Dietary modifications in Parkinson's disease: A neuroprotective intervention?

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, with the prevalence increasing as the population ages. Many mechanisms have been implicated in the pathogenesis of PD including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein aggregation, and inflammation. Current treatment strategies focus on symptomatic improvement. However, therapies to modify disease progression are lacking. A whole food, plant-based diet contains many compounds that fight oxidative stress and inflammation. Evidence from animal models show that various phytochemicals may alter the mechanisms contributing to PD pathophysiology. Epidemiological studies show a relationship between reduced risk of PD and diet. We hypothesize that phytochemicals in plant-based foods may contribute to neuroprotection in PD and that adopting a plant-based diet may provide symptomatic improvement and alter disease progression in PD.