New Delhi . A study has found that longterm use of antibiotics may increase the risk of Parkinson's disease.
To validate these findings in Asian people, researchers at Seoul National University Hospital, South Korea, examined 298,379 people aged 40 and older who underwent a national health examination in 20042005.
The findings, published in the Journal of Neurology Clinical Practice, showed that people who took antibiotics for more than 121 days had a 29 percent higher risk of Parkinson's disease, compared to people who did not use antibiotics.
Additionally, people who used antibiotics for more than 121 days had a 37 percent higher risk of Parkinson's disease, compared with people who used antibiotics for 1 to 14 days.
Longterm use of antibiotics was linked to more cases of Parkinson's disease, the researchers said, calling for more research to confirm the cause and mechanism.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects human movement, causing tremors, stiffness and balance problems.
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“The use of antibiotics can alter the gut microbiota, and these changes can persist for many years. Antibiotics can affect the gutbrain axis,” Kumar said.
He also said that antibiotics can have neurotoxic effects on the brain.
Neurologists suggested that antibiotics should be used cautiously given the potential harm of prolonged exposure.
A recent study published in the journal Parkinsonism and Related Disorders found that taking two or more courses of antifungal medications increased the risk of Parkinson's disease by 16 percent.
On the other hand, people who received five or more courses of penicillin antibiotics had about a 15 percent lower risk of the disease.
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Image Credit: KhasKhabar.