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2 Headlines Editor Danelle Clayton Contributors Mackenzie Kiernan Design The Design Cellar Ltd ISSN 0114-9768 CONTACTUS Neurological Foundation, PO Box 110022 Auckland Hospital, Auckland 1148 Phone: 09 309 7749 Free call: 0508 BRAINS (0508 272 467) Email: info@neurological.org.nz Website: neurological.org.nz If you’re moving, please let us know your new address so that you don’t miss the next issue of Headlines. If you are not a current subscriber and would like to receive this free publication four times a year, please send your details to marketing@neurological.org.nz. DONOR RELATIONS CONTACTS Upper North Island: Theresa Liebenberg – 027 233 0710 theresa.liebenberg@neurological.org.nz Lower North Island: Margie Carter – 021 042 8114 margie.carter@neurological.org.nz South Island: Kim Maunder – 021 642 485 kim.maunder@neurological.org.nz Headlines is printed on paper from responsible resources Kia ora koutou, We know that rural communities struggle to access health services. We also know that some groups and individuals are reluctant to talk about health issues. The National Fieldays, at Mystery Creek, is a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with people from rural backgrounds, share brain health information in an engaging way and talk about some of the exciting neurological research taking place. When the Foundation attended last year, we shared a space with a number of organisations from the neurological world. We enjoyed meeting people from across New Zealand who were genuinely interested to know about the Foundation. Even better, we were able to introduce some of them to researchers we fund, who were taking time away from the lab to join us at Fieldays. I’m sure both parties got a lot from these conversations. This year, we’re again spreading the word in a collaborative way. If you’re at Fieldays, please drop by the BrainSpace in the Health &Wellbeing Hub, where you’ll find us alongside folk from the Aotearoa Brain Project, the University of Auckland Centre for Brain Research and the University of Otago Brain Health Research Centre. You can’t miss us – just look for the enormous inflatable brain! (You’ll be invited to stroll through it and learn about brain health in an unforgettable environment.) Perhaps we’ll see you there. In the world of neurological research, it’s all about connections – between organisations, between researchers and patients, and between researchers in New Zealand and overseas. However you look at it, collaboration is the way forward. There’s plenty of fascinating news in this issue of Headlines , including groundbreaking work being done on Parkinson’s disease right here in New Zealand, funded by generous supporters like you. Take a look at pages 4-7 to find out more. Research milestones like this are made up of many inchstones. Slowly but surely, we’re walking together on the pathway to hope. Mā te wā, Rich Easton CEO Message from our Chief Executive A history of Pacific voyaging and Parkinson’s disease It’s not all in your head Precision and passion – meet our Head of Research Dr Sarah Schonberger How do we decide? From neurology nurse to patient Always trust your gut A secretary’s tale Ten years on: A “digital pill” for tinnitus Around the globe Contents 4-6 7 8-10 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18 19