Publications by authors named "A Metcalfe-Roach"

Article Synopsis
  • Parkinson's disease (PD) is linked to changes in the gut microbiome, with the study aiming to identify specific microbial features related to PD onset and progression.
  • Through metagenomic sequencing of stool samples from PD patients and healthy controls, researchers found reduced intermicrobial connectivity in PD patients and identified seven bacterial species that were more or less abundant compared to controls.
  • The study suggests that these microbial changes may influence disease progression, particularly in patients with symmetric motor symptoms, and supports the notion of differing PD subtypes based on gut microbiome characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The microbiome has a pivotal role in intestinal health, and nutrition has a major role shaping its structure. Enteral deprivation, in which no oral/enteral nutrition is administered, is common in hospitalized/gastrointestinal patients. The dynamics that enteral deprivation exerts on the microbial community, specifically in the small intestine, are not well understood.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor symptoms and a loss of dopaminergic neurons, as well as a variety of non-motor symptoms, including constipation, depression, and anxiety. Recently, evidence has also accumulated for a link between gut microbiota and PD. Most PD patients are on dopamine replacement therapy, primarily a combination of L-DOPA and carbidopa; however, the effect of these medications on the microbiota and non-motor symptoms in PD is still unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Globally, ~340 million children suffer from multiple micronutrient deficiencies, accompanied by high pathogenic burden and death due to multidrug-resistant bacteria. The microbiome is a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but the implications of undernutrition on the resistome is unclear. Here we used a postnatal mouse model that is deficient in multiple micronutrients (that is, zinc, folate, iron, vitamin A and vitamin B12 deficient) and shotgun metagenomic sequencing of faecal samples to characterize gut microbiome structure and functional potential, and the resistome.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Micronutrients perform a wide range of physiological functions essential for growth and development. However, most people still need to meet the estimated average requirement worldwide. Globally, 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiency, most of which are co-occurring deficiencies in children under age five.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF