Pre-clinical investigation of brain mechanisms associated with Parkinson’s disease: The impact of diet

Obesity among the population is increasing worldwide, as are the related disorders. An association has already been found between obesity and neurodegenerative diseases. Knowledge about the relationship between obesity and brain disorders and a better understanding of the early stages of disease can also facilitate the development of new treatments and diagnostic tools. Lifestyle changes may also help prevent or delay neurodegenerative diseases. Reali Nazario's goal was to understand how certain brain processes are involved in Parkinson's disease. For this she initially used zebrafish. In addition, it was also examined whether it is possible to use zebrafish for molecular imaging using PET scans. Then she investigated how diet can influence the course of the disease in a rat model for Parkinson's disease.
She found that the high-fat diet can influence the course of Parkinson's disease in the animal, particularly by increasing inflammatory processes in the brain and decreasing receptors associated with the disease. The gut microbiota was also affected by the high-fat diet, and this change in gut microbiota was related to inflammatory processes in the brain.
The topics studied in this thesis are important for the understanding the progression of Parkinson's disease and in helping to find an effective treatment or cure for the disease.