UC researchers also identified new biomarkers for early detection of the disease, whose cases have “increased alarmingly” and which is already considered “a pandemic”.
Scientists from the University of Coimbra (UC) have identified new markers in the intestine that can be used in early detection strategies for the disease of Parkinson.
The team of scientists, led by researchers Sandra Morais Cardoso and Nuno Empadinhas, demonstrated that “the intestinal microbiome (set of microorganisms that inhabit the intestine), typically altered in people with Parkinson’s disease, has sufficient properties to trigger intestinal and systemic changes which lead to the emergence of neuropathological hallmarks characteristic of this disease”.
According to UC, previous studies had already demonstrated mechanisms by which some cases of Parkinson’s disease may originate in the intestine due to chronic dysfunction of its microbiome.
In the new study, on October 24th in Molecular Neurodegenerationresearchers not only confirmed that Parkinson’s disease can be triggered in the gut, but also identified “the presence of inflammatory markers and aggregates of the alpha-synuclein protein – the classic brain marker of the disease – in the ileum (small intestine region)”.
These can serve as “biomarkers of the phase that indicates the initial stages of the disease in the intestine, before it progresses to the brain” (prodromal phase), explained Sandra Morais Cardoso.
Scientists believe that, By intervening in the changes in the intestine, it will be possible to prevent the effects from advancing to the brain, delaying the death of neurons.
“This anticipation not only facilitates the conduct of clinical trials to test interventions capable of preventing disease progression, but also offers the hope of delay, or even prevent, the manifestation of neurological symptomsthus improving the quality of life of patients and alleviating the social and economic burden associated with this health condition”, explained the researchers.
The team of scientists also studied samples from the terminal ileum taken by colonoscopy from patients where they identified the same biomarkers and the data analysis was promising, because it was possible to identify signs of the manifestation of Parkinson’s disease in the intestine.
Although they do not yet know in detail “the combination of microbes and metabolites that is at the origin of intestinal microbiome dysfunction”, Sandra Morais Cardoso and Nuno Empadinhas were confident that “the detection of inflammatory markers and alpha-synuclein aggregates in the terminal ileum , through colonoscopy with biopsy between the ages of 50 and 55 will identify a population of individuals at increased risk of developing the disease”.
“This approach would allow us to intervene early and prevent the progression of this currently incurable neurodegenerative disease to the brain,” they highlighted.
Parkinson’s is already “a pandemic”
Data from the World Health Organization states that, this year, More than 10 million people have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s diseasewhen in 2016 there were 6.1 million.
In Portugal, around 20 thousand people currently live with the disease.
According to Sandra Morais Cardoso, “the The number of new cases of the disease has increased alarminglyalready being considered a pandemic”, and it is estimated that, by 2040, “the number of new annual cases could exceed 17 million”.
“This discovery of new biomarkers can play a vital role in implementing prevention strategies, benefiting patients and society in general”, they highlighted.
Based on the results of this study, scientists are already exploring new lines of research “that aim to neutralize the inflammatory process in the intestine, before the spread of Parkinson’s disease to the brain”.
The researchers said that the preliminary results “are promising, indicating that strategies like this, of neutralization at an early stage, can have a significant impact on modulating intestinal inflammation, preserving the integrity of the intestinal barrier and blocking the spread of the disease to the brain.” .
