[Kath]

My husband, age 64, was diagnosed with Parkinson's one year ago. His father died of ALS almost 20 years ago at the age of 69 (he passed away 9 months after diagnosis). I know that my husband was experiencing many symptoms before he would go to the doctor, not the least of which was his left foot dragging. He didn't want to get a diagnosis of ALS which can have a similar first symptom. Has any correlation between the two diseases ever been made? His children and family would like to know.

[RLSmi]

I am pretty sure that ALS and Parkinsons are two separate diseases with different pathology development. I don't think I have ever heard of a person being diagnosed with both. Does you husband take l-dopa/carbidopa (sinemet) or dopamine agonists (requip or mirapex)? If his symptoms respond to these drugs, it is fairly certain that he has only Parkinsons.
Best regards,
Robert

[boomer]

I have been diagnosed with both!!!!!!!

Neuros tell me all the diseases are not directly linked........they both live under one house and use the same wiring !! And that the root of the electrical problems in my house have two starting points where they have gone wrong!

[michael7733]

While investigating this disease and hitting on the fringes of ALS, I noted at least one or two correlations in possible causes between the two. 1) There were a number of folks in each group who woked around jet fuel or ammo factories, and 2) There were some in each group who had been exposed often to cyanide, which seems to affect Super Oxide Dismutase. I'm sure that a specific search might reveal much more.

michael b.

[michael7733]

1) An increase in Superoxide Dismutase activity in the mitohondria in Parkinson's patients but not in ALS Patients

2) Cyanide affects Superoxide Dismutase

3) An analysis of the soil removed from military bases and air fields revealed many substances known to affect neurological function. Here is the website for those stats. soil cleanup

Will the fun never end...

michael b.

[olsen]

michael's post prompted a re-posting of the following info--note that "PON gene cluster variants have previously been associated with other neurodegenerative and vascular disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, coronary artery disease and stroke."
:
statins, pesticides and nerve gases, PON cluster gene variations and ALS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

the following concerns a study reported in a well respected, peer reviewed journal, Neurology, august, 2006, about a genetic variation for coding 3 specific detoxifying enzymes that are directly responsible for metabolizing statin drugs and for detoxifying both pesticides and nerve gases.
there are no reports of the % of the population with these genetic variations--though exposure to these environmental factors--statins, nerve gas and pesticides--in individuals with these genetic variations may be a risk factor for developing the neuromuscular diseases associated with PON gene cluster variants.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0705185155.htm

Source: Northwestern University
Date: July 6, 2006

Variations In Detoxifying Genes Linked To Lou Gehrig's Disease
Genetic variations in three enzymes that detoxify insecticides and nerve gas agents as well as metabolize cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may be a risk factor for developing sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease), and possibly responsible for a reported twofold increased risk of ALS in Gulf War veterans.

These findings, from a study led Teepu Siddique, M.D., and colleagues at Northwestern University, open the door to investigating gene-environment interactions as a cause of ALS and other illnesses and to the development of molecular targets for specific treatments. The study was published in the August 22 online issue (available now) of the journal Neurology.

Siddique is Les Turner ALS Foundation/Herbert C. Wenske Professor, Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurosciences, professor of cell and molecular biology and director of the Neuromuscular Disorders Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

ALS is a complex neurodegenerative disorder of the motor neurons that results in muscle weakness, difficulty speaking, swallowing and breathing and eventual total paralysis and death generally within five years.

In 1993 Siddique and collaborators determined that mutations in a gene known as SOD1 account for 20 percent of familial, or inherited, ALS (2 percent of all cases of ALS). However, the cause of sporadic ALS is still unknown.

In earlier research Siddique and other researchers hypothesized that sporadic ALS is modulated by variations in multiple genes interacting with each other and environmental exposures.

The genes for human paraoxanases (PON 1, PON 2 and PON 3), which are located on chromosome 7q21.3, code for the production of detoxifying enzymes involved in the metabolism of a variety of drugs, organophosphate insecticides, such as parathion, diazinon and chlorpyrifos, and nerve gas agents such as sarin
Previous research described a possible twofold increased risk for developing ALS in veterans of the Gulf War, indicating a war-related environmental exposure to organophosphates and sarin in genetically susceptible individuals as a possible cause.

PON gene cluster variants have previously been associated with other neurodegenerative and vascular disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, coronary artery disease and stroke.

Although the Northwestern DNA study samples were not analyzed for inclusion of Gulf War veterans, Siddique and co-researchers found significant evidence that gene variations (polymorphisms) on the chromosome region encompassing PON2-PON3 were strongly associated with sporadic ALS.

“Thus, single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping in the intergenic regions of the PON gene cluster, and replication, gene expression, gene-gene interaction and PON serum/enzymatic studies may help elucidate the complexity of PON cluster association with ALS,” Siddique said.

Siddique hopes to study DNA samples from Gulf War veterans with increased incidence of sporadic ALS and has applied for their DNA from the Veterans Administration collection.

Collaborating with Siddique on this research were Mohammad Saeed, M.D.; Nailah Siddique; Wu-Yen Hung; Elena Usacheva; Erdong Liu, M.D.; Robert L. Sufit, M.D.; Scott L. Heller, M.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Jonathan L. Haines, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; and Margaret Pericak-Vance, Duke University Medical Center.

This study was supported by grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Les Turner ALS Foundation; V. E. Schaff ALS Research Trust; Wenske Foundation; Harold Post Professorship; Les Turner ALS Foundation/Herbert C. Wenske Foundation Professorship; Falk Foundation Fund; and The David C. Asselin M.D., Memorial Fund.

[Paul Wicks]

I've come across two patients that had ALS and features of Parkinson's but it would be quite rare.

Remember, 95% of ALS cases are sporadic. If your husband only has one family member with ALS (i.e. no aunts, uncles, cousins, or children) are affected then it's unlikely his father had the inherited form, which tends to make itself known in families.

Paul

[boomer]

Hey Paul do the other als/pd 'ers post on the web???Or could you put me in contact with them

[Paul Wicks]

Hi Boomer, no sadly not, they were people I came across in a hospital several years ago so no way of getting in touch I'm afraid =(

The other thing to bare in mind is that although ALS is rare, PD is quite common (~2% of people 65+) so it's not that unlikely a coincidence...