Anemia may be associated with development of PD

News: Anemia may be associated with development of PD

-------------------------Mayo Clinic Study Finds Anemia Might Be Associated With Development of Parkinson's Disease

http://tinyurl.com/cj3dby

Results of a new Mayo Clinic study support an association between anemia experienced early in life and the development of Parkinson's disease many years later. The findings will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Seattle on April 30.

"We were surprised to discover that chronic anemia or low levels of hemoglobin were linked to the risk of Parkinson's disease 20- to 30-years later," says Walter A. Rocca, M.D., an author of the study and a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic.

Hemoglobin is the protein that transports oxygen in the blood, an essential element for life. "We looked at both anemia as diagnosed by a physician and low hemoglobin values," Rocca says. "Both were associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. This might indicate that Parkinson's disease actually starts 20- to 30-years before we see any motor changes in the body."

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