Two Chemicals Linked to Parkinson's
by Cate Stevenson
There have been tentative links made between pesticide use and Parkinson's disease before. However, the term "pesticide" is broad and includes chemicals with varied compositions. Few investigations have identified specific pesticides. But now a study out of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified two specific culprits they say are linked to Parkinson's disease: paraquat and rotenone.
The study — a joint effort between the NIH and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences — has found that people who used either pesticide developed Parkinson's disease approximately 2.5 times more often than non-users.
What could be happening here? According to the researchers, rotenone directly inhibits the function of the mitochondria. Your mitochondria are responsible for making energy in all of your cells. And paraquat seems to have equally destructive powers: the chemical increases production of certain oxygen derivatives that may harm cellular structures.
To get their results, the research team studied 110 people with Parkinson's disease and 358 matched controls from the Farming and Movement Evaluation (FAME) Study. They then used the data to investigate the relationship between Parkinson's disease and exposure to pesticides or other agents that are toxic to nervous tissue.
The investigators diagnosed those participants with Parkinson's disease by soliciting the opinion of movement disorder specialists. The lifelong use of pesticides was determined by conducting detailed interviews with the patients.
The researchers say the findings could lead to a better understanding of the biologic changes that occur in someone who has Parkinson's. And this better understanding will in turn lead to better treatment and ultimately the prevention of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disease that affects movement. Normally, when you move your muscles, a chemical called "dopamine" is responsible for carrying signals between the nerves in your brain. When your cells that produce dopamine die, the symptoms of Parkinson's appear.
A person who has Parkinson's may experience tremors, slowness and stiffness, impaired balance, fatigue, soft speech and/or problems with handwriting.
The medical community says there is no cure for Parkinson's. You can live with the condition for years. Usually the symptoms are treated with medication. Some people with Parkinson's even try surgery.
There are many theories out there about what causes Parkinson's. But no one knows for sure why cells that produce dopamine when they are healthy suddenly start dying.
And remember, you can always get more natural health advice, the latest alternative health breakthroughs and news, plus information about nutrition, alternative remedies and cures and doctors health advice, all free when you sign up for the Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin. Visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com now to find out how to start your free subscription.
Questions and Answers
Understand the symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and risk factors connected with the second most frequent neurological condition called Parkinson's disease. Around 5 million people have the condition worldwide and this number is expected to rise substantially in the future.
Dr. Omar Gonzalez at Integra Medical Center (IMC) designed and developed a stem cell method where Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients are actually experiencing the reversal of brain damage and improving their lack of dopamine symptoms.
Parkinson's Disease is a disease mostly affecting middle-aged and elderly people characterized by tremors and rigid, slow movement. It is also known as PD or Parkinson disease.
The cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown though several factors are considered to be linked to the development of the disease. Approximately 15% of sufferers have a family history of the disease, but it has not been proven whether this is due to genetic or environmental factors. One theory is that environmental factors such as toxins play a part in the neurons ability to produce dopamine.
People around start noticing that there is no expression on the face and the arms don’t swing when the affected person walks or talks. Speech often becomes soft and mumbling. The symptoms progress with the progress of the Parkinson's disease. There is no permanent cure for the illness but the symptoms can be controlled with medication. The most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
A fast way to get gout relief is with baking soda which I've found it to be very effective. But now that I have gotten my uric acid levels under control I don't need to use this home remedy anymore.
Gout was once the 'disease of kings' due to their diet, but not any more. Anybody can have gout nowadays. Easy access to relatively cheap, mass-produced food and alcohol has meant that we are all at the mercy of gout through our diet.
We need to keep our omega 6 foods at a minimum and include more omega 3 into our diets. Adding food items such as walnuts, chia seeds, to our salads is a simple and natural way to get our omega.
Most children demonstrate some impulsive/hyperactive behavior or have difficulty remaining on-task. Although typically found in boys, in 3-7% percent of children the inattentive, hyperactive, and/or impulsive behavior is recognized by clinician as being a significant problem that is not typical of normal development.
Tomas, a 34 year of carpenter, went to see his girl friend of six months at the end of a hard day. Noticing a strange car in the driveway, he peered into her window with some curiosity. He saw her having sexual relations with another man. Enraged, Tomas went home and returned with his shotgun.
A reduced intake of salt could lower the risk for getting stomach cancer. Other healing foods you can eat to help protect against stomach cancer.
Misuse of inhalers is very common. Steps to take to make sure you use your inhaler properly.
At-home stroke rehabilitation training programs work just as well as high-tech treadmill programs. At-home training programs are less expensive and teach patients to be active in their own homes and communities.
The American Urological Association has issued updated guidelines on diagnosing and treating an enlarged prostate.
Discuss this Article
