Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common progressive neurodegenerative diseases. It is characterized neuropathologically by the presence of alpha-synuclein containing Lewy Bodies in the substantia nigra of the brain with loss of dopaminergic neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra. The presence of alpha-synuclein aggregates in the substantia nigra and the enteric nervous system (ENS) drew attention to the possibility of a correlation between the gut microbiota and Parkinson's disease. The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system, which explains how through the vagus nerve, the gut microbiota can affect the central nervous system (CNS), including brain functions related to the ENS, as well as how CNS can alter various gut secretions and immune responses. As a result, this dysbiosis or alteration in gut microbiota can be an early sign of PD with reported changes in short chain fatty acids, bile acids, and lipids. This gave rise to the use of probiotics and faecal microbiota transplantation as alternative approaches to improve the symptoms of patients with PD. The aim of this review is to discuss investigations that have been done to explore the gastrointestinal involvement in Parkinson's disease, the effect of dysbiosis, and potential therapeutic strategies for PD.
Background Social support is essential in the daily activities of the elderly, which can impact their cognitive functions over time. Aim of the study This study investigates the hypothesis that there is a link between social support and cognitive function in the elderly living in the Egyptian community using the Arabic translation of the Survey of Health, Ageing, Retirement in Europe (SHARE) questionnaire. Subjects and methods Cross-sectional analytic study was conducted as a part of the pilot study for A Longitudinal Study of Egyptian Healthy Ageing (AL-SEHA) project. It included 299 participants (50+ years of age). Investigators collected data using the Arabic translation of the SHARE questionnaire in five Egyptian Universities. Data were then uploaded to the Social Research Centre (SRC) at the American University in Cairo (AUC). Results The prevalence of declined cognitive functions was 39.467% (95% CI: 33.89-45.04). Cognitive impairment was significantly less among university and postgraduate degree holders (p<0.001), married (p=0.0378) or contacted by their kids on a daily or weekly basis (p=0.0364). Conclusion Being married, with a university degree or higher, and increased contact frequency with children, all showed positive correlation with cognitive function in our sample. In conclusion, this research contributes to our understanding of the impact of family network and support and cognitive function in the older Egyptian population. Our findings can be a base to add on to the literature.
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