>>> THE COSTS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE ARE CURRENTLY UNKNOWN.

THE DISEASE IS A DEGENERATIVE DISORDER OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.

IT'S MARKED BY TREMORS, MUSCLE STIFFNESS, AND IMPAIRED MOVEMENT.

RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST THE DECEASE MAY OCCUR IN HIGHER RATES OF LATINOS, BUT IT'S TOUGH TO KNOW WHY THAT MIGHT BE.

LATINOS ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN PARKINSONS RESEARCH.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE, DR. PAULINA GONZALEZ, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF NEUROLOGY AT NORTHWESTERN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

SHE ALSO LEADS THE HISPANIC MOVEMENT AT NORTHWESTERN.

AND DR. AFARRI, PROFESSOR OF NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES AT RUSH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

AND ROSA PENA, VICE PRESIDENT AT THE AMERICAN PARKINSON'S DISEASE ASSOCIATION.

I WANT TO WELCOME YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY.

BUT I WANT TO START WITH DR. GONZALEZ.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US EXACTLY WHAT PARKINSON'S DISEASE IS?

>> IT'S A NEURO DISEASE.

AND IT IS A PROGRESSIVE CONDITION.

SO IT'S A DISEASE THAT AS YOU POINTED OUT, CAN PRESENT WITH TREMORS, SOME DIFFICULTY WITH MOVEMENT, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THERE ARE OTHER NON-MODERN SYMPTOMS.

MEANING THESE ARE SYMPTOMS THAT ARE GOING TO AFFECT MOVEMENT, BUT CAN AFFECT, FOR EXAMPLE, THINKING OR SOMEONE'S VOICE, OR SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO REGULATE THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE.

SO IT REALLY IS A CONDITION THAT CAN AFFECT A WHOLE PERSON'S SYSTEM.

>> DOCTOR, WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW OF?

>> YEAH, THERE ARE ACTUALLY A LOT OF SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENTS FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

ULTIMATELY THE DISEASE RESULTS IN A DEFICIENCY.

WE'RE VERY LUCKY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GIVE PEOPLE THAT BACK THROUGH VARIOUS PILLS, LOTS OF DIFFERENT FORMULATIONS OF D, O DOPAMINE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT TREATMENTS FOR THOSE SYMPTOMS.

>> ROSA PENA, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME DIFFERENCES IN HOW LATINO EXPERIENCES PARKINSON'S DISEASE THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR WORK?

>> SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTICE, MANY OF THE CALLS WE GET FROM PEOPLE SEEKING INFORMATION, THEY'VE BEEN DEALING WITH SYMPTOMS FOR A LONG TIME.

MOST OFTEN SOMETIMES THEY DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

THEY'VE BEEN HAVING THESE SYMPTOMS, AND THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THE NEUROLOGIST OR THE MOVEMENT DISORDER SPECIALIST.

SO THEY HAVE ALL THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD I DO?

WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR SHOULD I SEE?

AND SO WE SEE A LOT OF THAT.

AND ALSO A LOT OF TIMES THERE ARE A LOT OF SECRECY.

THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL THEIR FAMILY MEMBER THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING THESE SYMPTOMS, SO THEY'RE HOLDING THEM ON FOR A WHILE, AND THEY'RE NOT FEELING WELL.

AND IT REALLY BRINGS THEM TO A DOCTOR OR CALL US FOR INFORMATION.

THAT THE SYMPTOMS ARE GETTING WORSE.

AND THEN THEY REALIZE THAT I NEED TO GET SOME HELP.

>> WELL, THAT'S DEFINITELY A TOUGH DISEASE WITHOUT A DOUBT.

DR. GONZALEZ, YOU'RE ACTUALLY THE ONLY LATINO MOVEMENT DISORDER SPECIALIST IN CHICAGO.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAN SPEAK IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR CULTURE AND WHEN IT COMES TO THIS DISEASE?

>> WELL, IT IS A COMPLEX DISEASE AS YOU REALIZE.

AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN GET LOST IN TRANSLATION.

EVEN WHEN WE EXPLAINED THAT IT IS IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE THAT THERE CAN BE SOME ASPECTS OF IT THAT CAN BE VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

SO REALLY THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN SPANISH AND UNDERSTAND SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DISEASE IS, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR TREATMENT OPTIONS, BECAUSE WHAT OTHER TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE, AND THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE LANGUAGE, BUT ALSO THAT CULTURE SENSITIVE CARE.

AND SO I'M ORIGINALLY FROM MEXICO CITY.

I WAS BORN IN MEXICO CITY, LIVING IN CHICAGO FOR TEN YEARS.

SO REALLY THAT CULTURAL ASPECT OF BEING LATINA.

