Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the fastest-growing neurological disorder globally. Defining features include tremor, muscular rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability, which in combination with nonmotor symptoms such as cognitive impairment and orthostatic hypotension increase the risk of falls. Along with low bone mineral density, fracture risk is high in PD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParkinsonism Relat Disord
January 2025
Introduction: Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are some of the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's. Weight is a nutritional metric and can be affected by dysfunction of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This study aims to explore the change in trajectory of body mass index (BMI) in individuals with Parkinson's over the course of the disease including the prodromal and post-diagnostic periods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: To test if a New Zealand food-based Mediterranean diet (NZMedDiet) with behavioural intervention improves cardiometabolic health and wellbeing.
Methods: A randomised controlled trial comparing 12 weeks of the NZMedDiet to usual diet in participants with increased cardiometabolic risk (metabolic syndrome severity score [MetSSS] > 0.35).
Background: Following a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. He Rourou Whai Painga is a dietary intervention trial with behaviour change support that seeks to determine whether a MedDiet pattern can provide equivalent benefits in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), a country where cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death. To do this, the MedDiet needs to be adapted in an acceptable way for NZ, with consideration of the Māori (indigenous) population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objectives: People with parkinsonism who are older, living in a care home, with frailty, multimorbidity or impaired capacity to consent are under-represented in research, limiting its generalisability. We aimed to evaluate more inclusive recruitment strategies.
Methods: From one UK centre, we invited people with parkinsonism to participate in a cross-sectional study.
The current paradigm for the multidisciplinary management of Parkinson's Disease (PD) does not include regular nutritional assessment despite research showing that 90 % of people living with Parkinson's (PwP) lack access to basic dietetic services. Since many non-motor symptoms such as dysphagia, constipation and orthostatic hypotension and PD complications such as weight loss and sarcopenia can be improved through dietary intervention, dietitians are a critical missing piece of the PD management puzzle. This paper serves to review the role of dietitians and medical nutrition therapy in management of PD as well as a call to action for future studies to investigate improvement of nutritional status and quality of life for all PwP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cardiometabolic diseases are highly prevalent in Aotearoa New Zealand. Dietary intake is a modifiable risk factor for such diseases and certain dietary patterns, specifically the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), are associated with improved metabolic health. This study aims to test whether an intervention including a Mediterranean dietary pattern incorporating high quality New Zealand foods (NZMedDiet pattern) and behavior change science can improve the metabolic health of participants and their household/whānau.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To assess the feasibility of a family-based dietary intervention study using a meal kit home delivery service, in people at risk of cardio-metabolic disease.
Methods: A 12-week dietary intervention feasibility study of adults (termed the index participants) at increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease, enriched for Māori who are indigenous New Zealanders. The study sample also included the household/whānau members living with the index participant.
Introduction: This paper provides a critical reflection from both the researcher and public contributor (PC) perspective on the benefits and the learnings taken from involving PCs in research related to Parkinson's. APPROACH TO PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT (PPI): This paper reports on how PCs shaped the design and development of the PRIME-UK research programme study materials through input into information leaflets, consent forms and other patient-facing documents used across three studies within the PRIME-UK research programme. The PRIME-UK research programme is designed to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson's and this project included three studies: a cross-sectional study, a randomised control trial and a qualitative study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Craniopharyngiomas are rare brain tumours (incidence 1.1-1.7 cases/million/year).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute exercise suppresses appetite and alters food-cue reactivity, but the extent exercise-induced changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) influences the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal during appetite-related paradigms is not known. This study examined the impact of acute running on visual food-cue reactivity and explored whether such responses are influenced by CBF variability. In a randomised crossover design, 23 men (mean ± SD: 24 ± 4 years, 22.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: People living with Parkinson's disease experience progressive motor and non-motor symptoms, which negatively impact on health-related quality of life and can lead to an increased risk of hospitalisation. It is increasingly recognised that the current care models are not suitable for the needs of people with parkinsonism whose care needs evolve and change as the disease progresses. This trial aims to evaluate whether a complex and innovative model of integrated care will increase an individual's ability to achieve their personal goals, have a positive impact on health and symptom burden and be more cost-effective when compared with usual care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDementia is the most common neurodegenerative disorder globally. Disease progression is marked by declining cognitive function accompanied by changes in mobility. Increased sedentary behaviour and, conversely, wandering and becoming lost are common.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: People with parkinsonism are a highly heterogeneous group and the disease encompasses a spectrum of motor and non-motor symptoms which variably emerge and manifest across the disease course, fluctuate over time and negatively impact quality of life. While parkinsonism is not directly the result of ageing, it is a condition that mostly affects older people, who may also be living with frailty and multimorbidity. This study aims to describe the broad range of health needs for people with parkinsonism and their carers in relation to their symptomatology, disability, disease stage, comorbidities and sociodemographic characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease and affects about 1% of the population over the age of 60 years in industrialised countries. The aim of this review is to examine nutrition in PD across three domains: dietary intake and the development of PD; whole body metabolism in PD and the effects of PD symptoms and treatment on nutritional status. In most cases, PD is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors and although there has been much research in the area, evidence suggests that poor dietary intake is not a risk factor for the development of PD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) constitute an increasing global burden and can significantly impair an individual's mobility, physical activity (PA), and independence. Remote monitoring has been difficult without relying on diaries/questionnaires which are more challenging for people with dementia to complete. Wearable global positioning system (GPS) sensors and accelerometers present a cost-effective and noninvasive way to passively monitor mobility and PA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: While a number of studies have examined associations between dietary factors and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), little is known about intakes of inflammation-modulating foods and nutrients and risk of MS.
Objectives: To test associations between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) and risk of a first clinical diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) demyelination (FCD) (267 cases, 507 controls) using data from the Ausimmune Study.
Methods: The 2003-2006 Ausimmune Study was a multicentre, matched, case-control study examining environmental risk factors for an FCD, a common precursor to MS.
Objective: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) elevates low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This study aimed to provide evidence for the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve diet and physical activity in families with FH.
Design: A parallel, randomised, waitlist-controlled, feasibility pilot trial.
Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic poses a high risk to older people. The aim of this article is to provide a rapid overview of the COVID-19 literature, with a specific focus on older adults. We frame our findings within an overview of the disease and have also evaluated the inclusion of older people within forthcoming clinical trials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Untreated heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) causes high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Despite pharmacological treatment, many treated individuals remain at higher CVD risk than non-affected individuals. This may be due to LDL-C targets not being met and presence of other CVD risk factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Individuals with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). This risk can be substantially reduced with lifelong pharmacological and lifestyle treatment; however, research suggests adherence is poor. We synthesised the qualitative research to identify enablers and barriers to treatment adherence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a genetic disorder characterised by elevated levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from birth, estimated to affect 1 in 250 of the UK population. Left untreated, FH substantially increases an individual's risk of premature coronary heart disease (CHD) and associated mortality. This risk can be minimised with timely diagnosis and successful treatment with medication and lifestyle changes, as advocated in national and international guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Glucose abnormalities in cystic fibrosis (CF) are common, but there is limited evidence to guide their dietary management. Progressive impaired glucose tolerance eventually leads to cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD), the most prevalent complication of CF, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Optimising glycaemic control improves clinical status and reduces mortality; insulin therapy is the primary means of controlling glycaemia in CFRD, but its role in managing pre-diabetes is less clear.
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