Gut bacteria could be responsible for side effect of Parkinson's drug

Bacteria in the small intestine can deaminate levodopa, the main drug that is used to treat Parkinson's disease. Bacterial processing of the unabsorbed fractions of the drug results in a metabolite that reduces gut motility. These findings were described in the journal BMC Biology on 20 October by scientists from the University of Groningen. Since the disease is already associated with constipation, processing of the drug by gut bacteria may worsen gastrointestinal complications.

Significant link found between air pollution and neurological disorders

Air pollution was significantly associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions for several neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias, in a long-term study of more than 63 million older U.S. adults, led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

New evidence to guide the practice of blood transfusions in children with severe malaria

Blood transfusions increase the survival of children admitted to the hospital with complications by severe malaria, and could be beneficial even at higher hemoglobin levels than those currently recommended. These are the main findings of a study led by ISGlobal, a center supported by 'la Caixa' Foundation, and published in The Lancet Haematology.