In the news: Parkinsons's Disease

• Study Links Parkinson's Disease With Chemical Exposure

Scientists have now discovered additional evidence of a connection between Parkinson's disease and long-term exposure to pesticides. Parkinson's disease strikes movements like walking, talking and writing. Symptoms of the disease first tend to appear in patients over 50. These symptoms may include tremors and muscle rigidity.

A study of over 300 people with Parkinson's found that sufferers were more than two times as likely to have had heavy exposure to pesticides over their lifetime as other members of their family without the disease.The new research observed the lifetime pesticide exposure of over 300 Parkinson's patients. Over 200 of their healthy relatives were also included in the study as a control group. The results showed that patients with Parkinson's were 1.6 times more likely to report an exposure to pesticides in their lifetimes compared with the control group.Additionally, people with Parkinson's were 2.4 times more likely than healthy people to report heavy exposure to pesticides. Heavy exposure is defined as more than 215 days over a lifetime.

A change in several genes has been identified as a precursor to the disease, however these variations are somewhat unusual and they only account for a small number of the incidence of the disease. The majority of cases are believed to be the result of a reaction between genes and the environment. Pesticides may be contributing to nerve cell death in some people who have Parkinson's. It is unlikely to be the only cause of the disease, however.

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• Medical Breakthrough -- Tango For Parkinson's Disease

A new study is showing how a popular dance may help patients fight some of the effects. Researchers at Washington University are studying a unique treatment for those afflicted with Parkinson's -- the tango.

"It seemed to be a good fit because several of the movements that tango incorporates might specifically target some of the difficulties that people with Parkinson's disease have."

To tango, patients have to balance, turn, initiate steps, dance at different speeds and walk backwards.Researchers say it's these moves that help improve symptoms. Dr. Gammon Earhart says "given the challenges that they're facing on a day-to-day basis, but they come in here with such energy and enthusiasm, and they're so very, very appreciative." Researchers followed Parkinson's patients who attended 20 tango classes. The participants saw much more dramatic improvements in balance and mobility than those who did traditional exercise.
Study participants ranged from their mid-forties to age eighty-two. Researchers are now testing whether a more intense two-week dance course could benefit patients even more. The study was funded by the American Parkinson Association.

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