Latest news with #DavidDexter
9 News
12-05-2025
- Health
- 9 News
New study suggests link between golf courses and devastating disease
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here A new study in the US has found a potential link between golf courses and Parkinson's disease. The research, published in JAMA Network Open , found that people living within five kilometres of golf courses are more than twice as likely to develop the devastating neurological illness. Researchers suspected it was linked to pesticide use across those courses, with the toxic chemicals leaching into the drinking water. A new study has suggested a link between golf courses and Parkinson's disease. (Getty) "This case-control study found the greatest risk of (Parkinson's) within one to three miles (1.6km to 4.8km) of a golf course, and that this risk generally decreased with distance," the researchers said. "Effect sizes were largest in water service areas with a golf course in vulnerable groundwater regions." However, other Parkinson's experts quoted by the UK Science Media Centre said many other factors needed to be ruled out before the disease could be clearly linked to the pesticides. Parkinson's is a devastating illness. (Getty) Parkinson's UK research director Dr David Dexter said multiple factors of the study had not been controlled. "Firstly, Parkinson's starts in the brain 10 to 15 years before diagnosis and the study didn't only use subjects who permanently lived in the area," he said. "This would not only affect participants' exposure, but also suggests their Parkinson's could have started before they moved around a golf course." He also pointed out the study had not analysed the drinking water in the affected areas for pesticide levels. Parkinson's UK research lead Dr Katherine Fletcher said many studies had investigated a potential link to pesticides. "The results have been varied, but overall suggest that exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of the condition," she said. "However, the evidence is not strong enough to show that pesticide exposure directly causes Parkinson's." health Disease science Research USA World CONTACT US
Euronews
11-04-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Simple new blood test could help identify Parkinson's patients at early stages of disease
ADVERTISEMENT A simple blood test may help identify people at the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease, long before they begin to show symptoms, new research has found. The study, published on Friday in the journal Nature Aging , is the latest to identify early warning signs of Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative condition that affects about 10 million people worldwide and occurs when the brain slowly stops producing the chemical dopamine in areas that control movement and balance. There is no cure for Parkinson's, which causes tremors, stiffness, slow movement, and cognitive impairment. Most people are diagnosed based on these symptoms, but by that point, more than 60 per cent of dopamine neurons have already degraded – which is why scientists are hunting for ways to diagnose patients earlier. For the new study, Israeli researchers compared blood and brain tissue data between Parkinson's patients and those in good health. Related Parkinson's cases could double by 2050, reaching 25 million worldwide They focused on small RNA molecules known as transfer RNA fragments (tRFs), which appear to play a role in neurological issues such as Parkinson's. Two key biomarkers emerged; one that's linked to Parkinson's and another to the progression of the disease. Using a blood test to measure the distance between them could serve as an additional early diagnostic for the condition, the findings suggest. 'By focusing on tRFs, we've opened a new window into the molecular changes that occur in the earliest stages of the disease,' said Hermona Soreq, one of the study's authors and a professor of molecular neuroscience at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. More research needed to confirm findings But the researchers said bigger studies that follow a more diverse group of Parkinson's patients over time are needed to confirm their results and understand how changes to these biomarkers affect patient outcomes. Related Diabetes drug similar to Ozempic showed no benefits for patients with Parkinson's disease It's also not clear whether the blood test would be able to differentiate between Parkinson's and other conditions with similar early symptoms. 'More work is needed to continue to test and validate this possible test, especially understanding how it can distinguish between other conditions that have similar early signs to Parkinson's,' David Dexter, director of research at Parkinson's UK, told Euronews Health. 'This research represents a new angle to explore in the search for a biological marker for Parkinson's,' added Dexter, who was not involved with the study. Related Reducing air pollution exposure could curb Parkinson's risks, researchers say Other scientists have found additional biomarkers of interest. One EU-funded study published last year identified eight proteins in the blood that could help identify Parkinson's patients up to seven years before major symptoms appear. The prospect of a quick, reliable blood test for Parkinson's could 'alleviate the burden of uncertainty from suffering individuals, assist clinicians' care of those patients early in the disease process and open routes for developing and testing new therapeutics,' the Israeli researchers said.
The Independent
06-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Parkinson's cases could top 25 million worldwide by 2050, study suggests
The number of people living with Parkinson's disease worldwide could more than double by 2050, a study suggests. The predicted rise is largely down to an ageing population, researchers said. A modelling study led by academics in Beijing used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 to estimate the prevalence of Parkinson's disease from 2022 to 2050 in 195 countries. The findings, published in the BMJ, suggest the number of people living with the condition in 2050 will be 25.2 million, a 112% increase compared to 2021. 'By 2050 Parkinson's disease will have become a greater public health challenge for patients, their families, care givers, communities, and society,' researchers said. The team suggests the 'upward trend' is more pronounced 'in men, in East Asia and in countries with middle socio-demographic index', which is a scale that measures a country's level of development based on the likes of average income, education and fertility rate. According to their estimations, cases in the UK could climb from 230,000 by 2030, to 272,000 by 2040 and 307,000 by 2050. Researchers said population ageing 'was estimated to be the leading contributor' to rising cases, adding that their projections 'can be used to plan control measures and call for urgent actions in meeting the increasing healthcare demands of patients' with the illness. Parkinson's is a progressive condition that affects the brain. Symptoms include involuntary shaking known as tremors, slow movements and stiff muscles, as well as psychological problems like depression, loss of balance, trouble sleeping and memory issues. Academics suggest 'public health interventions' could be promising in slowing the 'universal rise' in cases. They added: 'Given the inevitable population ageing, population growth, and disability experienced by individuals with Parkinson's disease owing to its chronic nature, an urgent need exists for future research to focus on the development of novel drugs, gene engineering techniques, and cell replacement therapies that are aimed at modifying the course of the disease and improving patients' quality of life.' David Dexter, director of research at Parkinson's UK, said: 'This very welcome study reminds us that Parkinson's is growing quickly across the world. 'Yet, in the UK today, our investment in research is failing to respond to this anticipated growth and people with Parkinson's are not getting the healthcare and services they need to live well. 'Until we find a cure, it's vital that people with Parkinson's, regardless of their location, socioeconomic group or race, have access to research opportunities, good quality care and support that enables them to live well with the condition.'
