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Health News Archive 749 - Parkinson's Disease
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Omega-3 Fatty Acid Prevents Parkinson’s Disease

Scientists have discovered that the omega-3 fatty acid DHA can prevent the development of Parkinson’s disease in mice.

Researchers in Canada fed one group of mice an ordinary diet then exposed them to MPTP, a toxic compound that mirrors the brain damage seen in Parkinson’s disease by destroying the dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. The study authors fed another group of mice a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and also exposed this group to MPTP.

The scientists found that the animals on the omega-3-rich diet did not exhibit brain damage from the MPTP, whereas the mice fed the ordinary diet experienced all the Parkinson’s-like effects of MPTP exposure, including a 31 percent drop in dopamine-producing neurons and a 50 percent decrease in dopamine.

Due to the fact that concentrations of other omega-3 fatty acids remained the same in both groups of mice, the researchers suggested the protective effect against Parkinson’s came specifically from the omega-3 fatty acid DHA.

The researchers concluded that excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids in the brain and low amounts of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA may increase the susceptibility to Parkinson’s.

Reference:

Calon F, et al. Article to be published in the April 2008 edition of the FASEB Journal (the journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology).

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