My husband has high levels of lead and his company only tests through the blood. Lead doesn't stay in the blood so that is not an accurate test. It only shows what you are recently exposed to. After 20 years of being exposed to lead, he now has Parkinson's and we had his lead levels tested in other ways beside the blood. We used a urine test and a Hair test. His lead levels are off the chart.
2007-10-27 10:39:15 · 3 answers · asked by 7 W 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
I just did a quick search of the medical literature on this issue. I found a review article by researchers in the dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Univ. of Calif., Santa Cruz. The following is a direct quote from this scientific paper: "Occupational exposure to specific metals, especially manganese, copper, lead, iron, mercury, zinc, aluminum, appears to be a risk factor for Parkinson's disease...".
So lead does appear to have the potential to contribute to the development of this condition.
Best wishes.
2007-10-27 15:37:53 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor J 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no direct evidence that Pb toxicity leads to destruction of dopamine neurons in the nigro-striatal pathway (Parkinson's). Years ago, there was speculation that aluminum toxicity caused PD, but this too was proven to be incorrect. That does not mean that Pb toxicity has nothing to do with PD, but you will have a difficult time proving this.
2007-10-27 15:31:13 · answer #2 · answered by Simonizer1218 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The two shouldn't be related, but plumbism has a set of possible neurologic symptoms, including tremor, so the diagnosis may not be correct. It's just going to take more time, study, and treatment, I imagine.
2007-10-27 11:33:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