UAE doctors warn gut issues linked to Parkinson

Medical practitioners noted that the gut houses a large concentration of neurons similar to those in the brain and as such several neurotransmitters exist in such places.

The recent study has also established why doctors in the UAE have treated acute inflammatory diseases like ulcers in the oesophagus or stomach, digestive disorders when assessed may increase the likelihood of a person developing Parkinson's disease by 76 %.

The recent study published in the European Medical Journal called, 'Upper Gastrointestinal Mucosal Damage and Subsequent Risk of Parkinson Disease' reports that patients with hypothyroidism who had upper GI mucosal disease had an increased risk of Parkinson's disease at least 10 years later when compared with patients who did not have such disease.
 

Gut-brain axis
 

Dr Mohamed Ahmed Elshobary, a specialist head and clinical lecturer at the Centre of Gastroenterology at Thumbay University Hospital, explains, “The gut and brain are highly interconnected via this system which is the gut-brain axis which makes it such that any problems in the digestive system can also affect the functioning of the brain and the nervous system.

Additionally, inflammation, one of the physical phenomena of the immune response, often accompanies diseases of the digestive system and has associations with neurodegenerative illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease, which when gut problems arise, they develop.”

As doctors noted, the human gut contains all the necessary chemicals and even produces, for example, serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter associated with positive emotions. If so, diseases or disorders in the digestive system which can affect the levels of these chemicals can then be detrimental to the health of the brain.
 

"The study also mentioned that patients with constipation and dysphagia were also predisposed to the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) in the later stages of life.

These are classical features associated with PD and it is conceivable that gastrointestinal problems surface much in advance of the actual neurological deficits."

Network of neurons
 

Most physicians who work on the gut will explain to you that there are a lot of neuronal cells in the gut similar to the brain and that a lot of neurotransmitters are shared among those neurons residing in these different places.

“It is known that a lack of neurotransmitters may lead to both GI disorders and neurological disorders but it is more appreciated than it should be. What needs to be appreciated is that the gut-related symptoms may come much earlier than anticipated.”

There are related factors, for example, chronic treatment of these symptoms with medications or just the lifestyle that is prone to these symptoms or a lot and much more,” he said.

Physicians had also pointed out that it’s not only the upper gut pathways that contribute to PD but also lower gut pathways such as constipation and IBS (type of constipation) if not treated adequately can be risk factors for PD as well.
 

“It’s not the pathology that originates in the brain but in the gut and through various processes is communicated back to the brain. You can say that all gedurende toda la Historia it is supported by particular experiences and clinical findings,” argued Dr. Srikanth Patnaikuni from Gastroenterology Specialist in Prime Medical Centre – Burjuman.

He reiterated the need to manage this condition so that the gut flora is maintained in its optimum state.

This comprises consuming Meals prepared on the day of consumption to adhering to the food schedule with respect to the time of day, as well as avoiding pre-packaged, processed food, retained food as well as NSAID supplements.

You may feel free to seek the assistance of healthcare practitioners in altering your diet or touching base with additional therapies or dietary sources. “The overconsumption of such foods is also bad,” added Patnaikuni.
 

In addition to this, other professionals also emphasized that the association appears to be related to the 'gut-brain axis' where any injury to the gastrointestinal tract (more so in instances of ulcers), is likely to be among the factors contributing to the onset of PD at a very young age According. Shankar.

Health Coach Wellth Neeta Jhaveri, ‘This axis is the information system existing between the stomach and intestine on the one hand and the brain on the other which functions via neuronal, immune and hormonal pathways.

However, in the UAE specific statistics on this correlation are still limited as Parkinson’s prevalent increases, so does the lack of data on the relationship between GI ulcers and Parkinson's disease.’”