Dr. Bower said, "People with allergic rhinitis mount an immune response with their allergies, so they may be more likely to mount an immune response in the brain as well, which would produce inflammation. The inflammation produced may release certain chemicals in the brain and inadvertently kill brain cells, as we see in Parkinson's."
Dr. Bower further explained that this study does not prove that allergies cause Parkinson's disease but instead, it just point to a probable association between the two diseases. Advising that allergy patients can do little to reduce the potential risk for Parkinson's, he mentioned, "I wouldn't worry if you have allergies, treat the allergy symptoms you have to alleviate them at the time. At this point, we have no good evidence that this treatment will protect you from possibly developing Parkinson's disease later."
Dr. Bower and his colleagues hope, that the clues that they had obtained from their study may give scientists a strong indication about inflammation's role in Parkinson's disease. Dr. Bower further said, "This is exciting, because we may be able to develop medications to block the inflammation."
Parkinson's is a disease condition that affects nerve cells of the brain that controls muscle movement. People suffering from Parkinson's disease often experience trembling, muscle rigidity, difficulty walking, and problems with balance and coordination. These symptoms generally develop after age 50, though it could also affect a small percentage of younger people.