PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS

30th December 2010 - New research

THE RISK OF CANCER IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Movement Disorders [2010] 25 (12) : 1809-1817 (Lo RY, Tanner CM, Van Den Eeden SK, Albers KB, Leimpeter AD, Nelson LM.) Complete abstract

Cancer has often been linked positively or negatively with Parkinson's Disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of cancer before and after the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. The prevalence of cancer was not found to be significantly lower in people with Parkinson's Disease as had been previously claimed. However, among specific cancers, melanoma was found to be more common among people with Parkinson's Disease. This increased prevalence was not related to the use of dopaminergic drugs such as L-dopa and dopamine agonists. So they are not the cause. Parkinson's Disease and the skin are oddly associated, because both dopamine, whose deficiency causes Parkinson's Disease, and melanin, the pigment that causes skin to darken, are both made from L-dopa. So the inability to produce sufficient L-dopa that causes Parkinson's Disease  would also affect the ability to produce sufficient L-dopa in order to produce the melanin pigment that protects skin against the sun. In order to refer to this article on its own click here.

22nd December 2010 - New research

DAIRY PRODUCTS AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Parkinsonism Related Disorders [2010] Dec 17 [Epub ahead of print] (Miyake Y, Tanaka K, Fukushima W, Sasaki S, Kiyohara C, Tsuboi Y, Yamada T, Oeda T, Miki T, Kawamura N, Sakae N, Fukuyama H, Hirota Y, Nagai M) Complete abstract

Previous studies reported that dairy product consumption was significantly associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's Disease in men, but not in women. As it was suggested that higher consumption of dairy products could increase the risk of Parkinson's Disease, some people with Parkinson's Disease have been cutting down their dairy product consumption, and altering their vitamin D intake. However, when researchers re-examined the relationship between the consumption of dairy products, calcium, vitamin D and the risk of Parkinson's Disease, they found nothing to support previous claims.  No relationship was observed between the intake of milk, yogurt, cheese, or ice cream and the risk of Parkinson's Disease. There was no measurable association between the consumption of calcium or vitamin D and Parkinson's Disease. Previous researchers did not explain any possible relationship. Neither calcium nor vitamin D are involved in the formation of dopamine, the substance whose deficiency causes Parkinson's Disease. In order to refer to this article on its own click here.

14th December 2010 - New book

ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGICA : DURING AND AFTER THE EPIDEMIC

Joel Vilensky

Publisher's description : During the 1920s and 1930s a strange condition affected much of the world. This condition became much better known because of the book and movie, Awakenings, in which L-dopa was used as a treatment. The condition, encephalitis lethargica, could cause death in a short period. Its symptoms were thought to encompass almost anything imaginable. Furthermore, even in those patients who appeared to recover from the disease, there was a large risk that they would subsequently develop a more chronic and devastating sequel believed to follow the disease in up to 80% of its victims, postencephalitic Parkinsonism. This book describes the disease during the epidemic period and details cases reported since that time.  Click here for more details. For more books concerning Parkinson's Disease go to Parkinson's Disease Books.

8th December 2010 - New review

TOXIC CAUSES OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

There are now fourteen known toxic causes of Parkinson's Disease : pesticides (Paraquat, Rotenone, Maneb), solvents (Trichloroethylene, Toluene, N-Hexane, Carbon disulfide), MPTP, Mercury, Manganese, Copper, Carbon monoxide, Lead, Cyanide. Although Agent Orange is widely claimed to be a toxic cause of Parkinson's Disease, not even one study in the entire medical literature has ever shown that to be true. Toxicity has the potential to be the sole cause of Parkinson's Disease. To very varying extents, toxicity can also be a partial cause of Parkinson's Disease. Symptoms normally develop when toxic exposure occurs or soon after, or increase over time as exposure to toxicity persists. Symptoms do not develop decades after exposure as is often claimed. There is a tendency for toxic effects to decline over time, but with some toxic substances that can take years.

The prevalence of Parkinson's Disease that is due to toxicity is not known. However, the evidence suggests that the number of people whose Parkinson's Disease is due to toxicity is very low, being the exception rather than the norm. The toxic causes of Parkinson's Disease each cause different symptoms because of the different biochemical means by which toxicity is caused, and because of the other biochemical functions that each of the particular toxins affects.

In order to cause Parkinson's Disease, the level of toxic exposure usually has to be either acute or chronic. Mild exposure to some of the known toxic causes would have no noticeable effect. Some other potentially toxic causes of Parkinson's Disease, such as copper and manganese are actually beneficial to health in normal quantities, and can only cause Parkinson's Disease in very large quantities. For a completely comprehensive, fully referenced, up to date and printable summary of each of the toxic causes of Parkinson's Disease, go to Toxic causes of Parkinson's Disease In order to refer to this article on its own click here.

7th December 2010 - New book

DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION MANAGEMENT

William J.Marks Jnr.

Publisher's description : Deep Brain Stimulation Management is a practical guide to the use of this paradigm-shifting therapy for movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. An essential resource for clinicians who wish to begin utilizing DBS, as well as current practitioners seeking to improve their understanding and application of the technique. Highly illustrated and in full color throughout, this comprehensive book covers the key aspects of DBS practice, including patient selection, device programming and activation to achieve optimum symptom control, long-term management, and trouble-shooting. It has contributions from experienced clinical leaders in the field of DBS.  Click here for more details. For more books concerning Parkinson's Disease go to Parkinson's Disease Books.