Online chat or discussion boards enable you to ask questions and share concerns and information with others going through similar experiences or with health professionals. Look for support groups that have a moderator, says the NLM's Miller, because the presence of a referee can temper the tendency for strangers to anonymously write things they'd never say face-to-face. Also be sure to read the fine print on the privacy policy of any support group website before joining.

Here are a few virtual communities and blogs you might check out:

• National Parkinson Foundation's Discussion Corner Forums. Explore Ask the Doctor and Caregivers Forum.
• WE MOVE hosts discussion forums on various movement disorders. You can post questions on its Ask the Expert board for Parkinson's.
• NeuroTalk Communities is sister to PsychCentral, a social networking site run by mental health professionals. One Parkinson's forum is dedicated to clinical trials.
• BrainTalk Communities was founded by the former technology director for the neurology department at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.