PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS

13th July 2010 - New research

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY LINKED TO PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Archives of Neurology [2010] 67 (7) : 808-811 (Knekt P, Kilkkinen A, Rissanen H, Marniemi J, Sääksjärvi K, Heliövaara M.) Complete abstract

It has been widely reported that low vitamin D increases the likelihood of Parkinson's Disease, such as in the following News report. However, of the two studies referred to, one of them does not concern Parkinson's Disease at all. In the other study, those people with Parkinson's Disease who had the lowest amounts of vitamin D were three times more likely to develop Parkinson's than those with the highest amounts of vitamin D. In a previous study assessing the same question, 55% of people with Parkinson's Disease had insufficient vitamin D, in comparison to 36% of  healthy controls, which statistically, is not very significant. For the details go to the Complete abstract. The researchers claim that this data supports a possible role of vitamin D insufficiency in causing Parkinson's Disease.

However, Vitamin D has no role at all in the formation of dopamine, the substance whose deficiency causes Parkinson's Disease. For more information go to the Biochemistry of Parkinson's Disease. In severe cases of Vitamin D deficiency, there is no known relationship with Parkinson's Disease as there certainly would be if Vitamin D deficiency could cause it. Sunlight is a primary source of Vitamin D. So the link between Vitamin D and Parkinson's Disease may be merely due to some people with Parkinson's Disease who have mobility problems being exposed to less sunlight, and thereby having lower vitamin D levels.  For more current news go to Parkinson's Disease News.

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Parkinson's Disease News details all significant new research, news reports, new books, and new resources concerning Parkinson's Disease and those medical disorders that often coincide with Parkinson's Disease. It is compiled from an analysis of  all newly published research, news reports, new clinical trials, all newly published books, and new web sites. A summary and analysis of the new research are provided,  as well as links to the complete abstracts and news reports