Quality of life implications for elevated trait impulsivity in people with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Several non-motor features of Parkinson's disease (PD) are known to adversely affect patient health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, the specific impact of neuropsychiatric complications, such as impulsive behaviour, is yet to be elucidated.

Objectives: The present cross-sectional, observational study aimed to investigate the effects of heightened trait impulsivity on HRQL in individuals with PD.

Impact of Gastrointestinal Symptoms on Health-Related Quality of Life in an Australian Parkinson's Disease Cohort.

Background: Gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) in people with Parkinson's disease (PwP) are often underreported and may remain untreated. Constipation is a common nonmotor symptom that can adversely affect health-related quality of life (QoL); however, the impact of other GIS has not been adequately investigated.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between QoL and constipation using the Bristol Stool Chart, bowel movement frequency, and a perceived constipation measure; and to explore the relationship between QoL and other GIS in an Australian PD cohort.

ACTN3 (R577X) Genotype Is Associated With Australian Football League Players.

Jacob, Y, Hart, NH, Cochrane, JL, Spiteri, T, Laws, SM, Jones, A, Rogalski, B, Kenna, J, and Anderton, RS. ACTN3 (R577X) genotype is associated with Australian Football League players. J Strength Cond Res 36(2): 573-576, 2022-Genetic variants in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and alpha actinin-3 (ACTN3) genes have been associated with elite sport athletic performance.

Changes in the Gut Microbiome and Predicted Functional Metabolic Effects in an Australian Parkinson's Disease Cohort.

There has been increasing recognition of the importance of the gut microbiome in Parkinson's disease (PD), but the influence of geographic location has received little attention. The present study characterized the gut microbiota and associated changes in host metabolic pathways in an Australian cohort of people with PD (PwP). The study involved recruitment and assessment of 87 PwP from multiple Movement Disorders Clinics in Australia and 47 healthy controls.

Elevated HDL Levels Linked to Poorer Cognitive Ability in Females With Parkinson's Disease.

Introduction: Cholesterol levels have been associated with age-related cognitive decline, however, such an association has not been comprehensively explored in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). To address this uncertainty, the current cross-sectional study examined the cholesterol profile and cognitive performance in a cohort of PD patients.

Methods: Cognitive function was evaluated using two validated assessments (ACE-R and SCOPA-COG) in 182 people with PD from the Australian Parkinson's Disease Registry.

The TOMM40 '523' polymorphism in disease risk and age of symptom onset in two independent cohorts of Parkinson's disease.

Abnormal mitochondrial function is a key process in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). The central pore-forming protein TOM40 of the mitochondria is encoded by the translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 40 homologue gene (TOMM40). The highly variant '523' poly-T repeat is associated with age-related cognitive decline and age of onset in Alzheimer's disease, but whether it plays a role in modifying the risk or clinical course of PD it yet to be elucidated.

Characterization of Gastrointestinal Symptom Type and Severity in Parkinson's Disease: A Case-Control Study in an Australian Cohort.

Background: While constipation is a well-known non-motor symptom which may precede the onset of the classical motor symptoms of PD, there have been few comprehensive studies of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in people with PD (PwP).

Objectives: To investigate the spectrum of GI symptoms in an Australian PwP cohort and their relationship to use of anti-parkinsonian medications dietary habits and smoking.

Methods: The prevalence and severity of GI symptoms were compared in a group of 163 PwP and 113 healthy control subjects using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS).

Differential effects of sex on longitudinal patterns of cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Cognitive impairment is an important and diverse symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). Sex is a purported risk variable for cognitive decline in PD, but has not been comprehensively investigated.

Objectives: This cross-sectional and longitudinal study examined sex differences in global and domain-specific cognitive performance in a large PD cohort.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated With Gut Homeostasis Influence Risk and Age-at-Onset of Parkinson's Disease.

Research is increasingly focusing on gut inflammation as a contributor to Parkinson's disease (PD). Such gut inflammation is proposed to arise from a complex interaction between various genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, however these factors are under-characterized. This study investigated the association between PD and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes responsible for binding of bacterial metabolites and intestinal homeostasis, which have been implicated in intestinal infections or inflammatory bowel disease.

Assessment of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) toxicity in cultured neural cells and subsequent treatment with poly-arginine peptide R18D.

Thrombolytic therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) in ischaemic stroke has been associated with neurotoxicity, blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption and intra-cerebral hemorrhage. To examine rtPA cellular toxicity we investigated the effects of rtPA on cell viability in neuronal, astrocyte and brain endothelial cell (bEnd.3) cultures with and without prior exposure to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD).

Trait Impulsivity Is Independent of Mild Cognitive Impairment in a Parkinson's Disease Cohort.

Introduction: Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly experience cognitive deficits and some also develop impulse control disorders (ICDs); however, the relationship between impulsivity and cognitive dysfunction remains unclear. This study investigated whether trait impulsivity associates with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or is altered in a PD patient cohort with MCI.

Methods: A total of 302 patients with idiopathic PD were recruited sequentially from three Australian Movement Disorder clinics.

Altered Gut Microbiome in Parkinson's Disease and the Influence of Lipopolysaccharide in a Human α-Synuclein Over-Expressing Mouse Model.

The interaction between the gut microbiota and alpha-synuclein (αSyn) aggregation in Parkinson's disease (PD) is receiving increasing attention. The objective of this study was to investigate gut microbiota, and effects of an inflammatory lipopolysaccharide (LPS) trigger in a human αSyn over-expressing mouse model of PD (Thy1-αSyn). Stool samples from patients with confirmed PD and Thy1-αSyn mice were analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing.

Elevated Serum Homocysteine Levels Have Differential Gender-Specific Associations with Motor and Cognitive States in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Studies attempting to elucidate an association between homocysteine and symptom progression in Parkinson's disease (PD) have had largely discrepant findings. This study aimed to investigate elevated serum homocysteine levels and symptom progression in a cohort of PD patients.

Methods: Serum homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 levels were measured in 205 people with PD and 78 age-matched healthy controls.

Delayed treatment of secondary degeneration following acute optic nerve transection using a combination of ion channel inhibitors.

Studies have shown that a combined application of several ion channel inhibitors immediately after central nervous system injury can inhibit secondary degeneration. However, for clinical use, it is necessary to determine how long after injury the combined treatment of several ion channel inhibitors can be delayed and efficacy maintained. In this study, we delivered Ca entry-inhibiting P2X7 receptor antagonist oxidized-ATP and AMPA receptor antagonist YM872 to the optic nerve injury site an iPRECIO pump immediately, 6 hours, 24 hours and 7 days after partial optic nerve transection surgery.