Smoking
Smokers are less likely to contract Parkinson's disease in old age according to recent research.
Researchers at the University of California argued smokers of all kinds of tobacco were more likely to avoid the condition.
Of the 12,000 people studied, those who smoked the most had the lowest risk. The protective effect faded after smokers stubbed out for the last time.
Beate Ritz, author of the study, said: "'Never smokers' have about a two-fold higher risk of Parkinson's disease than 'ever smokers'."
One explanation for the claim is that agents in tobacco smoke promote survival of the brain neurons that produce dopamine, allowing muscles to move properly. Another reason is that cigarettes prevent development of toxic substances interfering with proper neurological functioning.
