A commonly used high blood pressure drug could help hundreds of thousands of people suffering from tremor caused by Parkinson’s disease, a study has found.
Standard treatment for Parkinson’s does not always prevent the tremors, which affect up to 90 percent of people with the neurodegenerative disease. The symptom, in which the hands, jaw and legs shake uncontrollably, is usually not disabling but affects daily activities such as shaving, dressing and writing.
Tremors can often worsen in stressful situations, but levodopa, the standard drug to treat the condition, is often less effective at these times, failing to reduce tremors in 40 percent of patients.
Instead, researchers at Radboud University in the Netherlands gave Parkinson’s patients propranolol, a beta blocker that inhibits stress hormones, and used MRI scans to map their brain activity.
In all 27 patients participating in the trial, propranolol reduced tremors during both restful and stressful periods.
‘We know that abnormalities in systems such as the dopamine system cause tremors,’ says Dr. Rick Helmich, professor of neurology at Radboud. ‘Based on our research, we think that the stress hormone noradrenaline acts as an amplifier, increasing the vibration intensity in the movement area of the brain.
A drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure may help people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, a study shows (file photo)
Propranolol, a beta blocker that inhibits the stress hormone, was found to be effective in reducing tremors in patients (file photo)
‘Propranolol inhibits this strengthening effect and thus reduces the complaints.’
It is also used to treat patients with irregular heartbeats and is effective against essential tremor, in which patients experience tremors without any other neurological symptoms.
However, it can cause low blood pressure and is therefore only recommended for patients in whom levodopa fails to prevent tremors.
Dr. Helmich is also investigating lifestyle changes that may reduce Parkinson’s symptoms. “It doesn’t take much to trigger a stress response, causing people to tremble more,” he said. ‘Something as simple as asking, “Did I lock the front door?” can turn it off.
‘We are investigating whether mindfulness can positively influence the stress system.’