Head Professor, Clinical and Cognitive Neurosciences Unit, Biology and Health Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco
The immune system is a very complex network of cells, tissues and organs that work together to defend the body against pathogens. Its two main components are: the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. However, when this system is compromised, the body’s ability to defend itself is impaired, which can increase the risk of developing at least one of the more than 80 autoimmune diseases that affect a significant proportion of the world’s population. These illnesses can cause a range of symptoms, including pain, fatigue, rashes, nausea, headaches and dizziness. They can also affect different parts of the body, such as the skin, muscles, joints, tendons, blood and blood vessels, and even other organs. Also, it is not uncommon to suffer from more than one type of autoimmune disease, as they share similarities in their basic immunological mechanisms. In this review, we aim to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact and severity of immune dysfunction. We will also describe the advantages and disadvantages of factors considered to promote immune function and summarize current knowledge about the mechanisms of certain autoimmune diseases. We hope to shed light on this complex subject and provide valuable insights into potential treatments and preventive measures for these diseases.
Given that nutrition strongly influences the health and physical handicaps is an aggravating factor of the bad protein-energy nutrition, this study aims to assess the nutritional status of children and adolescents suffering from cerebral palsy. This comparative study was conducted on two samples of 132 children and adolescents aged from 2 to 17 years old including 65 with cerebral palsy and 67 children and adolescents with normal development in the North West of Morocco. Using the classification system of the gross motor function - Expanded and Revised (GMFCS-È & R), Using a dietary survey and socio-demographic and anthropometric data, we were able to gather the following results: 11.1% of patients were classified at GMFCS level I, at level II 8.9%, 8.9% at Level III, 35.6% at IV and 35.6% at level V. Our results also showed that the state emaciation was observed in 39% of children suffering from cerebral palsy against 17.1% of non-pathological (chi-square = 4.40, p = 0.04). And 37.5% of adolescents suffering from cerebral palsy have a state of emaciation against absence in controls (chi-square = 14.30, p <0.001). Growth retardation is observed in pathological children (48.8%) than in normal (2.9%) with (chi-square = 19.91, p <0.001), whereas it did not differ significantly among adolescents (chi-square = 0.04, p = 0.84), a significant difference of underweight was observed in children of both samples (chi-square = 23.43, p <0.001), indicating deterioration in pathological. Our study also revealed the existence of correlations between the GMFCS and Z-scores studied, and significant correlations between Z-scores were established.
These results must be considered to avoid the worsening of the nutritional status of children and teenagers suffering from cerebral palsy or corrected. Also some simple laboratory tests (serum albumin, pre albumin, C - reactive protein) will be necessary to assess the endogenous or exogenous aspect of under nutrition.