Iron imbalance linked to Parkinson's disease

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Iron imbalance linked to Parkinson's disease

 

 

14/10/2004 - Too much or too little iron intake may have a significant

impact on the brain, increasing the risk of Parkinson's disease,

according to a US team.

 

A new animal study is the first to demonstrate that both iron

deficiency and toxicity are linked to the specific genes and neuronal

suicide that lead to dopamine shortages responsible for development of

Parkinson's, says researcher Cathy Levenson from Florida State University.

 

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative condition affecting movement and

balance in more than 1 million Americans each year. The prevalence is

expected to increase in ageing populations.

 

In the research, to appear in an upcoming edition of Experimental

Neurology, both healthy mice and those at risk for the disease were

fed varying amounts of iron.

 

High levels of iron caused Parkinson's-like symptoms even in healthy

mice without apparent risk factors for the illness. They accelerated

the decline and death of those already diagnosed with the disease.

 

In contrast, low levels of iron delayed onset of Parkinson's in mice

with risk factors and slowed progress of the disease in those already

infected. But the low iron news was mixed.

 

Levenson also discovered that iron deficiencies in healthy risk-free

rodents led to decreasing levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter

critical to relaying brain messages that control both balance and

movement.

 

Dopamine levels fall as the brain cells or neurons responsible for

transporting it begin to `commit suicide' at higher-than normal-rates,

triggering the chain of events that eventually precipitates the onset

of Parkinson's disease.

 

The study confirms that both iron deficiency and toxicity are linked

to the specific genes and neuronal suicide that lead to dopamine

shortages responsible for development of Parkinson's.

 

" The mouse is a good model for humans as it produces dopamine in the

same way as the human brain, " Levenson told NutraIngredients.com.

" What this shows us is that iron deficiency is not only linked to

anaemia and fatigue, but also a problem for the brain and risk for

Parkinson's. This has not been recognized until now, " she added.

 

Researchers reported last year that high intake of iron, especially in

combination with high manganese intake, may be related to risk for

Parkinson's disease.

 

People who had higher than average dietary iron intake and who also

took, on average, one or more multivitamins or iron supplements per

day were 2.1 times more likely to be Parkinson's patients than those

who had lower than average dietary iron intake and who took fewer than

one multivitamin or iron supplement per day.

 

Levenson said her findings show that people should not self-prescribe

iron supplements but should wait until a doctor notifies them of a

deficiency.

 

" I'd be nervous about just handing someone iron

supplement...Self-medicating may have unintended consequences, " she said.

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