The Parkinson’s epidemic: more and more younger patients are being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and the prevalence of the disease is increasing dramatically.

Parkinson’s disease is a slow-progressing, chronic, degenerative disorder that primarily affects older adults in their seventies and eighties. Dr. Adrián Tóth, neurologist and Parkinson’s specialist at MiND Klinika, emphasizes that the prevalence of Parkinson’s is rising worldwide, including among younger generations. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are particularly important.

Does Parkinson’s disease also start in the gut?

The gut–brain–microbiome axis, via the vagus nerve, is linked to the development of Parkinson’s disease. This connection has also been suggested in cases of chronic depression and severe anxiety. However, researchers at Aarhus University have demonstrated that Parkinson’s disease is connected to the functioning of the gastrointestinal system, and the disease very likely reaches the brain through the vagus nerve.

Parkinson’s disease and the gut microbiome

In Parkinson’s disease, gastrointestinal disorders can occur at every stage of the condition, often years before the diagnosis is made. Among these gastrointestinal symptoms, constipation and bloating are the most common. This is why it is particularly important for early diagnosis that internists and gastroenterologists work in close collaboration with neurologists.

Not genetics’ fault

The very first changes characteristic of Parkinson’s disease begin in the gut or the olfactory epithelium. For this reason, scientists hypothesize that the development of Parkinson’s is characterized by the formation of abnormal proteins in the gut, and that not only their production but also the failure to break them down or remove them can cause the disease.

https://mind.hu/tudastar/parkinson-kor-eredmenyek-szemelyre-szabva

Parkinson’s disease is considered a neurological disorder in textbooks, but its causes may also be related to changes in the gut microbiome. The microbiome composition of Parkinson’s patients shows many distinctive features, and the gut flora is significantly altered in Parkinson’s disease. This altered microbiome may be responsible for the production of the so-called “alpha-synuclein” protein, which closely resembles the abnormal protein that leads to the destruction of nerve cells in Parkinson’s patients.

What are the early signs of Parkinson’s disease?

Structural damage appears in the brain years before the onset of motor symptoms, which can signal the development of Parkinson’s disease. These changes can also cause sleep disturbances and depression. In addition, a very important early sign is damage to the nerves that control bowel movements, which manifests as constipation and is considered one of the most significant early symptoms.

The first neurological symptom noticeable even to those around the person is that they become slower and a bit clumsier. Since the disease’s symptoms are asymmetric, the patient may hold their arm stiffly at their side on the affected side while walking, develop a shuffling gait, and have a slightly stooped posture. These are the earliest so-called motor symptoms, caused by a significant dopamine deficiency in the central nervous system due to damage to the dopamine-producing nerve cells.

https://mind.hu/tudastar/parkinson-kor-eredmenyek-szemelyre-szabva

Personalized Therapy

What should you do if you or a loved one is affected? Parkinson’s disease is currently of unknown cause and incurable. However, its symptoms can be well controlled, and the progression of the disease can be slowed if it is detected early and targeted medication and lifestyle therapy are introduced. Every patient is unique, which is why our clinic emphasizes personalized therapy. In addition to medication, this includes:

• Nutritional therapy and the introduction of autophagy, i.e., intermittent fasting
• Rehabilitation treatments also used in stroke care
• Comprehensive lifestyle therapy, with special focus on physical activity (physiotherapy, dance therapy, movement therapy, Nordic walking, Tai Chi) and diet
• Speech therapy
• Psychological and psychiatric support
• Use of smart devices

Ottó Orbán, a Hungarian poet who also suffered from Parkinson’s disease, describes the condition very vividly:

“In the case of Parkinson’s disease, what happens is that, for some reason, the nerve cells in a specific area of the brain begin to degenerate. These are the cells that previously produced dopamine around the clock. Dopamine is a substance that helps transmit signals along nerve pathways, and its deficiency causes significant movement disorders: the Parkinson’s patient involuntarily trembles at times and becomes paralyzed at others.”

Related materials:

http://klasszikradio.hu/podcast2/egyre-tobb-beteget-erint-a-parkinson-kor/

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1181315/full

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-parkinson-disease-gut.html