Plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins C and E are decreased in vascular parkinsonism.
Oxidative stress is an important mechanism of cell death in Parkinson's disease (PD) and brain ischemia. Vitamins C, E and A are important antioxidants and deficiency of these agents has been implicated in the mechanisms of atherosclerosis. We measured the levels of the above antioxidant vitamins in 44 patients with PD, 12 patients with vascular parkinsonism (VP), 11 patients with other parkinsonism syndromes of various causes and 39 controls. Vitamin A levels did not differ between groups. Vitamins C and E were found decreased in VP, while they were normal in PD indicating low levels of antioxidant vitamins in VP and stressing the necessity of maintaining sufficient dietary intake of these agents in the elderly.
Department of Neurology, Athens National University, Medical School, Aeginition Hospital, 74 Vas. Sophias Avenue, 11528 Athens, Greece.
George P
GP
Paraskevas
Elisabeth
E
Kapaki
Olga
O
Petropoulou
Maria
M
Anagnostouli
Vasileios
V
Vagenas
Constantine
C
Papageorgiou
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D001205:Ascorbic Acid