The researchers conclude from this study that maintaining testosterone levels in men could help escape the disease.
” The sudden drop in testosterone levels – here by castration – is sufficient to cause the persistence of Parkinson’s disease in male mice, conversely, testosterone supplementation in the form of 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone reverses the symptoms of the disease, always in mice. explains Dr. Kalipada Pahan, lead author of the study.
Decreased testosterone level
“In men, testosterone levels are intimately linked to many disease processes.Pahan said. In general, in healthy men, the level of testosterone is at its maximum around the age of 30. It then drops by about one percent each year. However, testosterone levels can drop dramatically due to sudden stress or other life events, which can make someone more susceptible to Parkinson’s disease.
” Therefore, preserving testosterone in men may be an important step in becoming resistant to Parkinson’s disease. Pahan said. “More research needs to be conducted to see how we could potentially target testosterone levels in human males to find a viable treatment,” Pahan said.
Parkinson’s disease affects approximately 1.2 million patients in the United States and Canada. Although 15% of patients are diagnosed before age 50, it is generally considered a disease of the elderly, affecting one in 100 people over 60. This disease seems to be slightly more common in men than in women.