Could prostate medicines reduce Parkinson's disease risk?
A new study suggests that repurposing glycolysis-enhancing medications such as for example terazosin, which is normally used to take care of an enlarged prostate, may decrease the threat of Parkinson’s disease in males.
Parkinson’s disease is going to be a neurodegenerative disorder caused by reduced degrees of a brain chemical called dopamine. The symptoms worsen as time passes, and the condition can have a variety of complications, from triggering difficulty speaking to difficulty chewing and swallowing.
While Parkinson’s disease mainly influences movement, dopamine loss may also cause nonmotor symptoms, including depression, dementia, trouble sleeping, and low energy.
Different treatments can address the wide spectral range of symptoms, but currently, no medication can cure Parkinson’s disease.
Most treatments concentrate on restoring dopamine levels. Lately, however, more study has investigated ways to increase energy amounts using a metabolic pathway called glycolysis.
The role of glycolysis in Parkinson’s
All cells need strength to handle their features, and glycolysis is probably the first metabolic pathways in the production of strength.
This multistep pathway breaks down glucose into several types of molecules used for further energy production.
The findings of a 2014 study recommend that increased oxidative stress from the early development of Parkinson’s contributes to impaired glucose metabolism.
Meanwhile, the effects of a 2019 analysis indicate that increasing strength production levels can delay the onset of Parkinson’s symptoms.
An earlier study figured a medicine used to take care of prostate enlargement, called terazosin, could enhance cellular energy by increasing the activity of a key enzyme needed to breakdown glucose in glycolysis.
Because of this, the experts from the 2019 analysis studied terazosin’s results in animal versions and used clinical databases to gather information about people with Parkinson’s disease who were taking the medicine. They found that terazosin delayed the development of the condition, reduced problems, and reduced the number of diagnoses.
Now, a global team led by researchers from the University of Iowa has compared the effectiveness of glycolysis-enhancing prescription drugs, including terazosin, with those of tamsulosin - a drug that has similar indications but does not increase glycolysis.
Investigations in the US and Denmark
The researchers conducted two investigations, which involved collecting medical information from persons who were not used to taking terazosin, doxazosin, alfuzosin, or tamsulosin. Each is glycolysis-enhancing except tamsulosin.
From January 1996 to December 2017, the team used data from three Danish nationwide health registries. From January 2001 to December 2017, they took facts from the Truven Wellness Analytics Marketscan database.
The researchers excluded patients who had developed Parkinson’s disease before or within 12 months of taking the medication. They didn't include any female individuals because these medications are usually prescribed to males.
Data collection began following the first year of starting the brand new medication. It continued until the person was taken off the data source or until December 2017.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com
