Living with Parkinson’s
Dr.
Dolhun
Talks PD
Dr. Dolhun Talks
with Time.com
Rachel Dolhun, MD, is
a movement disorder
specialist, board-certified
neurologist and vice
president of medical
communications at MJFF.
Being open about life with Parkinson’s disease (PD) can
be challenging, even for someone as bold as Margaret
Bourke-White, a World War II photojournalist who was
the first woman accredited to cover combat zones. In
1959, LIFE Magazine chronicled her journey with young-
onset Parkinson’s disease through her pictures and
firsthand account.
Almost sixty years later, we
don’t yet have a cure, but
treatment options have
significantly progressed, our
understanding of the disease
continues to expand, and
technology enables patients to
play a critical role in speeding
research breakthroughs.
Recently, I spoke with
TIME.com about what has (and
hasn’t) changed in the diagnosis
and treatment of Parkinson’s
disease since Margaret shared
her story.
DIAGNOSIS
In a story that may be familiar
to many patients and families,
it took Margaret several years
and many doctors’ visits to
learn she had PD. Without an
16
The Fox Focus
objective way (such as a blood
test or brain scan) to diagnose
Parkinson’s, doctors rely on
medical history and a physical
examination. This can lead to
missed or delayed diagnoses.
Today, the need for an objective
measure, or “biomarker,”
in PD still exists. But we
are moving closer, and the