Inhaled beta-2 agonists are not associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease
Beta-2 agonists are bronchodilators commonly used in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although beta-2 agonists have been associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease in some previous epidemiological studies, this association was not found in a recent register-based study from the University of Eastern Finland. The findings were published in Clinical Epidemiology. Accumulation of the alpha-synuclein protein in the brain plays a central role in Parkinson’s disease. Beta-2 agonists were found to decrease the expression of alpha-synuclein