Parkinson's disease

The latest breakthrough research in the United States: the real culprit of Parkinson's disease is not in the brain, but in your stomach!
Authors International Center | Wind Media – December 4,
2016 Parkinson's disease is often thought of as a brain disease, but animal studies by US researchers in the new issue of Cell show , this common neurodegenerative disease may be associated with microbial changes in the gut. The discovery could lead to entirely new treatment strategies for Parkinson's disease.
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) first created two groups of mice that overproduce alpha-synuclein, a protein thought to be one of the "culprits" of Parkinson's disease . The only difference between the two groups of mice was that one group had intact gut bacteria and the other group was sterile.
It was found that the germ-free laboratory mice not only did not show symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but also performed significantly better in tests of motor function such as running and pole climbing.
The researchers then fed a group of germ-free mice with short-chain fatty acids produced when gut bacteria break down dietary fiber, and transplanted another group of germ-free mice with gut flora obtained from the feces of Parkinson's patients. The mice showed symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The
researchers concluded that the gut microbiome is an important driver of Parkinson's disease. Changes in the composition of the gut microbiota, or in the gut bacteria themselves, may contribute to or even lead to the deterioration of motor function, which is a major symptom of Parkinson's disease. On the other hand, 75% of Parkinson's patients have gastrointestinal problems, the most common symptom being constipation.
Sarkis Mazmanian, a microbiologist at the California Institute of Technology who led the research, said that for many neurodegenerative diseases, the traditional approach to treatment is to allow drugs to act in the brain. The new findings mean that doctors may need to treat Parkinson's disease from the gut, such as regulating short-chain fatty acid levels, taking probiotics or eliminating harmful microbes. The new treatment strategy is much easier, safer and has fewer side effects than existing treatments.
Mazmanian pointed out that 70% of the neurons of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) are concentrated in the stomach and intestines, and the nervous system of the stomach and intestines is connected to the central nervous system (CNS) through the vagus nerve. In the case of Parkinson's disease, gastrointestinal problems often appear many years before motor neurons, and Parkinson's disease is closely linked to environmental factors. Combining various factors, gastrointestinal bacteria are likely to be the causative factor of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease, stroke and senile dementia are also known as the three brain diseases of the elderly, and the most common age of onset is 50 to 79 years old. There are three main clinical symptoms: shaking of the extremities (tremor), muscle stiffness, slow movement or complete absence of movement. In the fifth stage, which is the most serious, the patient cannot walk on his own, needs to rely on a wheelchair or lie in bed, and needs to be taken care of by others in daily life. Patients with Parkinson's disease mainly rely on drug treatment in the initial stage, and surgery can also be considered, but both can only relieve symptoms and cannot cure them.
Parkinson's disease affects approximately 1 million people in the United States and more than 10 million worldwide. The late Pope John Paul II (John Paul II), the century boxer Ali (Muhammad Ali), comedy master Robin Williams (Robin Williams), Thailand King Bhumibol (Bhumibol Adulyadej), former US President Bush ( George HW Bush), well-known movie star Michael J. Fox, well-known Taiwanese musician Li Taixiang and others all suffer from Parkinson's disease. Be