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My husband has a severe case of gout - and he developed PD at the age of 40. I question the results of this study. --------- God bless Mary Ann (CG Jamie 67/27 with PD) www.bentwillowfarm.org > High Blood Levels Of Urate Linked To Lower Risk Of Parkinson's Disease > Updated: 6/21/2007 12:06:40 PM > Science Daily - In a new, large-scale, prospective study exploring the > link > between levels of urate in the blood and risk of Parkinson's disease, > researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found > that > high levels of urate are strongly associated with a reduced risk of the > disease. > > Urate is a normal component of blood, and although high levels can lead to > gout, urate might also have beneficial effects because it is a potent > antioxidant. Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive nerve disorder > associated with destruction of brain cells producing dopamine, a > neurotransmitter essential to the normal functioning of the central > nervous > system. > "This is the strongest evidence to date that urate may protect against > Parkinson's disease," said lead author Marc Weisskopf, Assistant Professor > of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology at HSPH. > The researchers used the HSPH-based Health Professionals Follow-up Study, > a > population of male health professionals established in 1986, as the source > for their data. The study cohort included more than 18,000 men without > Parkinson's disease who had provided blood samples between 1993 and 1995 > and > whose subsequent health status was followed. > The researchers found that men in the top quartile of blood urate > concentration had 55 percent lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease > than men in the bottom quartile. This difference was not explained by > differences in age or other risk factors for Parkinson's disease. The > results of two previous studies had suggested a possible inverse relation > between blood urate and risk of Parkinson's disease, but it is only when > the previous data were combined with those of this new study that the > evidence became compelling. > The authors hypothesize that urate's antioxidant properties may help > dampen > the effects of oxidative stress, which appears to contribute to the > progressive loss of the dopamine-producing brain cells that occurs in > individuals with Parkinson's disease. If so, elevating blood urate could > be > helpful for patients with Parkinson's disease, said Alberto Ascherio, > Associate Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at HSPH and senior > author > of the study. To follow-up on this clue, Ascherio, along with co-author > Michael Schwarzschild, a movement disorder specialist at Massachusetts > General Hospital, and colleagues at the Parkinson Study Group, a > collaborative group of Parkinson's disease researchers from the U.S. and > Canada, accessed the databases of two large, randomized studies conducted > among patients with early Parkinson's disease. The preliminary results, > presented in abstract form at recent meetings, showed a slower progression > of the disease among individuals with high blood urate. > "It is still uncertain whether urate exerts a neuroprotective effect, but > approaches to elevating urate levels are nonetheless worth considering as > a > potential neuroprotective strategy," said Ascherio, who is now > collaborating > with Schwarzschild and others in the design of a clinical trial in > individuals with Parkinson's disease to examine this possibility. "But > elevating blood urate increases the risk of kidney stones and may have > adverse cardiovascular effects and should only be attempted in the context > of a closely monitored randomized trial until beneficial effects are > proven," he added. > The study was supported by National Institutes of Health/National > Institute > of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Kinetics Foundation and the > Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health/National > Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. > The findings were published in The American Journal of Epidemiology. > "Plasma > Urate and Risk of Parkinson's Disease," M. G. Weisskopf, E. O'Reilly, H. > Chen, M. A. Schwarzschild and A. Ascherio, American Journal of > Epidemiology, > published online June 20, 2007. > Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Harvard > School of Public Health. > > Read Original Article > © 2007 Science Daily > > Rayilyn Brown > Board Member AZNPF > Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation > [log in to unmask] > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn