scholarly journals Gut microbiota in Parkinson’s disease patients: hospital-based study

Author(s):  
Eman M. Khedr ◽  
Anwar M. Ali ◽  
Enas Deaf ◽  
Hebatallah M. Hassan ◽  
Ahmed Alaa ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. There is accumulating evidence that link gut microbiota to symptomatology and pathophysiology of PD. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of gut microbiota and its association with PD and identify the effect of environmental factors on gut microbiota. This case–control study included 46 patients diagnosed as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and 31 healthy volunteers age and sex matched. Detailed history including age of onset, duration of disease, environmental risk factors, diet data, treatment, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) domain of Non‐Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) were assessed. After extraction of bacterial DNA from the fecal samples, bacterial abundance was quantified by qPCR using 16S rRNA group-specific primers. Results Significant high abundance of Clostridium cluster IV, Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, and lactic acid bacteria were found in the PD group compared with the control group (P < 0.001, 0.04, 0.02 and < 0.001, respectively), while Firmicutes were significantly less abundant in the PD group (P < 0.001) compared with the control group. The naive PD patients had significant abundance of Bifidobacterium, and lactic acid compared with control group. Interestingly, Akkermansia was more abundant in treated than untreated patients. There were significant associations between pesticide exposure and Bifidobacterium (P = 0.002), while no significant correlations between different gut microbiota and demographic, environment data, different rating scores or dominant type of PD. There was a significant negative correlation between the Bifidobacterium with the duration of illness (P = 0.012). Conclusion The present study highlighted a significant connection between PD and levels of certain types of gut microbiota, in support of a possible link between gut microbiota and a neurodegenerative cascade of PD.

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245918
Author(s):  
Ali S. Shalash ◽  
Eman Hamid ◽  
Hanan Elrassas ◽  
Eshak I. Bahbah ◽  
Alia H. Mansour ◽  
...  

Objectives To compare non-motor symptoms (NMSs) among patients with essential tremor (ET), Parkinson’s disease (PD) subtypes (akinetic-rigid type (ART) and tremor-dominant type (TDT)), and healthy controls. Patients and methods This retrospective study included 129 participants, 72 PD (33 PD-ART, 33 PD-TDT, and 6 Mixed), 29 ET patients, and 28 controls. PD patients were assessed by the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS), Hoehn, and Yahr scale (H&Y), while ET patients were evaluated by the Fahn Tolosa Marin Tremor Rating Scale. All subjects were evaluated by non-motor symptoms scale (NMSS) for NMSs and Beck depression inventory (BDI) for depression. Results PD subtypes groups, ET, and controls were age and gender-matched. Compared to controls, all PD, PD subtypes, and ET showed significantly worse most of NMSs (p<0.001) and depression. Compared to ET, all PD and PD-ART had significantly worse gastrointestinal (p = 0.002), urinary symptoms (p = 0.001, p = 0.003) and depression (p = 0.002) and PD-TDT worse depression, while ET patients showed worse memory/attention than PD subtypes. Total NMSS of ET is highly correlated to depression and moderately to tremor severity and age of onset, while total of NMSS is highly correlated to depression, disease severity, and disability. Conclusion The current study demonstrated several comparable domains of NMSs of PD subtypes and ET, except worse gastrointestinal and urinary symptoms among PD-ART. Identifying different NMSs profiles is important for predicting, better assessing, and tailoring management of ET and PD subtypes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyoungwon Baik ◽  
Seon Myeong Kim ◽  
Jin Ho Jung ◽  
Yang Hyun Lee ◽  
Seok Jong Chung ◽  
...  

