A young girl, before and after insulin treatment for juvenile diabetes, 1922.

From: H. Rawle Geyelin, “The use of insulin in juvenile diabetes’, Journal of Metabolic Research,” edited by F.M. Allen (Psychiatric Institute,Morristown, New Jersey, 1922)

Wellcome Library

New knowledge: Parkinson’s disease may begin in the gut

The chronic neurodegenerative Parkinson’s disease affects an increasing number of people. However, scientists still do not know why some people develop Parkinson’s disease. Now researchers from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital have taken an important step towards a better understanding of the disease.

New research indicates that Parkinson’s disease may begin in the gastrointestinal tract and spread through the vagus nerve to the brain.

“We have conducted a registry study of almost 15,000 patients who have had the vagus nerve in their stomach severed. Between approximately 1970-1995 this procedure was a very common method of ulcer treatment. If it really is correct that Parkinson’s starts in the gut and spreads through the vagus nerve, then these vagotomy patients should naturally be protected against developing Parkinson’s disease,” explains postdoc at Aarhus University Elisabeth Svensson on the hypothesis behind the study.

A hypothesis that turned out to be correct:

“Our study shows that patients who have had the the entire vagus nerve severed were protected against Parkinson’s disease. Their risk was halved after 20 years. However,  patients who had only had a small part of the vagus nerve severed where not protected. This also fits the hypothesis that the disease process is strongly dependent on a fully or partially intact vagus nerve to be able to reach and affect the brain,” she says.

The research project has just been published in the internationally recognised journal Annals of Neurology.

The first clinical examination

The research has presented strong evidence that Parkinson’s disease begins in the gastrointestinal tract and spreads via the vagus nerve to the brain. Many patients have also suffered from gastrointestinal symptoms before the Parkinson’s diagnosis is made.

“Patients with Parkinson’s disease are often constipated many years before they receive the diagnosis, which may be an early marker of the link between neurologic and gastroenterologic pathology related to the vagus nerve ,” says Elisabeth Svensson.

Previous hypotheses about the relationship between Parkinson’s and the vagus nerve have led to animal studies and cell studies in the field. However, the current study is the first and largest epidemiological study in humans.

The research project is an important piece of the puzzle in terms of the causes of the disease. In the future the researchers expect to be able to use the new knowledge to identify risk factors for Parkinson’s disease and thus prevent the disease.  

“Now that we have found an association between the vagus nerve and the development of Parkinson’s disease, it is important to carry out research into the factors that may trigger this neurological degeneration, so that we can prevent the development of the disease. To be able to do this will naturally be a major breakthrough,” says Elisabeth Svensson.

en tres dias la tiranía ha asesinado a 10 personas y los secuestrados son aun mas

Ese señor tiene más valor que los del Ejército y Policía Nacional al venderse.

Luchadores #QueSeRindaTuMadre

No man is an Island

No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. As well as if a promontory were. As well as if a manor of thy friend’s Or of thine own were: Any man’s death diminishes me, Because I am involved in mankind, And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.                         - John Donne. I’ve recently had a few asks about coping with difficult cases in medicine. And it reminded me of the fine line between being professional, and beng human. I hope any of you who are struggling with your first difficult cases (or even those who have long stopped counting) remember that to feel is human. You are no island. And you’re all the stronger and more human for it.

Mi infografía de la Escuela de Frankfurt… La Teoría Crítica <— <3

Sólo con quien te ama puedes mostrarte débil sin provocar una reacción de fuerza.

Theodor Adorno

si les gusta esta colección, agradezcan a mi novia por que ella me las envió xD

- VIENDO COMO ESTUDIANTE DE MEDICINA -

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