[reverett123]

And 1992 at that!


1. Neurosci Lett. 1992 Oct 12;145(2):175-7.

Increased plasma concentrations of aspartate, glutamate and glycine in
Parkinson's disease.

Iwasaki Y, Ikeda K, Shiojima T, Kinoshita M.

Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Ohashi Hospital, Tokyo,
Japan.

We measured fasting plasma amino acids in 20 patients with Parkinson's disease
(PD) and 20 controls matched for age and sex. PD patients had significant
elevations in plasma levels of aspartate, glutamate and glycine. The levels of
other amino acids were not significantly different from those found in controls.
No correlation was noted between PD severity and the degree of abnormality of
plasma amino acids. We conclude that excitatory amino acids may be altered in
patients with PD, and raise the possibility that neuroexcitotoxic mechanisms may
be involved in the neurodegeneration of PD.

PMID: 1361223 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[paula_w]

this includes all of the transmitters and amino acids.

http://www.benbest.com/science/anatm...0.html#glycine

I truly do not understand why other transmitters are not as focused upon. A google search [again with acetylcholne written everywhere].

http://www.google.com/search?q=does+...8&sourceid=ie7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcholine

paula

[reverett123]

The amino acids in question are excitotoxic. Under the right circumstances they cause neurons to work so hard they die. MSG gets its bad reputation from that and aspartame sweetner as well.

If these are elevated in plasma, why so and what does it imply?

[paula_w]

Would they be elevated if acetylcholine was elevated?

p

[Conductor71]

Originally Posted by reverett123

And 1992 at that!


1. Neurosci Lett. 1992 Oct 12;145(2):175-7.

Increased plasma concentrations of aspartate, glutamate and glycine in
Parkinson's disease.

Iwasaki Y, Ikeda K, Shiojima T, Kinoshita M.

Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University Ohashi Hospital, Tokyo,
Japan.

We measured fasting plasma amino acids in 20 patients with Parkinson's disease
(PD) and 20 controls matched for age and sex. PD patients had significant
elevations in plasma levels of aspartate, glutamate and glycine. The levels of
other amino acids were not significantly different from those found in controls.
No correlation was noted between PD severity and the degree of abnormality of
plasma amino acids. We conclude that excitatory amino acids may be altered in
patients with PD, and raise the possibility that neuroexcitotoxic mechanisms may
be involved in the neurodegeneration of PD.

PMID: 1361223 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

I'm wondering, without access to the full study, are these higher plasma concentrations leading us into neurodegeneration, or is it happening due to PD?

Laura