Chinatown Public Forum 2026: Treating Motor symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease
This presentation was given to the Sydney Chinatown support group in English, Mandarin and Cantonese and covers the treatment of motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease including pills, patches, infusions, surgery, focused ultrasound and stem cells.
Professor Simon Lewis focused on the treatments used to manage the physical symptoms of Parkinson’s and understand how current therapies work. He explained the role of dopamine, the brain chemical essential for movement, and how the loss of dopamine-producing cells leads to Parkinson’s symptoms across disease stages. The lecture reviewed the main medication classes used in treatment, including levodopa-based therapies, dopamine agonists, and enzyme inhibitors that help preserve dopamine. Professor Lewis discussed their benefits, limitations, and potential side effects, such as sleepiness and impulse-control problems. He also described how treatment effectiveness can change as the disease progresses, leading to “wearing off” periods and involuntary movements (dyskinesia).
For people with more advanced Parkinson’s disease, the forum covered a range of “smart therapies,” including continuous medication infusions delivered under the skin or directly into the intestine, as well as deep brain stimulation (DBS), including adaptive DBS systems that can automatically adjust stimulation based on brain activity. He also covered emerging treatments such as stem-cell therapy and focused ultrasound, discussing their potential and limitations. Throughout the lecture, Professor Lewis emphasised that medications should be combined with exercise, speech therapy, Tai Chi, singing, good sleep, and healthy lifestyle habits to achieve the best outcomes.