Hi Jimen,
Both MS and Parkinson's disease are disorders of the central
nervous system, and both cause a loss of neruons. In MS's case, an
auto-immune response causes the body to destroy myelin, the which
covers and protects nerves. Parkinson's disease attacks dopamine
producing cells. Without dopamine, the brain is unable to send
messages to muscle, causing a lack of coordination. However I can find
nothing linking the two diseases. Neither is considered hereditary,
but the tendency of contracting one or the other may be hereditary,
through a mutated gene. Breathing manganese fumes has been attributed
to causing Parkinson's!
"Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that
affects the Central Nervous System (CNS); MS is considered an
autoimmune disease that most often affects people between the ages of
20 and 40. In MS, the immune system attacks myelin and
oligodendrocytes, the cells that make myelin; the cause(s) of MS is
unknown. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD),
multiple sclerosis (MS), or Parkinson's disease (PD) are characterized
by progressive loss of neurons which, over time, leads to
neurodegeneration and resulting disability"
http://lansbury.bwh.harvard.edu/multiple_sclerosis.htm
"It has long been known that women run twice the risk of getting
multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to men. Now a team at the Mayo Clinic
is a step closer to understanding why this might be.
They have found that women tend to have a higher level of a protein
called interferon gamma. Previous work has suggested that high levels
of the protein tend to worsen MS perhaps by promoting inflammation
within the nervous system. In the current study, we learn that women
are more likely to have a genetic variant that leads to more
interferon gamma being produced by the body. The findings may lead to
a better understanding of MS - which is still somewhat of a mystery to
doctors - as well as new diagnostic approaches and therapies."
http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=0!gc=18!l=1!gid1=6812;jsessionid=42FCEC5F3F96CFC85D63352DA4D59B8C
"Three new studies pinpoint mutations in a newly discovered gene as a
cause of Parkinson's disease.
After Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease - a disorder of
movement - is the most common age-related neurological disorder. Now a
gene mutation that could account for one case in 20 has been
uncovered.
The gene involved is the newly discovered LRRK2. Mutations have been
found in individuals in four families affected by Parkinson's disease.
This finding, reported by researchers at the Erasmus Medical Center,
Rotterdam, is an important step forward in our understanding of
Parkinson's disease.
A team at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery,
London, and another in the Cincinnati Children's Hospital in the USA,
also report similar findings of LRRK2 mutations. It is possible that a
test for the mutations could, in the future, be used as a screen for
Parkinson's disease. "
http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=0!gc=18!l=1!gid1=6774;jsessionid=42FCEC5F3F96CFC85D63352DA4D59B8C
"The exact cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. However,
researchers believe multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory process that
attacks a substance in the nervous system called myelin.
Myelin is an important substance. It surrounds the cells in the
nervous system and facilitates rapid transmission of signals up and
down neurons. When myelin is broken down, nerve impulses travel
slower, causing symptoms that are characteristic of Multiple
Sclerosis."
http://www.mamashealth.com/Multiple_sclerosis.asp
"Parkinson's Disease is a disorder of the brain characterized by
shaking and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. The
disease is associated with damage to a part of the brain that controls
muscle movement. Parkinson's Disease is also called paralysis agitans
and shaking palsy. The disorder may affect one or both sides of the
body, with varying degrees of loss of function. Parkinson's may also
impair speech. Parkinson's was first described in England in 1817 by
James Parkinson."
"Parkinson's disease is caused by the progressive deterioration of the
nerve cells of the part of the brain that controls muscle movement.
The parts of the brain that control muscle movement are the basal
ganglia and the extrapyramidal area. In this condition, deterioration
of this area of the brain reduces the amount of dopamine available to
the body. When there is insufficient dopamine, the balance between
dopamine and other transmitters, such as acetylcholine become
unbalanced. Without dopamine, the nerve cells cannot properly transmit
messages. When the nerve cells cannot properly transmit messages, loss
of muscle function occurs."
http://www.mamashealth.com/park.asp
"The cause is still unknown. The immune system defends the body from
attack by micro-organisms such as bacteria and viruses. In the case of
MS, the immune system attacks its own myelin, causing disruptions to
the nerve transmissions. The trigger to the disease has not yet been
discovered, but it is thought that genetic and environmental factors
are involved. Research so far has found that in nearly two thirds of
cases, a relapse has been preceded by a viral illness."
"The cause of Parkinson?s disease is unknown. Many researchers believe
that several factors combined are involved: free radicals, accelerated
aging, environmental toxins, and genetic predisposition.
