This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Vanessa Hinson about what causes Parkinson’s disease and what can be done to reduce the risk of this condition. Dr. Hinson is a Professor of Neurology and Director of the Movement Disorders Program at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Parkinson's disease affects about a million people in the U.S., and it's growing at a rapid rate worldwide. Doctor Vanessa Hinson is here to talk about the latest information about the causes of this condition. Doctor Hinson is a Professor of Neurology and Director of the Movement Disorders Program at MUSC. Doctor Hinson, give us an update about the latest information about the causes of Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Hinson: Yes Bobbi, I would love to, because only if we understand what's causing the disease can we then find effective treatments and ultimately prevent it from happening. To begin with, we understand that Parkinson's disease is caused when an individual who is born with a genetic vulnerability is then exposed to a harmful substance in the environment, for example, something that is toxic to the nervous system and ultimately kills certain brain cells that then result in Parkinson's symptoms. Some of these harmful chemicals are all around us. So, for example, one of them is trichloroethylene, or also known as TCE. That is a toxic substance found in certain dry cleaning agents and also in paint removers. And if you're exposed to that particular toxin, Bobbi, believe it or not, this exposure will increase your risk for getting Parkinson's disease by 500%. And another example is if you consume poorly rinsed or non- organically farmed fruits and vegetables, you might ingest just a trace of an herbicide called paraquat. Paraquat is still really commonly used in the United States by farmers, even though we understand that it can cause Parkinson's disease in vulnerable people, and it can increase your risk by 75%, only those carrying one of the many Parkinson's genes and then get exposed manifest the disease. And that's currently our understanding of why people get Parkinson's disease.
Conner: In the past, experts were not really talking about preventing this condition. However, can you suggest any lifestyle changes or details for possibly reducing an individual's risk for Parkinson's disease?
Dr. Hinson: The good news is that there are several things that we can do. We should ask for known toxins, the ones that we just talked about, for example, paraquat and TCE to be banned. The state of Minnesota and the European Union, for example, disallow the use of TCE, and we can do the same. Thirty-two countries around the world have banned paraquat and we can do the same. We should also ask that already contaminated sites that are all around us, even here in South Carolina, be cleaned up so that toxins do not keep getting to us through the soil and the groundwater. Or, you know, on an individual level, what can we do? We should probably rinse our produce very thoroughly and consider buying organic foods. And then workers who work in certain environments, like the dry cleaning industry, they should really be given protective gear and wear it at all times when handling these substances. Maybe get water filters installed, which is a good idea in order to remove contaminants. And then finally, of course there is diet and exercise. But research really has shown that following a brain healthy diet, such as the mind diet or the Mediterranean diet can reduce your risk for Parkinson's by 22%. That's just diet alone. And then put exercise on top of that. A stringent exercise routine is even more impactful and can reduce your risk for Parkinson's disease by 76%, believe it or not.
Conner: Doctor Hinson, thanks so much for this update about Parkinson's.
Dr. Hinson: You're welcome.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
