Review of Research Paper on Parkinsons Disease Treatment

Abstract Attempts to cure or slow down the progression of Parkinson’s disease have largely failed; researchers in this paper maintain this is obviously a direct result of the lack of insight into the pathogenesis of the disease. Parkinson’s disease is the product of the deaths of a number of dopaminergic (dopamine-secreting) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta region (SNc) of the brain. But what causes these deaths? In the paper â€Å"‘Rejuvenation’ protects neurons in mouse models of Parkinson’s disease,† Chen and researchers find that older neurons in the SNc are unusually reliant on calcium channels and that after blocking these channels, the cells are â€Å"rejuvenated† and begin acting like their juvenile counterparts; as a result, these cells become protected from Parkinson’s disease. Their research, thus, points not only to a possible cause of neuronal death in PD but also to a possible means of curing the disease. Causes / Risk Factors †¢ Genetics 15-25% of people who have the disease have a parent with the disease. Having a parent with the disease increases a persons risk by 3 fold. There has not been enough research done on the genetic causes of Parkinson’s Disease to say for a fact that they are directly correlated. When more research is done there may be more strong evidence, but it could go the complete other way as well. The Human Genome project should open many doors with the research of this disease once the funding is sufficient. †¢ Environmental factors According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, â€Å"Epidemiological research has identified several factors that may be linked to PD, including rural living, well water, herbicide use and exposure to pesticides.† They also state that a narc... ....org/AboutPD/causes.cfm> Mayo Clinic Staff, "Parkinsons Disease." Nervous System. 12 004 2007. Mayo Clinic. 1 Nov 2007 . Melanie, Brandabur. "Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Parkinson Disease." National Parkinson Foundation. 1 Nov 2007 . â€Å"Parkinson’s Disease.† MayoClinic.com. 12 April 2007. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 15 Nov. 2007. . â€Å"Parkinson’s Disease." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 9 Nov. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 15 Nov. 2007. . "What Causes Parkinson's Disease." 2007. Parkinson's Disease Foundation. 1 Nov 2007 .