Parkinson's disease, an age-related nervous system disorder, occurs when nerve cells in the brain stop making dopamine. Without dopamine, your body cannot regulate muscle function. If left untreated, Parkinson's disease can result in complete loss of muscle control. Resveratrol, a natural compound found in grape skins, appears to confer protection against Parkinson's disease in animal models. Talk to your doctor before you take resveratrol supplements, however.
Parkinson's Identified
Loss of neuronal axons is a common pathological feature of many human neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's. The neuron is made up of fibers called axons that help speed up nerve conduction. Resveratrol appears to treat Parkinson's disease by preventing or retarding axonal degeneration, according to Jeffrey Milbrantdt, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of Biology and Biomedical Sciences at the Washington University. Axonal injury commonly occurs during traumatic brain injury as a result of mitochondrial damage.
Deep Brain Stimulation
Deep brain stimulation, DBS, is an electrical stimulation therapy for Parkinson's disease. Unfortunately, the effects of DBS are not long lasting, and its side effects can be serious. It destroys neuronal cells around the implanted electrodes, which ultimately triggers cell death. A diet enriched in resveratrol attenuated cell degeneration in association with chronic electrical stimulation in adult rat brains, according to the book "Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease" by Gordon H. Baltuch and Mattew B. Stern.
SIR1 Protein
The over-expression of SIR1 protein has been shown to promote the survival of mouse model and retard age-related progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, according to Dr. Joerg Leheste, an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Histology at the New York Institute of Technology. Resveratrol functions as a powerful SIR1 activator and prevents the age-related loss of dopaminergic neurons, which is a prominent neuropathological feature of Parkinson's disease.
Therapeutic Dosages
Resveratrol may provide symptomatic relief in patients with Parkinson's disease; however, it is not clear which dose is optimal. Animal studies at New Your University Langone Medical Center demonstrate that long-term treatment with resveratrol at a dose of 500 mg per day may be safe and potent.
References
- Washington University in St. Louis; Research Abstract; Jeffrey Milbrandt; November 30, 2009
- MedlinePlus: Parkinson's Disease; Daniel Kantor; October 4, 2010
- New York University Langone Medical Center: Resveratrol; February 2011
- New York Institute of Technology: Molecular Neuroscience; Joerg Leheste
- Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease (Neurological Disease and Therapy) ; Gordon H. Baltuch and Mattew B. Stern; March 19, 2007
