KOLKATA: Have you been consuming vegetables without washing them properly? It could be exposing you to the risk of contracting Parkinson's disease post-60. A study of patients in Kolkata reveals that pesticides in vegetables might be one of the major causes that trigger the debilitating illness characterized by tremor of hands, muscular rigidity and slow, imprecise movements. The city is believed to have 10,000 Parkinson's patients, up from 3000 a decade ago.
Pesticides destroy dehydrodenase, an enzyme in the brain that helps to break down harmful aldehyde - waste product generated by normal functioning of the brain. As a result, the harmful wastes remain in the brain, inhibiting the production of dopamine which is directly responsible for the onset of Parkinson's. An international study linking Parkinson's to pesticides spurred researchers at the Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata (INK) to observe local patients. The result has left them worried. "We are yet to launch a full-scale study on this. But primary observations do point to a worrying fact. A vast quantity of pesticide-laden vegetables enter the Kolkata markets and are regularly consumed. Over a period of time, this has obviously affected the brain. It is quite evident from the sharp rise in the number of Parkinson's patients in the city. Even if we consider the rise in Kolkata's population, the increase in the number of patients is quite remarkable," said Hrishikesh Kumar, head of the department of neurology, INK.
According to experts, though Parkinson's disease has not garnered public health attention as much as heart disease and cancer, it has far reaching negative impact on the quality of life of an individual. Globally, around 6.3 million people are known to be suffering from it. The age of onset is usually over 60, but it is estimated that one in 10 are diagnosed before the age of 50, with slightly more men being affected than women. "It is not just detrimental to the physical health and daily activities, Parkinson's also severely affects mental health of the patient. It is very often associated with depression, demoralization, anxiety and psychosis. Considering the debilitating effects of the disease, treatment modalities offering quick and effective solutions to the problem is the need of the hour," said Kumar.
At least one-fifth of the city's Parkinson's cases are believed to have been triggered by pesticides. Rigorous washing should be enough to get rid of them, say experts. But often, even that may not be sufficient, they warn. "Even if you remove the pesticides on the surface, those injected into the vegetables remain. Rinsing them in boiled water doesn't help either for it removes the nutrients from the vegetables. So, the best way is to consume organic vegetables. The problem, of course, is that they are not widely available yet," said Kumar.
A 2006 study conducted in USA claimed that those exposed to pesticides had a 70% higher incidence of contracting Parkinson's.
Direct brain stimulation (DBS) therapy is one of the remedies for Parkinson's. It involves the use of a small, pacemaker-like device that sends electronic signals to an area in the brain that controls movements. These signals block some of the brain messages that cause disabling motor as well as non-motor symptoms. The device is placed under the skin in the chest , while thin wires connect the device to the brain which enables the signals to reach the source of the patient's symptoms.
But Kumar points out that DBS works only in some severe cases of Parkinson's that don't respond well to medicines. "It may not be advisable in early stages, though DBS is an advanced form of treatment, akin to the cardiac pacemaker," said Kumar.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=natural disaster,Mental health,Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata,depression,Cancer
Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Pesticides trigger Parkinson's
Dengan url
http://pijitwajah.blogspot.com/2015/02/pesticides-trigger-parkinsons.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Pesticides trigger Parkinson's
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Pesticides trigger Parkinson's
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar