engleski

TOXIC INFLUENCE ON PARKINSON DISEASE

Background Although cause of Parkinsons disease (PD) is unknown and genetic factors are responsible for only minority of cases, toxic environmental influences can not be rouled out. We initiated this study to detect possible neurotoxic influence on clinical course, disease characteristics and morphology in PD patients. Patients Study included 26 PD patients without any anamnestic exposure to known PD related toxins, 15 PD patients' occasionally exposed and 6 patients professionally daily in touch with high dosage of numerous neurotoxic potent chemicals. Epidemiological screen data included exposure to pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals (manganese, mercury, lead, iron, zinc, amalgam), organic solvents, head trauma, smoking, rural living, farming activity and well water drinking. PD diagnosis and severity was based on Unified Parkinson's Disease rating Scale (UPDRS) and Hoehn & Yahr rating scale (H&Y). Methods All PD patients underwent complete neurological and sonographic examination. Insonation of Nigral substance (NS) was done throughout both temporal "bone window". We compared age of PD onset, UPDRS and H&Y score, levodopa dosage, time between PD diagnosis was established and onset of late motor complications (if existing), dominating symptoms and sonographic results between groups. Results Our results showed younger age of PD onset in highly exposed group as well as fastest development of late motor complications (..) and with rigor as dominating symptom (t=5.12, t=2.57) in same group. UPDRS score suggest higher motor affection in highly exposed group, however sonographic examination revealed no statistically significant difference in SN echogenicity between groups. Discussion Data obtained in this study suggest toxic influence on PD can be recorded through out younger age of onset, acceleration of disease progression and higher motor disability.

Parkinson's disease; toxins; echogenicity; ultrasonography

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