THAT HELPS ME RELATE TO MY PATIENTS.

I THINK THAT IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT AND SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE GOTTEN IN AS WELL FROM SOME OF THE PATIENTS I'VE SEEN IN MY CLINIC, WHERE THEY ARE THANKFUL TO HAVE A PHYSICIAN THEY CAN RELATE TO BOTH FROM A LANGUAGE STANDPOINT AND A CULTURAL STANDPOINT.

>> WITHOUT A DOUBT, YEAH.

>> DOCTOR, HOW IMPORTANT IS EARLY DIAGNOSIS FOR LONG-TERM PROSPECTS?

>> IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE LIKE DR. LATAKI SAYS, PARKINSON'S IS A NEURODEGENERATIVE PROGRESSIVE DISEASE.

WE DON'T HAVE MEDICATION TO SLOW DOWN THE PROGRESSION, WE ONLY HAVE MEDICATION TO TREAT THE SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE.

WE'RE LUCKY WE HAVE THAT.

AND THEN WE NEED TO HAVE EARLY DIAGNOSIS, SO WE CAN INSTITUTE EXERCISE SPECIFICALLY.

THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT HAS EVIDENCE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SLOW THE PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE.

THE EARLIER YOU INSTITUTE THAT, THE EARLIER WE CAN GET PATIENTS POTENTIALLY KIND OF DISEASE MODIFICATIONS.

SLOWING DOWN THAT PROGRESSION.

SO EARLY DIAGNOSIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT.

>> THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO FOR NOW.

SLOW IT DOWN.

ROSA PENA, LET'S TALK ABOUT RESOURCES.

WHAT RESOURCES DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION OFFER FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THIS DIAGNOSIS?

>> SO THE AMERICAN PARKINSON'S DISEASE ASSOCIATION, WE HAVE A NETWORK OF CHAPTERS AND INFORMATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE ALSO HAVE A NATIONAL HELP LINE.

AND I TAKE ALL THE SPANISH CALLS.

WE ALSO HAVE SOMEONE IN ARIZONA WHO IS SPANISH SPEAKING, WHO IS OF MEXICAN DECENT AND IS DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT WE HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

WE HAVE PUBLICATIONS.

SOME OF THEM ARE HIGHER LEVELS, AND WE HAVE LOWER LITERACY TO MAKE IT EASIER AS ONE OF THE DOCTORS POINTED OUT.

TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THIS DISEASE IN WAYS PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IT CAN BE VERY COMPLICATED AND COMPLEX.

WE HAVE EXERCISE CLASSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY THAT ANYONE CAN ACCESS FOR FREE.

ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE FREE.

WE HAVE EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS AND WEBINARS IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AS WELL.

THEY'RE LIVE AND RECORDED AND AVAILABLE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND FACEBOOK AS WELL.

SO WE ALSO HAVE A FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE ACCESS GROUP, GETTING TO THEIR DOCTOR, OR BOXING CLASS ON EXERCISE DAY THAT CAN HELP THEM.

>> GREAT HELP FOR FAMILIES WHO DEFINITELY NEED IT AND TO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH THIS DISEASE.

DR. GONZALEZ, YOU OPENED A HISPANIC LATINX MOVEMENT DISORDERS CLINIC A YEAR AGO.

CAN YOU TELL US EXACTLY WHAT YOU DO THERE?

>> WELL, THE FOCUS OF THAT CLINIC IS TO REALLY PROVIDE THAT CARE IN SPANISH.

AND WITH BEING CULTURALLY SENSITIVE.

THE LARGEST PERCENT OF PATIENTS THAT I'VE SEEN ACTUALLY HAVE A DIAGNOSIS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

WHAT I'M ABLE TO DO IS TO GIVE THEM THAT CARE IN SPANISH AND ALSO CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT SALS WHERE PARTNERING WITH OTHER SENSORS IN CHICAGO, OTHER RESOURCES IN CHICAGO, AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHAT TOOLS THEY NEED TO DO TO IMPROVE AND KEEP THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.

>> VERY IMPORTANT.

AND CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THE RISK FACTORS THAT PEOPLE WITH PARKINSONS SHOULD KNOW?

>> YEAH, SO WE STILL DON'T KNOW THE UNDERLINING CAUSE OF PARKINSON'S.

IT IS PREGENETIC AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTOR.

A LOT OF THOSE RISK FACTORS FALL IN THE CATEGORY OF TOXICANS, SO POTENTIALLY PESTICIDES.

AND SO EVERY PARKINSON'S DISEASE PATIENT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT.

AND THAT KIND OF TELLS US THERE IS SOME COMBINATION OF MULTIPLE FACTORS THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO PRE-ELECTION TOWARDS HAVING THE DISEASE.