Of interest as to a possible risk factor f... - PSP Association

PSP Association

9,250 members11,347 posts

Of interest as to a possible risk factor for PSP

Christine47 profile image
19 Replies

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/268...

Environmental and occupational risk factors for progressive supranuclear palsy: Case-control study.

"We did not find evidence for a specific causative chemical exposure; higher number of years of drinking well water is a risk factor for PSP. This result remained significant after adjusting for income, smoking, education and occupational exposures. This is the first case-control study to demonstrate PSP is associated with environmental factors." © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

Finding a cause may help in finding the cure.

Written by
Christine47 profile image
Christine47
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
19 Replies
abirke profile image
abirke

I read the abstract that you posted Christine, very interesting especially since my son has well water....luckily he also has a college degree....So maybe the scales tip out evenly on both sides ( she says looking for some humor in it all)

I called a pesticide company one year the ants were incredible that summer; They could not get rid of them. After my nth complaint, they sprayed one last time. The young exterminator whose family owned the business said they hadn't used this stuff in years. It was just a thing said; I did not need to sign a special form or anything....just a thing said. But over the years when I thought about when B started showing signs I realized his symptoms occurred the same year as those people's spray. I never followed up on it as several summers had come and gone along with several other exterminators.....Anyway I always sort of wondered if soemhow I unlocked PSP's door of horrors by complaining about the ants till they got out the "stuff they hadn't used in years" ...well, at least we're on city water...she said nervously,...

AVB

Robbo1 profile image
Robbo1 in reply to abirke

My husband had a slight stroke in 2003, after spraying the mossy/ weed ridden front lawn for the second time, with double strength weedkiller, ( saying he would get rid of it this time) . The medics did a brain scan and told him that he had suffered a TIA . A consultant saw him and said he had Parkinson's. in 2013, he had another brain scan and was told it was PSP. I often wonder if the weedkiller had anything to do with it?

Heady profile image
Heady in reply to Robbo1

Steve had a stroke, silent, woke up a different person, with PSP symptoms, nothing to do with weed killer. Still convinced he was born with it.

Lots of love

Heady

Robbo1 profile image
Robbo1 in reply to Heady

After his stroke, B was told he had Parkinson's. (He had an uncle who had it). Then, after three operations in one year, on his knee, he developed PSP. We search and try to make sense of it all. Maybe it's in the genes? Love Rx

SuzeW profile image
SuzeW in reply to Robbo1

Interesting about the operations...my mum woke up from a very lengthy shoulder replacement & said she felt dizzy from then....that Was her first symptom & ivr always wondered if it had anything to do with the anaesthetic? She then had her knee replaced a few years later & deteiotated significantly after that surgery! Anyone else related it to anaesthetics? X

Robbo1 profile image
Robbo1 in reply to SuzeW

I did read that they don't like operating on people with neurological problems for fear that it could do more damage to the brain. Who knows? X

Jlbpreston profile image
Jlbpreston in reply to SuzeW

My mom had four operations in 3 years: bladder, hernia, knee replacement, and spinal laminectomy. While the back surgery alleviated all her pain... any symptoms she exhibited prior to surgery that we did not notice... we're exacerbated 100x post surgery. She has declined so quickly from May (surgery), Labor Day (when we thought something was really wrong) to December diagnosis with CBD to now with care almost 24x7.

I pray they find a reason and treatment for this awful disease bc I am absolutely heartbroken.

easterncedar profile image
easterncedar

My guy has drunk well water most of his life, but that's true for so much of Maine's population. Why doesn't the population of this state reflect that with a high level of psp? You'd think the incidence would be easy to plot as urban dwellers drink treated water and rural dwellers are on wells.

Interesting, but I'm still going to enjoy the sweet cold water we have on the weekends...

Christine47 profile image
Christine47 in reply to easterncedar

The BMAA pβ-Methylamino-L-alanine, or BMAA, is a non-proteinogenic amino acid produced by cyanobacteria which is the cultprit. The cyanobacteria would have to be present in the water, which does not seem to be the case in Maine.

Julieandrog profile image
Julieandrog

Morning!

My theory is prolonged stress is responsible for many neurological diseases, something triggers the chemical imbalance, maybe we could do a very unscientific survey on here!

Hospice volunteer in to day then three hours from care package five whole hours ! Off to local national trust property with my mate just to walk and talk, bliss.

See you on the other side!

Julie x

abirke profile image
abirke in reply to Julieandrog

AGE...SEX...RACE...Education Level....Income level....tobacco...Chemicals...well water

52........M.......W.........college...............Middle............smoker......No chronic...no....

Comment

Husband has had no long term exposure to agricultural environment except for chicken farms the last 20 years but only minimally. Did paint for a while but usually outside of homes. Did show symptoms after pesticide exposure. never drank well water chronically.

This is my contribution to that case study.

It would be interesting to have a case study done on our psp loved ones....what greater place to get all sorts of info.....

