Author(s): Khanh vinh quoc Lương and Lan Thi Hoang Nguyen
Environmental factors can contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Diseases (AD) and Parkinson’s Diseases (PD). For instance, traumatic brain injury has been suggested to be a chronic health condition. One progressive tauopathy, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is believed to stem from repeated traumas to the brain. In addition, genetic studies have helped identify a number of factors that link nutrition and medication to the pathogenesis of AD and PD. Nutrition can also contribute to AD and PD via a number of non-genomic mechanisms, including protein expression, oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular metabolism. Additionally, there is an association between exposure to electromagnetic fields and the development of neurodegenerative diseases. However, there is also a potential therapeutic use for static magnetic fields in the preservation of cognitive performance and motor behavior. Evidence from epidemiological, animal, and cell models suggests that gene-environment interactions can also produce selective neurodegenerative diseases, including AD and PD. In summary, environmental factors (such as trauma, nutrition, medication, and the electromagnetic fields) and the interaction between genes and these environmental factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of AD and PD. Therefore, an understanding of these factors and interactions could provide information on how to intervene, such as correction of poor nutrition, and could prevent the onset of AD and PD or slow their progression, thus contributing to an improvement of health status and quality of life in older age.
