Dramatic Recovery In Parkinson’s Patient with Gluten Free Diet

Could gluten's toxicity extend to the nervous system, producing symptoms identical to classical Parkinson's disease? A remarkable case study adds to a growing body of research indicating that wheat's neurotoxicity is greatly underestimated.

A remarkable case report describing the dramatic recovery of a 75-year-old Parkinson's disease patient after following a 3-month long gluten free diet reveals the need to explore whether there is an increased prevalence of silent or symptomatic celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity both in those afflicted with Parkinson's disease and the related multi-factorial neurodegenerative condition known as Parkinsonism.

Published in the Journal of Neurology,[i] the report notes that celiac disease often manifests with only neurological symptoms, even in advanced age. This may strike the reader as surprising, considering gastrointestinal complaints are the most commonly noticeable symptom; and yet, when the voluminous published literature on gluten related adverse health effects is taken into account, so-called 'out of intestine' expressions of intolerance to gluten-containing grains are far more common than gut-related ones, with no less than 200 distinct adverse health effects implicated. You can read our summary of the biological carnage exacted by this 'king of grains' here: Wheat: 200 Clinically Confirmed Reasons Not To Eat It. You will notice that harm to the brain figures high on the list. From schizophrenia to mania, autism to peripheral neuropathy, the central nervous system is particularly sensitive to its adverse effects.

Read the rest of the story here:

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/dramatic-recovery-parkinson-s-patient-gluten-free-diet?utm_source=Daily+Greenmedinfo.com+Email+List&utm_campaign=853e893d62-gluten_free&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_193c8492fb-853e893d62-92764405&ct=t(gluten_free)&mc_cid=853e893d62&mc_eid=0df858266f

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30796143

Neurology. 2019 Feb 22. pii: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000007186. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000007186. [Epub ahead of print]

Effect of prolonged antibiotic treatment on cognition in patients with Lyme borreliosis.

Berende A1, Ter Hofstede HJM2, Vos FJ2, Vogelaar ML2, van Middendorp H2, Evers AWM2, Kessels RPC2, Kullberg BJ2.

Author information

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate whether longer-term antibiotic treatment improves cognitive performance in patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis.

METHODS:

Data were collected during the Persistent Lyme Empiric Antibiotic Study Europe (PLEASE) trial, a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Study participants passed performance-validity testing (measure for detecting suboptimal effort) and had persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis. All patients received a 2-week open-label regimen of intravenous ceftriaxone before the 12-week blinded oral regimen (doxycycline, clarithromycin/hydroxychloroquine, or placebo). Cognitive performance was assessed at baseline and after 14, 26, and 40 weeks with neuropsychological tests covering the cognitive domains of episodic memory, attention/working memory, verbal fluency, speed of information processing, and executive function.

RESULTS:

Baseline characteristics of patients enrolled (n = 239) were comparable in all treatment groups. After 14 weeks, performance on none of the cognitive domains differed significantly between the treatment arms (p = 0.49-0.82). At follow-up, no additional treatment effect (p= 0.35-0.98) or difference between groups (p = 0.37-0.93) was found at any time point. Patients performed significantly better in several cognitive domains at weeks 14, 26, and 40 compared to baseline, but this was not specific to a treatment group.

CONCLUSIONS:

A 2-week treatment with ceftriaxone followed by a 12-week regimen of doxycycline or clarithromycin/hydroxychloroquine did not lead to better cognitive performance compared to a 2-week regimen of ceftriaxone in patients with Lyme disease-attributed persistent symptoms.

CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER:

NCT01207739.

CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE:

This study provides Class II evidence that longer-term antibiotics in patients with borreliosis-attributed persistent symptoms does not increase cognitive performance compared to shorter-term antibiotics.

Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology.

PMID:

  

30796143

  

DOI:

  

10.1212/WNL.0000000000007186

Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Carditis: JACC Review Topic of the Week

Abstract

The incidence of Lyme disease, a tick-borne bacterial infection, is dramatically increasing in North America. The diagnosis of Lyme carditis (LC), an early disseminated manifestation of Lyme disease, has important implications for patient management and preventing further extracutaneous complications. High-degree atrioventricular block is the most common presentation of LC, and usually resolves with antibiotic therapy. A systematic approach to the diagnosis of LC in patients with high-degree atrioventricular block will facilitate the identification of this usually transient condition, thus preventing unnecessary implantation of permanent pacemakers in otherwise healthy young individuals.

Association of small fiber neuropathy and post treatment Lyme disease syndrome

Results

10 participants, 5/5 women/men, age 51.3 ± 14.7 years, BMI 27.6 ± 7.3 were analyzed. All participants were positive for Lyme infection by CDC criteria. At least one skin biopsy was abnormal in all ten participants. Abnormal ENFD was found in 9 participants, abnormal SGNFD in 5 participants, and both abnormal ENFD and SGNFD were detected in 4 participants. Parasympathetic failure was found in 7 participants and mild or moderate sympathetic adrenergic failure in all participants. Abnormal total CBFv score was found in all ten participants. Low orthostatic CBFv was found in 7 participants, three additional participants had abnormally reduced supine CBFv.

Conclusions

SFN appears to be associated with PTLDS and may be responsible for certain sensory symptoms. In addition, dysautonomia related to SFN and abnormal CBFv also seem to be linked to PTLDS. Reduced orthostatic CBFv can be associated with cerebral hypoperfusion and may lead to cognitive dysfunction. Autonomic failure detected in PTLDS is mild to moderate. SFN evaluation may be useful in PTLDS.

Sue Ferrara, PhD
Hamilton, NJ

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Bob Cowart
Email: bob@cowart.com
Phone: 510-540-6667
Books: http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Cowart/e/B001HOJ3ZQ
Lyme disease blog: http://bobcowart.blogspot.com 
Facebook: bcowart1
Twitter: @bobcowart

New video from the Stanford Lyme Working Group

The Stanford Lyme Working Group recently released a 48-minute video about the current research in the area of chronic Lyme disease detection and treatment. There is talk about AIDS research too. I found it pretty interesting.   

http://youtu.be/0a3sBmleRQo

-Bob

Can Biomarkers Be Used to Diagnose Stages of Lyme Disease?

Can Biomarkers Be Used to Diagnose Stages of Lyme Disease? - Global Lyme Alliance

GLA-funded Lyme disease research uses CRP biomarkers and VlsE antibodies to differentiate PTLDS patients from other Lyme patients. 
https://globallymealliance.org/news/can-biomarkers-be-used-to-diagnose-stages-of-lyme-disease/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_campaign=7676cae202-newsletter_201901&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2eb359dd6a-7676cae202-37072147&mc_cid=7676cae202&mc_eid=bdc005f938