Good idea Julie,

AVB

NanBabs profile image
NanBabs

Cannot see any links directly for P with this survey - yet. He`s never had well water, didn`t smoke or drink and kept very active (always been a sportsman). He was also very religious and that hasn`t worked in his favour either !

xx

easterncedar profile image
easterncedar

It IS very interesting, Christine, and I appreciate very much your keeping us informed. I am sure that one thing that makes the statistics generally so sketchy is the unreliability of the diagnosis. How many people die of falls before being diagnosed with anything? How many are still told they have Parkinson's?

Do you recall this? I may be fudging some of the details, but... Someone a while back brought up the story of how a great deal of excitement had been generated by apparent environmental exposure causing two concentrated high-incidence populations, one in England and one in France. Further examination showed that the two high local rates of psp were caused by there being two doctors with personal experience with the disease.

Some day we will have answers. I know good minds are working on it! Thanks again, Christine!

Peace, ec

Cuttercat profile image
Cuttercat

I think there are environmental factors and others. Charles worked for Park Service in college and they sprayed and sprayed. And the golf courses. Also painted houses and scraped off lead paint!

But has ALWAYS had light sensitivity. Contracted Iritis and I think that was hte trigger!!!!

Cuttercat

Lucy602 profile image
Lucy602

Hmm it's interesting but I honestly think they are just grasping at straws. My dad never smoked or drank. Had well water many years ago but was just diagnosed last year at age 80 only started showing signs a couple of years back. My mom was diagnosed with dimentia earlier this week. Discussed usual risk factors with neurologist and she has none of those and no history with her family except an uncle that drank whiskey every day of his life.

Christine47 profile image
Christine47 in reply to Lucy602

My theory is just that, a theory, but I think there may be a combination of factors with a synergistic effect on DNA early on. My husband, well-educated lawyer and CPA, marathon runner and ran 6 miles every day. But, among other things, he grew up in a rural area and on a farm where arsenic and DDT were used. He drank well-water. Like all of us, he had exposure to many endocrine distruptors, use of antibiotics, and environmental toxins. His diet was not the best, but not atypical. He never smoked, but his father was a chain smoker. His mother, an aunt and uncle had dementia. He is also highly sensitive to medications such as metformin and statins which caused severe muscle weakness. My guess is his brain cells and immune system, just had too much of a onslaught of factors from early on and something tipped the scale in his 70s and the brain just could not sustain the search for new neural pathways. Now we just fight to keep the symptoms at bay.

pzagy profile image
pzagy

I spoke to a Naturopath a few weeks ago, he suggested that problems with the brain and its ability to work properly comes from the liver. There are various things that will effect the liver and a simple cleanse can help the liver to function properly. I have done one using the methods from Amaluxherbal.com. It helped me with many things.

Another point is the food we are eating, the state of food in North America is horrendous. We have allowed pharma companies to use GMO in our feed for animals, antibiotics to make sure they are not sick and various production additives to make food 'safe'.

In the great depression, farmers were given corn to grow. It was disease tollerant and could widthstand drought and infestation. Well, after a while there was more corn that the population could consume, so they started feeding it to cattle. A grain based diet promotes the growth of e-coli 0157-H7 which can be deadly. This is a scientifically proven fact, so what do we do in North Amercia??? We promote corn feed beef!!!!!! I have no words for this just complete and utter shock that this is being allowed.

I know this has nothing to do with PSP/CBD, it may however bring answers as to why more of our population is becoming sick.

It is quite scary to think that the people responsable for keeing our food safe are the ones makeing it even worse.

Just a short rant and an eye opener,

Christine47 profile image
Christine47 in reply to pzagy

Certainly liver function is important. I wonder what your naturopath would say about the influx of information on gut health and its relation to the brain. That seems to be the direction of Dr. David Perlmutter. I listened to a lecture today by him on autoimmune diseases. Fascinating with its relation to the brain. He addressed three things: Do you have a leaky brain? Factory farms, animal obesity and inflammation. The role of food, the gut and immune regulation. This link might take you to the lecture. autoimmunerevolution.org/re...

MaddyS profile image
MaddyS

Hi Christine. Thanks for this interesting research. I would like to add that my grandparents drank well water all their lifes from a well on their land. My parents drank well water almost all their lifes. All lived to a great old age in excellent health (mentally and physically). It probably is a combination of factors that eventually leads to PSP. Lets hope something is discovered so at least the next generation has hope for a treatment or better still a cure. Maddy

You may also like...

No diagnosis yet. Possible PSP

very demanding job. Docs have ruled out Parkinsons I think. PSP has been referenced but no...

Possible confusing antidepressant medication implications for PSP?

paper states ….. \\"Earlier studies linked depression to an increased risk of falls and gait...

Possible First Symptom of PSP - Survey

in what PSP (only) sufferers or carers remember of the first symptom. Many descriptions of PSP...

Expert interview about PSP and possible cause

video: http://www.uctv.tv/shows/Progressive-Supranuclear-Palsy-PSP-On-Our-Mind-30399

Early diagnoses of PSP may be a blessing.

My Husband Barry was diagnosed 10 months ago with PSP after been misdiagnosed 4 years previously....