Sudden Decrease in Testosterone Linked with Parkinson's Disease

Sudden reduction in testosterone in men could be a sign of Parkinson's disease, according to a new study.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Rush University Medical Center who found that male mice displayed Parkinson-like symptoms when their testosterone levels decreased.

In a person suffering from the Parkinson's disease, the part of the brain that controls movement doesn't function properly. This usually happens when the neurons that produce a movement regulating chemical, dopamine, die.  The symptoms of the disease include trembling hands or legs, stiffness, poor balance, co-ordination between hands and legs, slow movements. PD usually affects men more than women. Although the disease starts usually after 60 years of age, stress could trigger and early onset.

Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, but a variety of medications provides dramatic relief from the symptoms, according to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Men generally have high testosterone levels when they reach 30 years of age, after which their hormone levels dip by a percent every year. However, stress and other factors could cause an early decrease in hormone levels that can lead to health complications, including Parkinson's disease.

The current study shows that mice with reduced testosterone levels can be used as models in research to hunt for drugs that can treat Parkinson's disease.

"While scientists use different toxins and a number of complex genetic approaches to model Parkinson's disease in mice, we have found that the sudden drop in the levels of testosterone following castration is sufficient to cause persistent Parkinson's like pathology and symptoms in male mice. We found that the supplementation of testosterone in the form of 5-alpha dihydrotestosterone (DHT) pellets reverses Parkinson's pathology in male mice," said Dr. Kalipada Pahan, lead author of the study and the Floyd A. Davis endowed professor of neurology at Rush, according to a news release.

Preserving testosterone levels in the body could help in delaying the onset of the disease, researchers said.

The study is published in Journal of Biological Chemistry.