Stomach hormone effective in Parkinson's

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A naturally occurring stomach hormone shows promise in slowing the development of Parkinson's disease, researchers in Connecticut said.

Ghrelin is protective of dopamine neurons, which degenerate with the onset of Parkinson's, Yale School of Medicine researchers reported in a recent issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

Reduced production of dopamine in late-stage Parkinson's causes symptoms such as severe difficulty in walking, tremors, lack of appetite and periods of motionless known as "freezing."

Produced in the stomach, ghrelin has an influence on appetite and is responsible for direct activation of the brain's dopamine cells, Yale researcher Tamas Horvath said.

In a study, mice with impaired ghrelin action in the brain showed a greater loss of dopamine than mice that received ghrelin supplements, Horvath said. In future studies, Horvath's team will try to determine ghrelin levels in healthy people and in Parkinson's patients.

The Yale study was supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.