"The finding suggests that urate levels could serve as a biological marker for Parkinson's disease risk, Dr. Marc G. Weisskopf, of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and the study's lead author, told Reuters Health. "

"It's also possible, he added, that raising urate levels could help slow progression of the disease."

"The researchers looked at whether levels of urate, a powerful antioxidant, might be related to Parkinson's, given that oxidative stress contributes to degeneration of neurons in the brain that produce dopamine, the chemical that allows muscles to move properly and is lacking in Parkinson's cases. "

"Eighty-four of more than 18,000 men participating in a study launched in 1993-1995 had developed Parkinson's disease by 2000. "

"The investigators found that the average urate level was 5.7 mg/dL in Parkinson's cases and 6.1 mg/dL in matched controls. In analyses accounting for age, smoking, and caffeine intake, men with higher levels of urate were less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than men with lower levels. "

"The findings also suggest that "the low level of plasma urate among individuals with Parkinson's disease precedes the onset of neurologic symptoms and is thus unlikely to be a consequence of changes in diet, behavior, or medical treatment early in the course of the disease," the authors write."

""This strong association between urate level and the
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