AbstractWe investigated the efficacy of donepezil for mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD-MCI). This was a prospective, non-randomized, open-label, two-arm study. Eighty PD-MCI patients were assigned to either a treatment or control group. The treatment group received donepezil for 48 weeks. The primary outcome measures were the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Exam and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores. Secondary outcome measures were the Clinical Dementia Rating, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III, Clinical Global Impression scores. Progression of dementia was assessed at 48-week. Comprehensive neuropsychological tests and electroencephalography (EEG) were performed at baseline and after 48 weeks. The spectral power ratio of the theta to beta2 band (TB2R) in the electroencephalogram was analyzed. There was no significant difference in the primary and secondary outcome measures between the two groups. However, the treatment group showed a significant decrease in TB2R at bilateral frontotemporoparietal channels compared to the control group. Although we could not demonstrate improvements in the cognitive functions, donepezil treatment had a modulatory effect on the EEG in PD-MCI patients. EEG might be a sensitive biomarker for detecting changes in PD-MCI after donepezil treatment.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Ba ◽  
Tina T. Sang ◽  
Jaleh Fatehi ◽  
Wenjing He ◽  
Emanuel Mostofi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is not exclusively a motor disorder. Among non-motor features, PD patients possess sensory visual dysfunctions. Stereopsis deficit can significantly impact patients' motor performance. However, it is not routinely tested, and its significance is under-investigated. Studying stereopsis using reliable 3D stimuli may help determine its implications in disease status in PD.The objective of the study is to investigate stereopsis abnormalities in PD with reliable and more physiological tools, and their correlation with indicators of PD severity. Methods: Twenty-four healthy control and 20 PD participants were first evaluated for visual acuity, visual field, contrast acuity, and stereoperception with 2D and Titmus stereotests, followed by the assessment with the 3D active shutter system. The correlation between stereopsis and disease severity, Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale motor scores (UPDRS-III), levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD), course of disease and cognitive status were evaluated using univariate regression models. Results: Screening visual tests did not reveal any differences between PD and control group. With the 3D active shutter system, PD patients demonstrated significantly worse stereopsis (i.e p=0.002, 26 seconds of arc). There was a trend that UPDRS-III and LEDD negatively correlate with the stereo acuity, suggesting poorer stereoperception is related to disease severity. Preserved cognitive function correlated with more intact stereo acuity. Conclusion: With more reliable and physiological tools, PD patients exhibit poorer stereopsis. These deficits reflected PD motor and cognitive status. How stereopsis relates to gait, fall risks and navigation warrants more investigations in the future.


2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Ceres Silva Pena ◽  
Emmanuelle Silva Tavares Sobreira ◽  
Carolina Pinto Souza ◽  
Guiomar Nascimento Oliveira ◽  
Vitor Tumas ◽  
...  

Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder characterized by motor disturbances, neuropsychological symptoms and cognitive changes, including cases of dementia. The most frequently described cognitive changes in these patients involve executive and visuospatial functions, which are very important for the execution of daily life activities. Objective: To compare different tests used to examine visuospatial functions in patients with PD. Methods: Thirty-five patients (21 women) with PD symptoms (medicated and "on") and mean schooling of 5.5±4.2 years were examined using the following tests: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Dementia Rating Scale (DRS), Scales of Outcomes of Parkinson's Disease (SCOPA-COG), Hooper Visual Organization Test (HVOT), Judgment of Line Orientation, Form V (JLO), and Clock drawing task - CLOX (1 and 2). Results: The mean MMSE score was 24.8±3.03 and 54.8% of the patients performed correctly in the copy of a pentagon drawing, with a medium-level performance in most tests. Good correlations were detected between JLO versus SCOPA Assembling patterns (0.67), JLO versus HVOT (0.56), JLO versus CLOX2 (0.64), SCOPA Figure Composition versus HVOT (0.54), CLOX1 versus CLOX2 (0.43), and DRS Construction versus CLOX2 (0.42). Discussion: Although correlations were detected, not all were strong, probably because the tests employed do not measure solely visuospatial functions, but also other skills such as attention, motor ability and executive functions. A limitation of the present study was the lack of a control group for the establishment of adequate standards for this population.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 258-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Hindle Fisher ◽  
Hardev S. Pall ◽  
Rosalind D. Mitchell ◽  
Jamilla Kausar ◽  
Andrea E. Cavanna

ObjectiveApathy has been reported as a possible adverse effect of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS). We investigated the prevalence and severity of apathy in 22 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who underwent STN-DBS, as well as the effects of apathy on quality of life (QOL).MethodsAll patients were assessed with the Lille Apathy Rating Scale (LARS), the Apathy Scale (AS), and the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire and were compared to a control group of 38 patients on pharmacotherapy alone.ResultsThere were no significant differences in the prevalence or severity of apathy between patients who had undergone STN-DBS and those on pharmacotherapy alone. Significant correlations were observed between poorer QOL and degree of apathy, as measured by the LARS (p<0.001) and the AS (p=0.021). PD-related disability also correlated with both apathy ratings (p<0.001 and p=0.017, respectively).ConclusionOur findings suggest that STN-DBS is not necessarily associated with apathy in the PD population; however, more severe apathy appears to be associated with a higher level of disability due to PD and worse QOL, but no other clinico-demographic characteristics.


