Damp and moldy rooms may increase risks of Parkinson's disease, a new study finds.
U.S researchers found that a type of compound emitted by molds can be linked to the development of the neurological condition. They also found a connection between the compound given off by the mold and a mildew vapor also known as 'mushroom alcohol' as two genes associated with the brain chemical dopamine. Dopamine is not found in the brains of patients suffering from Parkinson's.
Dr. Arati Inamdar of Rutgers University said that "while the condition is has previously been linked to exposure to toxins, these were man-made rather than natural chemicals." Dr. Joan Bennett, also from Rutgers University and co-author of the study was the one who came up with the idea for their research. She became interested in the health effects of living in a damp building after the house was flooded due to the Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Dr. Bennett started collecting samples of molds. "I felt horrible - headaches, dizziness, nausea. I knew something about 'sick building syndrome' but until then I didn't believe it. I didn't think it would be possible to breathe in enough mold spores to get sick," she said. Dr. Bennett then decided to investigate the connection between molds and the symptoms she experienced.
She, together with Dr. Inamdar, found that the volatile organic compound 1-octen-3-ol, also known as mushroom alcohol can cause disorders in fruit flies. They also found that it attacks the two genes that deal with dopamine, degenerating the neurons and causing Parkinson's-like symptoms. These findings were published online in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences and were funded by Rutgers University. Researchers from Emory University also helped in the study.
