Shielding brain cells from the ravages of Parkinson's
A degenerative disorder that progressively attacks the central nervous system, Parkinson's disease eventually results from the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. Currently, there is no cure. As reported by ScienceDaily, a study published in Biological Psychiatry (Elsevier) explored a possible treatment for the disease using green tea. Lead researcher Dr. Baolu Zhao and his team discovered that "green tea polyphenols protect dopamine neurons that increases with the amount consumed." Additionally, "[t]hey also show that this protective effect is mediated by inhibition of the ROS-NO pathway, a pathway that may contribute to cell death in Parkinson's."