If you are interested in the science behind Parkinson's there is a New Initiative for the Global Parkinson's Community
A new wiki has been started for all those interested in scientific research into Parkinson's.
It is a 'Learning Project' within Wikiversity, a sister project to the highly regarded Wikipedia.
A wiki is a website which allows its users to add and modify its content via a web browser.
This new wiki is called The Science Behind Parkinson's Disease and everyone throughout the world, particularly those affected by Parkinson's, is invited to participate as a reader or a contributor.
Go to http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Portal:The_Science_Behind_Parkinson%27s to have a look at what has been produced so far.
What's the general idea?
People affected by Parkinson's want to know what the prospects are for better treatments and a cure. There is an increasing amount of research going on but it is a difficult and time-consuming job to follow this and to understand the significance of the various developments. For the lay person, understanding the science is a big hurdle. But a lot of people around the world want to do this and many are trying to do this in their own individual ways.
This wiki has been set up so people can share the results of their often painstaking investigations and explain to others in straightforward terms what they have learned. This wiki is for building a framework to make sense of the concepts, ideas and discoveries about what Parkinson's is, how it affects the nervous system and how it might be confronted. The idea is that it is kept updated it as progress is made. Above all new discoveries can be explained and their significance in terms that are clear and understandable. It is also meant to be more systematic and evidence-based and less ephemeral than an on-line forum.
The sources of knowledge and understanding
We learn from the experts – i.e. from the researchers doing invaluable work in various disciplines – whose papers and reviews we read and whose talks we hear at conferences and meetings. It is hoped that such professionals can be encouraged to engage with and contribute to this wiki, adding new insights and correcting any misconceptions that a largely lay community may have.
We know that full-time researchers welcome contact with those for whose benefit they are ultimately working. The wiki could be another example where interaction and collaboration can help inform strategic research decisions to bring closer the achievement of effective therapies towards a cure.
All may join this creative community
This wiki is an entirely volunteer-run initiative, is not controlled or sponsored by any organisation and is open to anyone to participate by editing and contributing material. It operates under the same principles that underpin community projects like wikipedia and wikiversity. It is globally accessible (although at present the language used is confined to English).
Please publicise this initiative to anyone who might be interested. And do consider participating yourself!
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Portal:The_Science_Behind_Parkinson%27s
This Parkinson's Science wiki has been started by a few individuals and now is being opened up globally to interested parties who would like to participate in its development.
Please respond to this post if you have any questions about the initiative or want more guidance about how to be involved. (As you will have guessed, I have been involved in getting this up an running! Droflet )