Estrogen, a female sex hormone, was found to enhance the neuroprotective effects of cytisine, a smoking cessation drug, in a female mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. That’s according to a study conducted by researchers at Texas A&M University, which analyzed the effects of cytisine in female mice that had…

The death rate from Parkinson’s disease in the U.S. has gradually and significantly increased — by 63% — over two decades across all age groups, sexes, and racial and ethnic groups, according to a study based on nationwide mortality data. In the same period, men died twice as much…

Women who are older when going through menopause appear to be at a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a study based on genetic data. These findings support the idea that certain sex hormones may protect the brain from this disease. The study, “Increased…

A plant-derived medicine used to help people stop smoking, known as cytisine, might be neuroprotective and a potential Parkinson’s disease treatment, an animal model study reports. In female mice, the compound appeared to work with estrogen to limit the loss of the dopamine-producing neurons, nerve cells whose death characterizes…

Increasing evidence links insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) deficiency to the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease, a review study said. Estrogen, the female sex hormone thought to hold potential beneficial effects against Parkinson’s, or PD, may exert its protective actions via IGF-1, the researchers said.

Drinking coffee regularly may help reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases — including Parkinson’s disease — particularly in men, according to a new report from the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC). With the substantial improvements in medical care, health, and quality of life over the…

Commonly used in household products, the antimicrobial agents known as quaternary ammonium compounds, or “quats,” were found to inhibit mitochondria function and to impair estrogen signaling. The findings raise serious questions regarding the safety of these products, which include toothpastes, shampoos, and lotions, among many others, as exposure to other mitochondrial-inhibiting…

Researchers at American University in Washington, D.C. studied the rapid response that takes place in the brains of zebra finches in response to trauma and found that estrogen, produced by glial cells in the brain in response to injury, has the ability to control excessive inflammation. These findings might represent a new…