I have always wondered about whether or not sleep apnea had any bearing on getting Parkinson's or advancing progression at a faster rate. And would using a CPAP machine (breathing machine) make any difference. I have used a CPAP machine for about 5 years
How many of you have sleep apnea?
I read an article recently about misfolded proteins in sleep apnea. Although a bit technical, here is an excerpt:
Quote:
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In a mouse model of sleep apnea, the researchers found that motor neurons of the jaw and face had swollen endoplasmic reticula, the part of the cell where proteins get folded properly. They surmised that misfolded proteins accumulated as the endoplasmic reticula of mice were exposed to decreased oxygen and oxygen fluctuations during sleep over eight weeks. The involvement of the endoplasmic reticula has never been shown before in explaining the physiology of sleep apnea on a cellular level . . . Sensor proteins sitting on the surface of the endoplasmic reticula get activated by poorly folded proteins within. The Penn group worked with one of those proteins, called PERK. When PERK gets activated, two things can happen: The cell can take a pathway to fix itself or one that leads to self destruction. The cell makes that decision based on its initial health.
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source: Univ. of Pennsylvia School of Medicine
Medical News
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=36503
Peggy