Aluna da FMUL publica descobertas na área do Parkinson

Patrícia R. Faustino, a student at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, published, together with other co-authors, a meta-analysis of Parkinson's in the journal Jama Neurology, a highly regarded American journal in the field of neurology and with an impact factor of 12,321 (2018). The research for this article was conducted as part of her master degree in medicine thesis.

In the published article, which can be read here, “Risk of Developing Parkinson's Disease in Bipolar Disorder. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis”, seven articles (4 cohorts and 3 cross-sectional studies) were analysed, identifying that bipolar patients will be 235% more likely to be diagnosed later with Parkinson's disease. The researchers hypothesize that one of the causes could be related to the intake of lithium drugs over a long period of time. However, to deepen these hypotheses, further studies will have to be done, where lithium cannot be seen as a confounding factor.

These findings have already had an impact and have been reported in both online specialty medical journals such as MDedge and more generalist online channels such as Daylmail.

Sónia Teixeira
Editorial Team