Chelsea E Macpherson, PhD, PT, DPT, NCS

🤗 The time has come my dear friends! I’m officially moving over to @Bluesky, so if you’re on there say hello! chelseamacdptphd.bsky.social See you all soon! ❤️

Do infections cause Parkinson's disease? Mercado and colleagues present a compelling new review in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease. My take: There is increasing evidence that pathogens may play a role in triggering or in contributing to some (many) cases diagnosed as 'synucleinopathy.' How? Infection leads to inflammation. Then, we must next consider whether a genetic variant (i.e. a PD gene) is present or absent. Finally, there will emerge both a clinical phenotype and a biological subtype. Remember, post-encephalitic, PINK1, PARKIN and LRRK2 may all be (biologically) synuclein negative. Also, we must consider whether you are a susceptible host? The authors present a clear way to ponder a potential role for infections in Parkinson's disease. content.iospress.com/articles/journ… @ParkinsonDotOrg @FixelInstitute @journal_PD #Parkinsons

How does exercise and fitness promote healthy brain aging? An outstanding, comprehensive review @TheLancet reduced neuroinflammmation, preserves blood-brain-barrier, neurogenesis, role of exerkines, and much more thelancet.com/journals/lance… @AtefeTari @UWisloff @CERG_NTNU @NTNU

Two of my past mentors in one talk? 🤩 What a force! Looks like an incredible event for those interested in learning about Neurodegenerative conditions! @LoriQuinnNY @TerryEllisPT

How does sleep protect against neurodegenerative disease? A review @NeuroCellPress cell.com/neuron/fulltex…

Such upsetting news. As someone who has most of their research in the #telehealth space with rare conditions, it has provided access to many who are unable to receive necessary and or specialized care within their local community.

Thankful to have the opportunity to present some of my dissertation work from the PRIME-RCT pilot trial earlier today at #APTACSM platform session! Wonderful presentations all around!#ataxia #PhysicalTherapy #telehealth

Day 1 #APTA #CSM2025 pre-con event was a success! We held a live lab in conjunction with the Houston Area #Parkinson’s Society so PT’s/PTA’s could practice implementing the PD clinical practice guidelines in real time! Thank you to all who participated 🥰

On my way to Houston,TX for #APTA #CSM2025 can’t wait to see everyone!

📚 Statistical errors in meta-analyses can impact the reliability of systematic reviews. This new article highlights the most frequent mistakes and how to avoid them. 📖 Read it here: buff.ly/4jFoThH #SystematicReviews #MetaAnalysis #ResearchMethods #Statistics

I am analyzing several populations & their upper limb movements. I asked to look at how I move in comparison for my own understanding. So, I’ve got bilateral actigraph sensors on my wrists for the next few days. Excited to check out the result! #postdoc

Join us this upcoming January 16th at 6:30 pm EST for our first free BFA session of the year! We cannot wait to celebrate and connect with all of you!! #ataxia #broadwayforataxia #communitybuilding #singinganddancing 🩷

✨ Happy New Year! ✨ Wishing you all a brilliant 2025! We got to it and stepped into the new year with a #walkwithdad for #cardiachealth and #brainhealth ❤️🧠 🥳

6️⃣ Clinical Practice Guidelines & 6️⃣ Outcome Measure Recommendations. As we count down to 2025, we’re spotlighting the essential resources that drive evidence-based practice. Let’s step into the new year with knowledge and impact! #APTANeuroPT #CPGs #OutcomeMeasures

Join us next Thursday, December 19th at 6:30 pm EST for Broadway for Ataxia's free monthly zoom session. We will have a lot of fun exercises for patients with Ataxia so please stop by! 🩵 #broadwayforataxia #singinganddancing #community #ataxia #fun

Neuro PT’s: interested in an evidence based course that includes a HANDS ON LAB with people with Parkinson Disease? Consider attending this CSM pre-conference course with members of the PD Knowledge Translation Taskforce!

@BobbyHandPT @WUSTL Thanks Bobby, you are too kind! Welcome back to twitter! 🤗

@ChelseaMacDPT @WUSTL Chelsea, this is so great to see (after not being on twitter in forever) - you are going to continue making such an impact for people with neurodegenerative conditions. Post-doc is perfect for you. Congrats!

Week 1 of my #postdoc @WUSTL is officially in the books! I am incredibly grateful to be here. Im learning so much, and I am simply in awe of everyone around me. Thank you for such a warm welcome to St. Louis! Looking forward to what the future holds ☺️

Find yourself using the same interventions? Unsure about how you should apply the Parkinson Clinical Practice Guidelines? Come to our pre-con with LIVE LAB! 🧠 let’s get moving @APTAcsm @APTANeuroPT

On Thursday, November 21st at 6:30 pm EST we are having our free monthly session! Please join us for an evening of fun, lots of singing, and community building. We hope to see you all there! 🩶 #broadwayforataxia #ataxia #singinganddancing #JoinUs

It may seem counterintuitive, but what if you treated Parkinson's fatigue with some exercise? Ann-Kristin Folkerts and colleagues did just that in a new paper @journal_PD. Key Points: - Fatigue is common and can be debilitating. - The authors zeroed in on randomized controlled trials. - 14 drug and 16 non-drug studies were examined. - Modafinil compared to placebo: non-significant effect on fatigue. - Physical exercise in 8 studies had a small significant effect. - Acupuncture no effect (but not a lot of data). My take: First, I love the idea that if you are fatigued, trying some exercise therapy may be a 'counterintuitive' way to derive some benefit(s). Second, if you are fatigued w/ your Parkinson's, don't forget to address sleep first, and perhaps get a tracking device and look toward 6+ hours of sleep a night (not just being present in bed!). Have someone check out your medication list as sometimes, less is more. Finally, do not shy away from a formal sleep study and a sleep expert, as this can be helpful and sometimes apnea will need to be treated both for fatigue, but also to reduce heart related effects of this sleep/breathing disorder. It is early days for exercise, and these studies were small and thus will need replication and a better understanding of how to tailor exercise to help an individual with Parkinson's related fatigue. content.iospress.com/articles/journ… #Parkinsons #fatigue #sleep