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The source of this article is WTNH: http://tinyurl.com/4vn2g Parkinson's toxins (WTNH, Sept. 27, 2004 1:55 PM) _ Can toxins in our environment cause some of us to develop Parkinson's disease? New research shows exposure to common pollutants to which we're exposed can cause the disease in lab rats, suggesting perhaps we are also at significant risk. by Dr. Mike Rosen Parkinson's disease is caused by the destruction of part of the brain that controls smooth movements. Specifically, there is loss of a brain chemical called dopamine. But is this a genetic problem, or something in our environment that causes the disorder? New evidence shows something in our air might be contributing. Scientists have induced a movement disorder in rats that closely resembles Parkinson's disease in humans. They injected into the rodents compounds called proteasome inhibitors, which can be produced by bacteria and fungi. Man-made proteasome inhibitors may also find their way into the environment. These inhibitors block the action of proteasomes. Proteasomes are a complex of proteins inside cells, which are responsible for eliminating other abnormal proteins from cells, acting like a garbage disposal system. Without that garbage removal system, toxins build up. The Mt. Sinai hospital researchers did the experiment based on growing evidence that proteasomes are defective in Parkinson's disease. About two weeks after receiving injections of proteasome inhibitors, look what happened: the rats began to show symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, including slowness of movement, rigidity, and tremor. Imaging studies of the living animals' brains demonstrated changes in a pattern identical to that seen in Parkinson's disease. "We have a model in which there is progressive disability that mirrors Parkinson's disease in a way that we haven't had before," says C. Warren Olanow, M.D., Researcher at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. "This will allow us to better study how cells die when Parkinson's occurs and what we might do to stop it." What kills the nerve cells in Parkinson's is not known. It is thought the majority of cases are related to environmental factors that could include exposure to toxins. "This model is a wonderful model for testing drugs that we think might be protective," Dr. Olanow says, "where we can treat them early and see if we can prevent them from worsening." And it might point us toward cleaning up environmental factors that could be contributing to this disease. The author notes that epoxomicin, one of the most potent of these toxins, is produced by a common bacteria that is found in soil and well water throughout the world. So are these toxins a problem in the city or the country? The authors believe the fact that living in rural areas and drinking well water has been reported to be associated with higher rates of Parkinson's disease could be related to higher levels of proteasome inhibitors found in these areas. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn