The elevated levels of free iron in Parkinson's patients increase free-radical damage and the destruction of neurons. NFkB and thus the production of inflammatory cytokines. Ginkgo biloba was also discussed. Ginkgo has been shown to have many neuroprotective properties, including the protection of brain mitochondrial glutathione against oxidation. Predictably, there also arose some controversy over coffee, recently shown to be protective against the development of Parkinson's disease.
Caffeine also competes for receptors with adenosine, an inhibitory compound.
By displacing adenosine, caffeine indirectly increases the action of dopamine. Perlmutter condemned the use of long-term antibiotics. Certain antibiotics are mitochondrial inhibitors. One conference participant, an MD from England, suggested that supplementing with Vitamin B12 can be of enormous importance in treating dementia. He described a patient of his whose dementia virtually disappeared after treatment with B12.