Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital
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Assistant doctor of medical oncology at the Catalan Institute of Oncology and at the Girona University Hospital Doctor Josep Trueta
Head of the Nutrition, Eumetabolism and Health Group at IDIBGI and CIBEROBN, Professor of Medicine at the University of Girona and Head of the Endocrinology Section at the Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital
One of the best-known genetic risk factors for developing Parkinson’s disease is carrying variants of the GBA1 gene. A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine compared the microbiomes of 43 carriers of this gene who had not developed the disease with those of 271 Parkinson’s patients and 150 healthy individuals. The results showed, in addition to alterations in the microbiome in the patient group, that 25% of the microbiome of carriers of this gene exhibited alterations, representing an intermediate profile between the other two groups. The results were validated using independent cohorts from the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Turkey. According to the authors, “alterations in the gut microbiome can identify individuals with both genetic and non-genetic risk in the general population who may be progressing toward Parkinson’s disease.”
Many diseases related to bacteria, such as inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer, are associated with an overgrowth of gut bacteria considered 'bad'. However, a study published in the journal Cell suggests that changes in microbial load, rather than the disease itself, could be the driving factor behind the presence of these harmful species associated with pathologies.
By 2050, there will be more than 35 million new cases of cancer worldwide, an increase of 77% from the 20 million cases reported in 2022. These are projections made by the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which has published the latest estimates of the global burden of cancer. Using data from 185 countries, IARC estimates that in 2022 lung cancer was the most common cancer worldwide, with female breast cancer in second place, followed by colorectal, prostate and stomach cancer. The authors stress the urgent need to address inequalities around these diseases.
Two studies published in the journal Nature Communications have found specific characteristics in the microbiota of people with depression, including populations of different ethnicities and habits.