2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 2259-2274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Roberts ◽  
Danielle Post

Purpose This study compared the information content and information efficiency of spoken language in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) to a healthy comparator group. Method Nineteen participants with PD and 19 healthy older adults completed the prospective, cross-sectional study. In the primary analysis, 2 language samples elicited by standardized protocols were analyzed for group differences using standard discourse informativeness measures including main events (MEs; Wright, Capilouto, Wagovich, Cranfill, & Davis, 2005) analyzed as %MEs and correct information units (CIUs; Nicholas & Brookshire, 1993) analyzed as %CIUs and CIUs/min. In exploratory analyses, the following were examined: (a) associations among conceptual (%MEs) and lexical (%CIUs and CIUs/min) measures and (b) associations among informativeness measures and age, education, disease severity/duration, global cognition, speech intelligibility, and a verb confrontation naming measure. Results In the primary analysis, the PD group differed significantly from the control group on conceptual (%MEs) and lexical measures of content (%CIUs) and efficiency (CIUs/min). In exploratory analyses, for the control group %MEs were significantly correlated with CIUs/min. Significant associations among conceptual and lexical measures of informativeness were not found in the PD group. For controls, there were no significant correlations between informativeness measures and any of the demographic or speech/cognitive/language variables. In the PD group, there was a significant and positive association between CIUs/min and Dementia Rating Scale–Second Edition scores (Mattis, 2001). A significant but negative correlation was found between CIUs/min and motor severity scores. However, %MEs and verb naming were significantly and positively correlated. Conclusions Individuals with PD without dementia demonstrated reduced discourse informativeness that reflects disruptions to both conceptual and lexical discourse processes. In exploratory analyses, reduced efficiency of information content was associated with global cognition and motor severity. Clinical and research implications are discussed within a Cognitivist framework of discourse production (Sheratt, 2007).


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corsalini Massimo ◽  
Rapone Biagio ◽  
Cagnetta Giovanni ◽  
Carossa Massimo ◽  
Sportelli Pasquale ◽  
...  

Background: Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. It is one of the movement disorders that can affect oro-facial conditions. It is more common in the elderly, having an average age of onset of around 60 years. Objective: The aim was to study orofacial functions in patients suffering from PD with partial or total edentulism, wearing removable prostheses. Methods: Forty-eight (48) elders, rehabilitated with removable dentures, were included: 24 patients suffering from Parkinson's disease constitute the Study Group (SG), and 24 subjects not suffering from Parkinson's disease or neurological degenerative diseases represent the Control Group (CG). In SG, the severity of Parkinson's disease was assessed according to the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating objective motor scale III, and oro-facial dysfunctions were evaluated using Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S). The duration of the use of dental prostheses expressed in years has been reported. In both the groups, the subjective chewing index for the analysis of masticatory ability and the two-color chewing gum test for the analysis of masticatory efficiency were conducted . Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the SG and CG compared to the NOT-S (P = 0.001). Analyzing the study group, a statistically significant correlation was found between the masticatory efficiency and prosthetic years of use (rs = 0.436; P <0.05); instead, no statistically significant correlation was found between the masticatory efficiency and the severity of Parkinson's disease. Conclusion: In our study, we did not find differences between SG and CG in terms of the degree of masticatory efficiency; therefore, only a correlation between the duration of use of dental prostheses and the degree of masticatory efficiency was found.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning-Ning Che ◽  
Qiu-Huan Jiang ◽  
Guan-Xiao Ding ◽  
Si-Yuan Chen ◽  
Zhen-Xiang Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractCognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD) adversely influences quality of life. There is currently no available biomarker to predict cognitive decline in PD. Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) has been used as a non-invasive tool for quantifying small nerve damage in PD. The present study investigated whether corneal nerve measures were associated with cognitive function in PD. Patients with PD were classified into those with normal cognitive function (PD-CN), mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI), and dementia (PDD). Corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), corneal nerve branch density (CNBD), and corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL) were quantified with CCM and compared with a control group. Sixty-five PD patients and thirty controls were studied. CNFD was decreased and CNBD was increased in PD patients compared to controls (P < 0.05). CNBD and CNBD/CNFD ratio was higher in PD-CN compared to controls. CNFD was positively correlated with the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) score (r = 0.683, P < 0.001), but negatively associated with unified Parkinson disease rating scale (UPDRS)-part III (r = −0.481, P < 0.001) and total UPDRS scores (r = −0.401, P = 0.001) in PD patients. There was no correlation between CNFD and Levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) (r = 0.176, P = 0.161). CNFD, CNBD, CNFL, and CNBD/CNFD ratio was lower with increasing Hoehn and Yahr stage. PD patients show evidence of corneal nerve loss compared with controls and corneal nerve parameters are associated with the severity of cognitive and motor dysfunction in PD. CCM could serve as an objective in vivo ophthalmic imaging technique to assess neurodegeneration in PD.


