The role of the gastro-intestinal microbiota on the onset and progress of Parkinson's disease

Schoenmaker, JP (2017) The role of the gastro-intestinal microbiota on the onset and progress of Parkinson's disease. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.

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Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in de world. By 2030, it is estimated that around 10 million people will suffer from PD. PD is characterized by the accumulation of Lewy bodies in the central nervous system (CNS), especially in the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. The main component of Lewy bodies is aggregated α-synuclein. Patients suffering from PD show several motor symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia and PIGD (postural instability and gait difficulty). Until now, there is no effective treatment available to cure PD. Besides that, PD is often diagnosed when the first motor symptoms occur. Braak et al., proposed in a time line for PD that before motor symptoms occur, already an abnormal α-synuclein aggregate deposition takes place in the gastric myenteric plexus in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Subsequently they suggest that this α-synuclein aggregates are transported to the CNS by retrograde axonal transport via the vagal nerves. Moreover, research has shown intestinal dysbiosis of the microbiota in the intestine before onset of PD. Therefore, a way to earlier diagnose PD would be a helpful approach in terms of being able to administer treatment to patients before the onset of PD motor symptoms. To decipher this, it is required to know how, why, and by what factors the α- synuclein aggregates develop in the ENS. Recently, research has shown that dysbiosis of the intestine microbiome might be important for the onset of PD. Therefore, the question of this thesis is ‘What is the role of the gastro-intestinal microbiome in the onset and progress of Parkinson’s disease?’. Literature research shows that the answer on this question is a complex interplay between several factors. For example, as mentioned, dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota, as well as intestinal permeability and a pro-inflammatory environment.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Degree programme:	Biology
Thesis type:	Bachelor's Thesis
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	15 Feb 2018 08:33
Last Modified:	15 Feb 2018 08:33
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/16131

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