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The source of this article is the Houston Chronical: http://tinyurl.com/5754s Dec. 18, 2004, 8:00PM Low-calorie diet may help prevent Parkinson's disease Monkey study found an increase of chemicals that protect nerve cells Associated Press WASHINGTON - A long-term low-calorie diet, already reported to extend life span, also may offer protection from Parkinson's disease — at least in monkeys. Rhesus monkeys fed a diet that had 30 percent fewer calories than normal were less affected by a toxin that produces a Parkinson's-like condition, researchers reported last week. Previous studies of reduced food intake have shown that it extends the life span of mice. The new study, by Mark P. Mattson of the National Institute on Aging, is reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. A team of researchers fed one group of monkeys the low-calorie diet for six months, during which they lost about 12 percent of their body weight compared to monkeys on a normal diet. Then both groups were given a toxin that causes damage similar to Parkinson's. Movement was affected in all monkeys, but the ability to move and speed of movement were greater in the low-calorie monkeys than in those that had been fed normally. The researchers found that the monkeys on a restricted diet had significantly higher concentrations than normal weight animals of two chemicals that protect nerve cells, BNDF and GNDF. Intermittent fasting has been shown to increase levels of BNDF in rodents, the researchers noted. GNDF, they said, currently is being given to Parkinson's patients in clinical trials. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn