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Risk of Parkinson's Disease Higher Among Men November 17, 2000 - Men may have twice the risk of developing Parkinson's disease compared with women, results of an Italian study suggest. Following more than 4,300 elderly adults for 3 years, researchers found that more than twice as many men as women developed Parkinson's--29 men, compared with 13 women. The incidence rates were consistently higher among men across age groups, from age 65 to 84. While a few studies have suggested men may be more susceptible to Parkinson's, the authors note that this is the first study to directly show an increased risk of the disease among men. It is not clear why men are at greater risk, but the female hormone estrogen may in some way protect against the disease, the report indicates. Dr. Marzia Baldereschi of the Italian National Research Council in Firenze, Italy and colleagues published the findings in the November 14th issue of Neurology. A disease of the motor system, Parkinson's is marked by the degeneration of brain cells that produce dopamine, a chemical key to muscle control and movement. The disease causes tremors, muscle rigidity and coordination problems that worsen over time. Age is a definite risk factor, with most cases occurring among people older than 50 years. Other than age, little is known about the risk factors for developing Parkinson's disease. There have been few studies to determine which factors distinguish people with the disease from those who do not develop the disease, Baldereschi told Reuters Health. The underlying cause of the brain cell damage that occurs in Parkinson's remains a mystery. The current study, Baldereschi said, supports the idea that age conspires with genes or environmental toxins to inflict the damage. Some other previous research has suggested that exposure to pesticides or other toxins may promote Parkinson's. By REUTERS Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/17/science/17PARKINSON.html janet paterson, an akinetic rigid subtype parkie 53 now /44 dx cd / 43 onset cd /41 dx pd / 37 onset pd TEL: 613 256 8340 URL: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ EMAIL: [log in to unmask] SMAIL: POBox 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada