Parkinson Disease Studies Yield Insights

摘要

San Diego-Although most cases of Parkinson disease (PD) are believed to result from some combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures, much about how these factors conspire to destroy dopaminergic neurons remains elusive. New insights into the factors that give rise to PD and ways to counteract their effects are increasing the understanding of the disease and revealing novel approaches for treatment.At the 2004 annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held here in October, researchers described increasing evidence for the role of a common pesticide and related compounds in the development of PD. They also discussed how such interventions as exercise and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors might address oxidation damage to dopaminergic neurons.Epidemiological evidence suggests that occupational exposure to certain pesticides can increase the risk for PD. Studies of a plant-derived pesticide called rotenone have shown that it reproduces the behavioral, neurochemical, and neuropathologic features of PD when fed to rats.