Parkinson
Disease
Introduction Parkinson
disease is known among the medical profession as "Parkinson's disease"
or "parkinsonism". But most people seem to search on the Internet under
"Parkinson disease", which is why I am using it here like that. This
disease is a degenerative condition of the basal
ganglia, which are on top of the brain stem, but lie deep in the center
and at the bottom of the brain. They produce the brain hormone dopamine, which
is essential to coordinate the smoothness and fluidity of movements in the body.
Without the function of the basal ganglia muscle movements become jerky and there
is a problem to adjust the body posture according to the latest position. It is
almost as if a computer part in the brain machinery regarding movement is malfunctioning.
The results are slowed and decreased muscle movements, rigidity of the muscles,
a resting tremor and instability with regard to posture. It affects about 0.4%
of those older than 40 years, 1% of those older than 65 years and 4% of people
older than 80 years. Most commonly it starts in the late 50's. More recent research
has shown that a dysfunction of the energy producing sub particles of the basal
ganglia cells, namely the mitochondria, are the reason for the onset of Parkinson
disease (Ref.6). This was first detected in families where genetic abnormalities
of the DNA of the mitochondria were noted to have been transmitted along the maternal
lineage rather than the ordinary Mendelian genetic transmission. However, the
same researchers are now suggesting that secondary genetic damage of the mitochondria
of the basal ganglia through substance abuse (alcohol, smoking etc.) and chronic
exposure to air pollutants very likely is the reason that some people develop
Parkinson disease, but others don't.
Parkinson
Disease Diagnosis A patient with possible Parkinson disease
should be referred to a neurologist for confirmation of the diagnosis. Also, the
specialist is best equipped to know the latest in the treatment of this disease.
Parkinson
Disease Treatment Although there is a number of treatments
available for Parkinson disease, they can only be expected to help for a period
of time, as the underlying pathological degenerative process of the basal ganglia
cannot be stopped. The loss of these ganglia leads to a loss of the transmitter
substance dopamine. Eventually the patient becomes more and more disabled and
usually needs 24 hour nursing care in the final months or years. Treatment is
directed at providing recovery of some of the loss of available dopamine, the
brain neurotransmitter substance that is missing. This can be made more available
through dopaminergic medication (see below), through stimulation of dopamine receptors
and through inhibition of the enzyme that breaks down dopamine. Other means of
improving Parkinson disease are stereotactic
surgery as well as
transplantation of fetal dopamine neurons.
Transplantation
of fetal dopamine neurons into the brains of Parkinson
disease patients was undertaken in Ref.3. The surgical procedure was well tolerated
except in 5% where another surgery had to be performed to correct the problem.
The outcome was largely very encouraging. However, more time is needed to investigate
the long-term results. Here is a web site that explains the use of growth
factors when culturing stem cells from the blood so that implantation
of these human
stem cells will have a higher survival rate. The conflict
of using human embryonic cells (YOU TUBE) is discussed in this video.
However, it appears that the donor's own peripheral blood stem cells can be enriched
and cultured, so that the patient's own stem cells can be injected into the basal
ganglia by a neurosurgeon. However, the logistics of this complicated treatment
protocol have to be evaluated in university hospital trials. Here is a
link to
a site that discusses this topic further. Prevention
of Parkinson Disease Given the newer research findings mentioned above
under "introduction" the authors of Ref.6 discuss the use of antioxidant
vitamins to prevent mutations of the mitochondria of the basal ganglia cells.
Vitamin C, E, beta carotene, and Co-Q-10 were mentioned as having been investigated
for this purpose. Avoiding exposure to deleterious life styles and reducing the
impact of pollution are powerful approaches of prevention. At the 2009 Anti-Aging
Conference in Las Vegas Dr. Eric Braverman suggested the use of repeated Glutathione/Vit.
C infusions to flush out mercury and other heavy metals like lead and arsenic
from brain tissue. This may prevent Parkinson disease as well. | 
