Dr. Chantale Branson’s passion to educate others about Parkinson’s disease is personal.
Branson, an Assistant Professor of Neurology in the Department of Internal Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine, was a guest on Friday’s edition of “Closer Look.”
She told program host Rose Scott that while she was enrolled in medical school, her family had to figure out how to navigate her paternal grandmother’s diagnosis of the neurodegenerative disorder, which affects the dominant dopamine-producing neurons in the brain.
According to the National Institute on Aging, the disease affects more men than women, and people usually develop the illness after 60, but 5% to 10% of people experience onset before the age of 50.
During the conversation, Dr. Branson also talked about the importance of educating Black and brown communities about diagnosis, clinical trials and treatment options for the progressive brain disorder, which sometimes causes uncontrollable movements, shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.
