Page 8 - Mobility Management, April 2019

mm beat
Industry Research
Could Exercise Help
Muscular Dystrophy Clients? A New Study Simulated the Condition in a Type of Worm
A new study from Illinois State University looked at the impact that exercise could have on people diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
The research, funded through the National Institutes of Health, was conducted by Andrés Vidal-Gadea, Assistant Professor of Molecular Neuroethology, at Illinois State. The study was innovative in that Vidal-Gadea
was able to replicate symptoms of muscular dystrophy in an animal: the C. elegans worm. The worms used in the study were created with genetic abnormalities that mimicked muscular dystrophy as it occurs in humans.
Study Conducted in a More Robust Environment
According to a news announcement, the worms lived in “more natural environments” as they were studied to determine if exercise could be beneficial.
The worms were placed into environments in which they could swim and burrow. Those activities were meant to mirror popular human activities such as jogging and weight lifting.
The study found that worms that exercised did develop muscles, unlike their research counterparts
that did not exercise.
But the worms that exercised did not live longer, and
the course of their muscular dystrophy-like disease did not change.
Calcium & Muscular Dystrophy
In the announcement, Vidal-Gadea said, “It’s unfortu- nate, but our interpretation is that the exercise tested does not impact the course of the disease.”
The three-year study also examined such situations as how calcium is released by healthy muscles and by muscles impacted by muscular dystrophy.
“There is a build-up of calcium that is released when the muscles contract,” said Vidal-Gadea. “For those who have muscular dystrophy, the amount of calcium released can be notably higher.”
Determining when and how calcium regulation is impacted could help researchers to determine how to improve quality of life and functioning for muscular dystrophy patients.
The research will continue with the support of funding from the National Institutes of Health. m
New Accessibility Guide for Grand Canyon Now Available
Just in time for the Grand Canyon’s centennial celebra- tion, a new accessible guide to one of America’s most beloved national parks is now available.
Barrier-Free Travel: The Grand Canyon for Wheelers and Slow Walkers is now available from author Candy Harrington. The travel book includes accessibility guides to Interstate 40 in Arizona and to the famed Route 66.
The guide discusses wheelchair-accessible
trails, attractions and lodging in and near Grand Canyon National Park. Harrington has also included transportation resources, such as accessible plane,
6 APRIL 2019 | MOBILITY MANAGEMENT
helicopter, bus and train tours, and barrier-free camping and picnic areas.
The Barrier-Free Travel Web
site (barrierfreetravels.com)
features stories about accessible
travel (and lack thereof), as
well as a library of books on
accessible travel. Harrington has previously written about Yosemite, Sequoia, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier national parks. m
MobilityMgmt.com