Diabetes Raises Risk of Parkinson's Disease
People with type 2 diabetes have nearly twice the risk of Parkinson's disease of people with normal glucose metabolism, according to a study of 51,000 Finnish men and women recently reported in the journal Diabetes Care.
Researchers analyzed data from five cross-sectional studies completed during 1972–1999. Participants included men and women 25–74 years old at baseline. None had a history of Parkinson's disease, a debilitating movement disorder.

Compared with people without the disorder, women with diabetes were 1.8 times more likely to develop Parkinson's, and men were 1.93 times more likely to develop the disease. The relationship held even when adjusted for other factors such as body mass index, education, level of physical activity, smoking, and drinking. The mechanism linking diabetes and Parkinson's disease is unknown.

Hu G, Jousilahti P, Bidel S, et al.: Type 2 diabetes and the risk of Parkinson's disease. Diabetes Care 30: 842–847, 2007.[Abstract/Free Full Text]



the discussion concerning an anti hypertensive drug used for PD prompted me to re-up this post. Is anyone taking byetta for diabetes--any studies using byetta in neurodegenerative diseases?