[The Parkinson puzzle]

Orv Hetil. 2012 Dec 30;153(52):2060-9. doi: 10.1556/OH.2012.29461.
[Article in Hungarian]

Abstract

Parkinson's disease is one of the most frequent progressive degenerative disorders with unknown origin of the nervous system. The commutation of the disease on Guam led to the discovery of a neurotoxin which was also found in other continents. This neurotoxin was identified in the common cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Early clinical observations suggested some loose correlations with gastric and duodenal ulcer and Parkinson's disease, while recent studies revealed a toxin, almost identical to that found in cyanobacteria in one strain of Helicobacter pylori, which proved to cause Parkinson like symptoms in animals. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that there is a slowly progressive poisoning in Parkinson's disease. The disease specific alpha-sinuclein inclusions can be found in nerve cells of the intestinal mucosa far before the appearance of clinical symptoms indicating that the disease may start in the intestines. These results are strengthened by the results of Borody's fecal transplants, after which in Parkinson patients showed a symptomatic improvement. Based on these observations the Parkinson puzzle is getting complete. Although these observations are not evidence based, they may indicate a new way for basic clinical research, as well as a new way of thinking for clinicians. These new observations in psycho-neuro-immunology strengthen the fact that immunological factors may also play a critical factor facilitating local cell necrosis which may be influenced easily.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids, Diamino / adverse effects*
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / epidemiology
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / etiology*
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / physiopathology
  • Animals
  • Chiroptera
  • Cyanobacteria Toxins
  • Dementia / epidemiology
  • Dementia / etiology
  • Depression / complications*
  • Depressive Disorder / complications
  • Duodenal Ulcer / complications*
  • Duodenal Ulcer / microbiology
  • Encephalitis / complications*
  • Encephalitis / physiopathology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / adverse effects
  • Feces
  • Helicobacter Infections / complications*
  • Helicobacter pylori
  • Humans
  • Intestines / physiopathology*
  • Lewy Bodies / pathology
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Parkinson Disease* / epidemiology
  • Parkinson Disease* / etiology
  • Parkinson Disease* / metabolism
  • Parkinson Disease* / pathology
  • Parkinson Disease* / physiopathology
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / complications
  • Stomach Ulcer / complications*
  • Stomach Ulcer / microbiology
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism

Substances

  • Amino Acids, Diamino
  • Cyanobacteria Toxins
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
  • alpha-Synuclein
  • beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine