thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
You look great, but as well, dr.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
I knew you were coming, so I had to do something
oh my goodness, oh gosh, okay,all Okay.
All that said it was with you,dr Beatrice Ippolite, with your
walk.
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