More evidence that Parkinson's starts in the GUT and moves onto the brain

More evidence that Parkinson's starts in the GUT and moves onto the brain

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Scientists have uncovered more evidence that Parkinson's could start in the gut.



Researchers injected a protein thought to cause the crippling condition into the intestines of rats.



They witnessed it spread to the brain at a 'striking speed', within the space of just two months.



The experts believe the findings could apply to humans, adding to a plethora of similar studies over the past decade.



There is currently no cure and no way of stopping the progression of the disease, but hundreds of scientific trials are underway to try and change that.



Academics based at Aarhus University, Denmark, conducted the study, publishing their findings in the journal Acta Neuropathologica.



Professor Per Borghammer, senior author, said: 'Parkinson's is a complex disease that we're still trying to understand.



'The suspicion that the disease begins in the gut of some patients has gained considerable support.



'With this new study, we've uncovered exactly how the disease is likely to spread from the intestines of people.



'We probably cannot develop effective medical treatments that halts the disease without knowing where it starts and how it spreads - so this is an important step in our research.'



Parkinson's takes hold in the brain years before patients notice symptoms, which include tremors and slow movement.



Identifying the incurable disorder earlier could improve outcomes for millions of patients and halt the progression.



Parkinson's is thought to be caused by alpha-synuclein molecules clumping together and then damaging neurons in the brain.



This leads to shaking, muscle stiffness and the characteristic slow movements, making every day tasks very difficult.



The researchers at Aarhus injected alpha-synuclein into the small intestines of the laboratory rats.



Professor Borghammer and study lead Nathalie Van Den Berge predicted the protein would spread to the brain but intended to discover how.



Professor Borghammer said: 'After two months, we saw that the alpha-synuclein had travelled to the brain via the peripheral nerves.'



He said it involved the same structures 'known to be affected in connection with Parkinson's disease in humans'.



'After four months, the magnitude of the pathology was even greater,' he added. 'It was actually pretty striking to see how quickly it happened.'



The study also found harmful alpha-synuclein also travelled to the heart, which they believe has not been found in research before.



When Parkinson's is diagnosed, there is already significant damage to the brain and nervous system.



But scientists are starting to find that it may be possible to detect alpha-synuclein in the gut up to twenty years before diagnosis.



Professor Borghammer said: 'For many years, we have known that Parkinson patients have extensive damage to the nervous system of the heart, and that the damage occurs early on. We've just never been able to understand why.



'The present study show