Source: Thailand Medical News Nov 23, 2019 4 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 1 minute ago
A new recently published study by researchers form the Helsinki University Hospital, Finland show that higher exposure to commonly used oral
antibiotics is linked to an increased risk of
Parkinson's disease.
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The most substantial associations were found for broad spectrum
antibiotics and those that act against against anaerobic bacteria and fungi. The timing of
antibiotic exposure also seemed to matter.
The new study suggests that excessive use of certain
antibiotics can predispose to
Parkinson's disease with a delay of up to 10 to 15 years. This connection may be explained by their disruptive effects on the gut microbial ecosystem.
Neurologist Dr Filip Scheperjans MD, Ph.D. from the Department of Neurology of Helsinki University Hospital and research team leader told
Thailand Medical News, "The link between antibiotic exposure and
Parkinson's disease fits the current view that in a significant proportion of patients the pathology of
Parkinson's may originate in the gut, possibly related to microbial changes, years before the onset of typical
Parkinson motor symptoms such as slowness, muscle stiffness and shaking of the extremities. It was known that the bacterial composition of the intestine in
Parkinson's patients is abnormal, but the cause is unclear. Our results suggest that some commonly used antibiotics, which are known to strongly influence the gut microbiota, could be a predisposing factor."
Typically in the human gut, pathological changes typical of
Parkinson's disease have been observed up to 20 years before diagnosis. Constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease have been associated with a higher risk of developing
Parkinson's disease. Exposure to
antibiotics has been shown to cause changes in the gut microbiome and their use is associated with an increased risk of several diseases, such as psychiatric disorders and Crohn's disease. However, these diseases or increased susceptibility to infection do not explain the now observed relationship between
antibiotics and
Parkinson's.
Dr Scheperjans added, "The discovery may also have implications for
antibiotic prescribing practices in the future. In addition to the problem of
antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial prescribing should also take into account their potentially long-lasting effects on the gut microbiome and the development of certain diseases."
The association of
antibiotic exposure with
Parkinson's disease was investigated in a case-control study using data extracted from national registries. The study compared
antibiotic exposure during the years 1998-2014 in 13,976
Parkinson's disease patients and compared it with 40,697 no
n-affected persons matched for the age, sex and place of residence.
The
antibiotic exposure was examined over three different time periods: 1-5, 5-10, and 10-15 years prior to the index date, based on oral
antibiotic purchase data. Exposure was classified based on number of purchased courses. Exposure was also examined by classifying
antibiotics according to their chemical structure, antimicrobial spectrum, and mechanism of action.
Of late, there has been numerous new studies emerging linking
antibiotic usage with a variety medical conditions and ailments. Individuals are advised to use
antibiotics with caution and to always consult a doctor and follow the correct doses. Never self-prescribed with
antibiotics bought online or at certain OTC
pharmacies in certain countries. Also always do due diligence and check with doctors if your condition warrants
antibiotics and also check on what type of
antibiotics are being prescribed.
Reference: Tuomas H. Mertsalmi et al. Antibiotic exposure and risk of Parkinson's disease in finland: A nationwide case‐control study, Movement Disorders (2019). DOI: 10.1002/mds.27924 
