However, such drugs cannot cure a primary cause of Parkinson's, the loss of nerve cells that produce dopamine. The degradation of dopamine-releasing cells is a normal and inevitable part of aging, says Checkoway. We all lose some dopamine production.
People move more slowly as they get older and that is one of the reasons.
Parkinson's occurs when dopamine-producing cells die at an accelerated rate. They can be destroyed by blows to the head, which may be why ex-boxer Mohammed Ali contracted Parkinson's. Exposure to environmental toxins may also kill dopamine-producing neurons or hasten their death. Therefore, Checkoway and Matt Keifer are studying retired farmers to determine if there is a relationship between Parkinson's symptoms and pesticide exposure. Kent Anger from Oregon Health Sciences University, and a member of the CEEH External Science Advisory Board, is collaborating with Checkoway and Keifer on this study.