Central and Eastern Kentucky
(2009-10-26)
LEXINGTON
(WEKU) -
A heart specialist says there could be a link between neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's and heart disease.
Dr. Jeff Robbins, who co-directs the heart institute at Cincinnati's children's hospital says some of the same lesions found in Alzheimer's or Parkinson's patients are found in cardiac patients.
"There's this common pathway where this toxic substance is produced in the heart and this toxic substance is the same substance as we see in neuro-degenerative diseases," Robbins said.
Robbins says it may be that drugs that treat neuro-degenerative diseases might also be effective in the heart. He says these cardiac issues are found in very young children as well as adults. Robbins adds a patient could have such lesions in the heart and not suffer from Alzheimer's. He was in Lexington for the University of Kentucky's cardiovascular research day program.
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