The Impact of Bacteriophage on the Aging Brain and Inflammatory Response: Relevance to Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with age and inflammation. New studies have found a link between gut dysbiosis and the prevalence of PD. Phage 936, which is found in dairy products, has been associated with disruptions in the gut microbiome and leaky gut causalities. The present thesis sought to assess the impact of phage 936 in young or old mice and whether the virus augments or diminishes the impact of an inflammatory (LPS) stimulus. To this end, an initial study was conducted to first determine if bacteriophage alone could actually produce some degree of measurable changes (e.g. neutrophil mobilization or change in cytokine or other circulating