parkinsons disease Essay -- essays research papers

Parkinsons indisposition and the protective mechanism of the antioxidant Vitamin EDescription and RisksParkinsons disease (PD) is a modern movement disorder marked by tremors, rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), and postural instability. It is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by decreased production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Dopamine is responsible for most of the bodys smooth vigor movements. As a result, motor control in Parkinsons patients is disrupted, causing anything from uncontrollable tremors to muscular stiffness to slow-as-molasses movements. (2) PD affects about 500,000 people in the United States, some(prenominal) men and women, with as many as 50,000 invigo regularized cases each year. The disease usually begins in a persons late 50s and 60s it causes a progressive decline in movement control, affecting the ability to control initiation, speed, and the insipidness of motion. The symptoms of PD are seen in up to 15% of those betwe en the ages of 65-74, and well-nigh 30% of those were between the ages of 75-84. (3)Genetic RisksScientist identified two gene abnormalities bring out in PD patients whose families have a rate of the disease, indicating at least(prenominal) some evidence that the disease is inherited. Both abnormalities cause the body to bring up an altered version of alpha synuclein, the protein that shows up in dense canaille in the brains of Parkinsons patients. (3). But in another study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested heredity is a probative influence on how fast the disease will onset. Researchers identified 172 geminate pairs in which at least one twin had PD. If the condition was hereditary, the rate of both parallel having the disease would be lower among fraternal check, who persona some, but not all of the same genes unlike identical twins who share them all. In individuals who were diagnosed after age 50, the rate of twins who both had the disease was similar among fraternal and identical twins. In those diagnosed at 50 or younger, however, the rate was significantly lower in fraternal twins than in identical twins (2). Researchers also think that PD has environmental risks such as increase exposure to toxic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, or heavy metals. For example, some studies of people liv... ...one, L., Bagala, A., Napoli, I.D., Caracciolo, M. & Quattnone, A. (2001) Plasma levels of Vitamin E in Parkinsons disease. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 337-12. 6. Miklya, I., Knoll, B. & Knoll, J. (2003) A pharmacologic analysis elucidating why, in contrast to (-)- deprenyl (selegiline), alpha-tocopherol was ineffective in the DATATOP Study. Life Sciences 722641-264810.Parashevas, G.P., Kapaki, E., Petropoulou, O., Anagnostouli, M., Vagenas, V. & Papageorgiou, L. (2003) Plasma levels of Antioxidant Vitamins C and E are decreased in vascular Parkinsonism. Journal or Neurological Sciences. 21551-55. 11.Roghani, M. & Behzadi, G., (2001) Neuroprotective effect of vitamin E on the other(a) model of Parkinsons disease in rat behavioral and histochemical evidence. wittiness Research 892211-217. 12.Vatassery, G.T., Demaster, E.G., Lai, James C.K., Smith, W.E. & Quach, H.T. (2003) Iron uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in brain mitochondria isolate from vitamin E-deficient rats. Biochemical et Biophysical Acta 1688265-273..