Journal of Aging Science

Abstract

Current Understanding on the Beneficial Role of Nutrition in Parkinson’s Disease –An Overview

Muralidhara, Yenisetti SV and Yenisetti SC

Various nutritional components belonging to different classes of natural dietary origin display modulatory (protective) properties against age-related neurodegenerative disorders (NDD) such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease. These compounds termed as nutraceuticals which have been shown to act at various biochemical and metabolic levels and exhibit different degree of neuroprotective properties. Present review aims to summarize the current status on the modulatory impact of some of the major nutritional compounds on the pathophysiology of PD, the second most common NDD in humans. Primarily, we have examined the data demonstrated in animal models and postulated through epidemiological studies on the compounds/molecules/life style factors which reduce the risk associated with PD and probable mechanism/s through which they elicit neuroprotection. Further we also included some of the conflicting information about the compounds which may enhance the risk associated with PD. Additionally, emphasis is also given about the new approaches to understand the impact of nutrition on the epigenome in relation to the development of NDD with a short note on emerging ideas relating to nutritional genomics.