It may be that free radicals?unstable and potentially damaging
molecules that lack on electron?are involved in the degeneration of
dopamine-producing cells. Free radicals add an electron by reacting
with nearby molecules in a process called oxidation, which can damage
nerve cells. Chemicals called antioxidants normally protect cells from
oxidative stress and damage. If antioxidative action fails to protect
dopamine-producing nerve cells, they could be damaged and,
subsequently, Parkinson?s disease could develop.
Dysfunctional antioxidative mechanisms are associated with older age
as well, suggesting that the acceleration of age-related changes in
dopamine production may be a factor.
Exposure to an environmental toxin, such as a pesticide, that inhibits
dopamine production and produces free radicals and oxidation damage
may be involved.
Roughly one-fifth of Parkinson's disease patients have at least one
relative with parkinsonian symptoms, suggesting that a genetic factor
may be involved. Several genes that cause symptoms in younger patients
have been identified. Most researchers believe, however, that most
cases are not caused by genetic factors alone."
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Multiple_sclerosis_explained?OpenDocument
"Parkinson?s results from the degeneration of dopamine-producing nerve
cells in the brain, specifically in the substantia nigra and the locus
coeruleus. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that stimulates motor
neurons, those nerve cells that control the muscles. When dopamine
production is depleted, the motor system nerves are unable to control
movement and coordination. Parkinson's disease patients have lost 80%
or more of their dopamine-producing cells by the time symptoms appear"
http://www.neurologychannel.com/parkinsonsdisease/
"Multiple Sclerosis does not affect nerve cells. It affects
transmission of electrical signals to nerve cells. Multiple sclerosis
is the most common cause of chronic neurological disability in young
adults. It is not contagious."
http://www.mamashealth.com/Multiple_sclerosis.asp
"A new study suggests that donepezil can improve memory in people who
have multiple sclerosis.
Around half of those with multiple sclerosis (MS) report problems with
memory, which are the cause of much disability. Donepezil is a drug
used to treat memory loss and other cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's
disease - so could it perhaps also be useful in MS?
Yes, say researchers at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York.
They studied 69 people with MS and other mild cognitive symptoms,
assigning some to donepezil and the rest to placebo for 24 weeks. At
the end of the study there was a 14 per cent improvement in memory for
those on donepezil compared to just three per cent for those on
placebo. This was reflected in patients' perceptions. In the donepezil
group, 66 per cent thought their memory was better, compared to 32 per
cent taking placebo."
http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=0!gc=18!l=1!gid1=6533;jsessionid=42FCEC5F3F96CFC85D63352DA4D59B8C
"People born in May have an increased risk of developing multiple
sclerosis, according to a new study.
In multiple sclerosis (MS), the lining of the sheaths enclosing the
nerves become eroded, leading to a range of disabling neurological
symptoms. The cause is unknown. However, according to researchers at
the University of Oxford, England, the month of birth seems to be a
risk factor.
They looked at a group of 17,874 Canadian patients and 11,502 British
patients with MS, and compared them with unaffected brothers and
sisters and with the general population. In Canada, fewer people with
MS were born in November, compared to controls. In Britain, fewer
people with MS were born in November and more were born in May.
Altogether, this means that those born in May have a 13 per cent
increase in risk of MS compared to those born in November. It is not
clear why this seasonal link occurs - but perhaps it has some link
with the mother's sun exposure during pregnancy which might affect the
brain development of the baby."
http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=0!gc=18!l=1!gid1=6659;jsessionid=42FCEC5F3F96CFC85D63352DA4D59B8C
MS & Alzheimer's
"An allele associated with Alzheimer's disease has now been linked to
swifter MS disease progression."
Triggers
"How important are genetics in the study of MS? The National Multiple
Sclerosis Society (NMSS) reports on its Web site that, "While there is
evidence from studies that a genetic component exists, it appears to
be only one factor among several." The organization further reports
that, while the average individual has a 1 in 1,000 chance of
developing MS, "close relatives of people with MS, such as children or
siblings, have a 1 in 100 to 1 in 50 chance of developing MS."
Moreover, an individual who is an identical twin of someone with the
disease has a 1 in 3 chance of developing MS.
"Most likely, an individual's genetic blueprint ultimately determines
if that individual will be susceptible to a triggering factor," states
the NMSS site, "which in turn initiates the autoimmune process that
leads to the development of MS." "
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3939/is_200201/ai_n9023174
I hope this fully answers your question. Please request an Answer
Clarfication, before rating, if anything is unclear.
Best of luck to you! My daughter was recently diagnosed with MS and no
one in our family has ever had it, that we know of. Nor has anyone had
Parkinson's Disease.
Sincerely, Crabcakes
Search Terms
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similarity + MS + Parkinson's
Multiple Sclerosis + link + Parkinson's
MS
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