SIU Medicine is recruiting patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease to study a new drug that could become a potential treatment for the debilitating condition. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a nervous system disorder that affects movement, causing slowness, stiffness, tremors and walking and balance problems. Over time, patients diagnosed with PD experience a worsening of their symptoms. In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, symptoms may be mild and the diagnosis can be easily missed. The symptoms include: Slowed movement, also known as bradykinesia (difficulties getting out of a chair

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy (PSP) works to understand the health challenges of people in central and southern Illinois and provides innovative, sustainable solutions to improve health in their communities. PSP is invited into communities by local stakeholders and changemakers to identify and pull together resources; provide workshops, focus groups and community training; collect and organize data; conduct community needs assessments; identify and implement solutions to improve health; and inform and improve local, state and

All SIU Medicine COVID-19 testing sites are closed December 23 – January 3 for the holidays. Testing resumes on January 4, 2021. SIU Medicine will continue COVID-19 testing for the Springfield community in January. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the testing operation will be hosted by the Abundant Faith Christian Center located at 2525 Taylor Ave. Mondays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Tuesdays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Thursdays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Fridays: 1 – 4 p.m. (at Abundant Faith Christian Center, 301 West Reynolds Campus) Additional testing is conducted on Fridays, hosted

SIU Medicine will continue COVID-19 testing for the Springfield community in December. All SIU Medicine COVID-19 testing sites are closed December 23 – January 3 for the holidays. Testing resumes on January 4, 2021. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the testing operation will be hosted by Abundant Faith Christian Center located at 2525 Taylor Ave. All participants should be in line before 3 p.m. to ensure same day testing. Mondays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Tuesdays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Thursdays: 9 – 11 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. On Fridays, the testing operation is hosted by other area

Carbondale, IL – The Southern Illinois University System President’s Office released recommendations from its first Veteran’s Summit held last fall in Mt. Vernon. The two-day gathering of education, non-profit, policy and government leaders, sponsored by the McCormick Foundation, addressed challenges facing veterans including access to healthcare, educational opportunities and legal assistance in order to create a strategic blueprint to improve veteran’s services in central and southern Illinois. “The summit was very successful because it was able to shine more light on veterans in central and

Do you suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or know someone who does? SIU School of Medicine has launched a clinical trial to study the safety and efficacy of an investigational drug for PTSD. Local researchers are evaluating an investigational drug that has received FDA approval for schizophrenia and as an adjunctive therapy for major depressive disorder. In the new study, doctors want to evaluate the investigational drug in combination with the drug sertraline for treatment of PTSD. Jeffrey Bennett, MD , is associate professor of psychiatry at SIU School of Medicine and the

Family physicians in several Illinois communities are hosting students from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine through December 18. The students are participating in the school’s Family Medicine Preceptorship Program. The experience provides an opportunity for students to use their medical knowledge in a clinic setting under the supervision of an experienced physician. The students choose from more than 160 family practice physicians in Illinois for their preceptorship experience. They will graduate from medical school in May 2022, then pursue advanced training in a specific area

According to the National Institute on Aging, there are more than 41 million licensed drivers age 65 and older on the roads, up from 26 million just 20 years ago. As a person ages, changes in health, including problems with vision, hearing, and reflexes, may affect driving skills. The risk of being injured or killed in a motor vehicle crash also increases as a person ages. When a person has dementia, the risk increases more. What happens when the person with dementia is no longer able to stay safe on the roadways? Click here to read an how to recognize an unsafe driver and what to do when your

According to the National Institute on Aging, there are more than 41 million licensed drivers age 65 and older on the roads, up from 26 million just 20 years ago. As a person ages, changes in health, including problems with vision, hearing, and reflexes, may affect driving skills. The risk of being injured or killed in a motor vehicle crash also increases as a person ages. When a person has dementia, the risk increases more. What happens when the person with dementia is no longer able to stay safe on the roadways? Click here to read an how to recognize an unsafe driver and what to do when your