Dr. Chantale Branson Interviewed on WABE about “Parkinson’s Disease and the African American Community” Symposium
Dr. Chantale Brandson
Dr. Chantale Branson’s passion to educate others about Parkinson’s Disease is personal.
Dr. Branson is an assistant professor of neurology in the Department of Internal Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine, a board-certified neurologist, movement disorders specialist, and sleep medicine specialist at Morehouse Healthcare, and an assistant adjunct professor of neurology at Boston University Medical Center.
On the WABE news program “Closer Look with Rose Scott,” Dr. Branson told 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.
The conversation previewed the “Parkinson’s Disease and the African American Community” symposium that was held at MSM on July 9, in partnership with the Parkinson’s Foundation.
According to the National Institute on Aging, the disease affects more men than women. While people usually develop the illness after age 60, five to 10 percent of patients experience onset before they’re 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.