Patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD) may find hope in the most unlikely of resources: GOLD. Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have been testing the treatment of oral intake of gold nanocrystals in MS and PD patients suffering from problems in motor movement. MS is caused by an immune system attack on the coating of nerve cells while Parkinson’s Disease is caused by a progressive loss of dopamine-containing cells: both diseases have impaired movement as a hallmark feature. Both diseases entail an energy deficit in the brain. Researchers believe that gold nanocrystals can improve the brain’s “energy balance” which would slow the decline or even promote some recovery in patients with neurodegenerative disorders.
In this study, MRI scans of PD patients established a baseline of certain brain energy metabolites. Twelve weeks after taking gold nanocrystals, a second scan showed an average 10% increase in these markers of energy metabolism and patients reported some clinical improvement in their motor function. The study is being repeated in MS patients.
Don’t trade in your gold jewelry yet. These studies were small and more validation is needed to establish the efficacy and safety of this new and promising intervention.
If you are experiencing symptoms of neurologic dysfunction, BeCareLink can screen you for abnormalities in your function, prompting you to seek a formal diagnosis and treatment if appropriate.
Reference: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-023-02236-z