Stomach bacteria 'plays part in Parkinson's'

Bacteria in the stomach that causes ulcers could also play a part in Parkinson's disease, new research has shown.

A study presented at the 111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology found that bacteria Helicobacter pylori could be significant in the development of Parkinson's disease in humans.

Traci Testerman and a Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center team used a mouse model to test the theory, infecting the animals with three strains of the bacterium.

"The results were far more dramatic in aged mice than in young mice, demonstrating that normal aging increases susceptibility to Parkinsonian changes in mice, as is seen in humans," said Testerman.

Meanwhile, new research conducted at the University of Florida has found that a brain pathway could be damaged by the 'friendly fire' of the immune response.

According to a study published in journal Nature Neuroscience, it has long been thought that exposure to viruses could trigger Parkinson's symptoms.

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