Category: smell and Parkinson’s

By way of introduction to the correspondence below from Hanne Koplex on the loss of smell and Parkinsons, I thought you might first like to know something about her. The information was taken from the 12 Melisa Conference in Prague.

“Hanne Koplev, a Danish veterinarian, who also had studied acupuncture … stopped working as a veterinarian in 2001 because of Parkinson’s disease, presumably caused by exposure to mercury and copper. In collaboration with private clinics she “challenged” 15 Parkinson patients with Dimaval (DMPS) and 3 patients with penicillamin in order to prove exposure to mercury and copper, respectively. Some were later treated with chelators and improved.

Hanne indicated a number of exposure sources: mercury from dental amalgam; copper from intense pig farming, intrauterine inlays, cooking-vessels, copper tubing and amalgam; manganese from welding; lead from gasoline:

“The Parkinson patients that I have seen were all heavily exposed with amalgam in their teeth, and sometimes also gold. The only exception was a dentist from India, working in Sweden, with no amalgam in his teeth, but exclusively amalgam in his work.”

Hanne Koplex submitted for posting the following fascinating summary of her ongoing study that clearly links toxins to the loss of smell for persons with Parkinson’s.

Please note that intoxication with Mercury can be followed by symptoms as loss of smell.

My article about Parkinson’s disease is not updated since 2005. The corresponding diagram can be found at this link: http://www.snowboat.no/Diagram15.03.2006.PD-1korr.pdf (This diagram from 2005 contains only 18 patients.) Today I have collected test results for about 72 Parkinson patients.

All except two patients, who were or had been medicated with anti-psychotic medication, were found intoxicated with heavy metals. The most common result is a combination of chronic intoxication with Mercury, Lead and Copper. Copper could be a special Danish problem due to pollution from agriculture production.

The article has been used at The MELISA-congress in Prague concerning “Toxic Metals as a Key Factor in Disease”. http://www.melisa.org/popup/12-group-summary.php

Please note too, that in some patients with Parkinson’s disease the sense of smell is changed. Putrid smells are sensed very strong, and pleasant smells as ex. flowers can not be sensed. Some of these patients would (wrongly) answer, that they have a very good sense of smell.

There is a solution to the loss of smell and Parkinsons. The sense of smell have be restored after (years of) detoxification in one of the patients with loss of smell.

And note to the way that mercury can enter into the body and destroy the sense of smell.

Best regards.

Hanne Koplev
Veterinarian

The links Hanne provides in the summary above contain information about toxins and Parkinson’s that is illuminating. If you have Parkinson’s and have not yet explored with your health care providers whether toxins may be a factor that is contributing to your symptoms, may Hanne’s study inspire you to explore this possibility with greater zest and zeal.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

A pre-diagnosed Parkinson symptom was the loss of smell. It rarely appears on medical information forms, and if brought up during  examination noted but never gone further in discussion.

I wonder about this. If it was a matter of loss of touch, hearing or sight, would this be treated differently? Why is it downplayed? Are there any known recovery methods, studies or treatments concerning this condition?

Thanks, any information will be appreciated.

Daniel

Researchers have known for at least 30 years that persons with the symptoms of Parkinson’s have a loss of smell. Several studies have confirmed the link. The impairment in ability to smell involves more than being able to take in the full essence of a scent. Individuals with the symptoms of Parkinson’s have greater difficulty distinguishing one order from another or are unable to detect any odor whatsoever.

There is currently considerable research interest in the link between Parkinson’s symptoms and the loss of smell now that it has become clear that the two are inextricably linked. Loss of specific smells in particular have also been linked to Parkinson’s symptoms, which is interesting in itself.

Some researchers are currently working on designing a diagnostic smell test for Parkinson’s. There is no definitive test at present that gives a clear indication of Parkinson’s. A smell test will also not be definitive, but it can be used in conjunction with other evidence. I suspect such tests will soon be routinely offered to patients.

The Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test is often used by many neurological clinics to evaluate neurological imbalances. This test evaluates a person’s ability to detect 40 scents. People who take the test can are able to identify on average 35 of the 40 odors correctly. Parkinsons patients can identify 20 of the 40 odors or less.

Researchers predict that people with seriously impaired olfactory functions have five times the risk of developing Parkinson’s than those with the highest olfactory function.

In light of your interest in this question, I will set my intention to interview some of the researchers who are currently conducting studies to evaluate the connection between the ability to smell and the symptoms of Parkinson’s. To be sure, it is an interesting line of inquiry which may lead to understanding the underlying factors that are at play.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery