Ulcer Bacteria May Contribute to Development of Parkinson's Disease

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110522141547.htm

ScienceDaily (May 23, 2011) — The stomach bacteria responsible for ulcers could also play a role in the development of Parkinson's disease according to research presented May 22 at the 111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

"Infection of late middle-aged mice with a particular strain of the bacteria Helicobacter pylori results in development of Parkinson's disease symptoms after 3-5 months," says Traci Testerman of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, who presented the research. "Our findings suggest that H. pylori infection could play a signficant role in the development of Parkinson's disease in humans."

Physicians have noted a correlation between stomach ulcers and Parkinson's disease as far back as the 1960s, before it was even known that H. pylori was the cause of ulcers. More recently, a number of studies found that people with Parkinson's disease were more likely to be infected with the bacterium, and that Parkinson's patients who were treated and cured of infection showed slight improvement compared to controls that continued to deteriorate.


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