2021 ◽  
pp. 089198872110638
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Elshamy ◽  
Ehab S. Mohamed ◽  
Ayman M. Al-Malt ◽  
Osama A. Ragab

Background One of the non-motor features of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) is sexual dysfunction (SD) which is under-recognized and, consequently, undertreated. This study aimed to evaluate SD in patients with IPD. Patients and methods The study was conducted on 67 IPD patients; 30 healthy subjects with age and gender matching with the patients served as the control group. All participants were subjected to sexual function assessment using the Arabic version of Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), while the severity of IPD was assessed using the modified Hoehn and Yahr scoring scale and MDS-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). Results There were no statistically significant differences between patients with IPD and the control group regarding MMSE, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia. However, BDI scores were significantly higher in patients with IPD. The rate of SD among our patients was 64% compared to 30% in the control group. The total score and subscales of ASEX were significantly higher in IPD patients than in controls. SD showed a significant correlation with the severity of the IPD irrespective of other variables, including patient age, sex, disease duration, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, and dose of L-dopa. Conclusion SD is a commonly underrated feature in patients with IPD; it should be investigated carefully as it is an important non-motor symptom that correlates with disease severity.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Diego Santos García ◽  
Lucía García Roca ◽  
Teresa de Deus Fonticoba ◽  
Carlos Cores Bartolomé ◽  
Lucía Naya Ríos ◽  
...  

Background: Constipation has been linked to cognitive impairment development in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective: Our aim was to analyze cognitive changes observed in PD patients and controls from a Spanish cohort with regards to the presence or not of constipation. Methods: PD patients and controls recruited from 35 centers of Spain from the COPPADIS cohort from January 2016 to November 2017 were followed-up during 2 years. The change in cognitive status from baseline (V0) to 2-year follow-up was assessed with the PD-CRS (Parkinson’s Disease Cognitive Rating Scale). Subjects with a score ≥1 on item 21 of the NMSS (Non-Motor Symptoms Scale) at baseline (V0) were considered as “with constipation”. Regression analyses were applied for determining the contribution of constipation in cognitive changes. Results: At V0, 39.7% (198/499) of PD patients presented constipation compared to 11.4% of controls (14/123) (p < 0.0001). No change was observed in cognitive status (PD-CRS total score) neither in controls without constipation (from 100.24±13.72 to 100.27±13.68; p = 0.971) and with constipation (from 94.71±10.96 to 93.93±13.03; p = 0.615). The PD-CRS total score decreased significantly in PD patients with constipation (from 89.14±15.36 to 85.97±18.09; p < 0.0001; Coehn’s effect = –0.35) compared to patients without constipation (from 93.92±15.58 to 93.14±17.52; p = 0.250) (p = 0.018). In PD patients, to suffer from constipation at V0 was associated with a decrease in the PD-CRS total score from V0 to V2 (β= –0.1; 95% CI, –4.36 – –0.27; p = 0.026) and having cognitive impairment at V2 (OR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.01 – 3.17; p = 0.045). Conclusion: Constipation is associated with cognitive decline in PD patients but not in controls.


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