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FoxFeed Blog New Study Plots Possible Path between Gut Bacteria and Parkinson's Symptoms
Posted by Maggie McGuire Kuhl, December 02, 2016 New Study Plots Possible Path between Gut Bacteria and Parkinson's Symptoms
New research findings propose a way one's gut bacteria may play a role in Parkinson's disease (PD). Scientists are studying the connection between the intestinal tract and PD because the nervous systems of the gut and the brain are connected, because the primary PD protein alpha-synuclein is found in the gut, and because constipation is one of the first symptoms people with PD report.
A team from the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) looked at pre-clinical models with too much alpha-synuclein. Those with complex gut bacteria performed worse on motor skills tests than models with no gut bacteria.
A press release from CalTech reports, "When gut bacteria break down dietary fiber, they produce molecules called short-chain fatty acids (SFCAs) ... Previous research has shown that these molecules also can activate immune responses in the brain. Thus, Mazmanian's group hypothesized that an imbalance in the levels of SCFAs regulates brain inflammation and other symptoms of PD."
The team implanted fecal samples from people with and without PD into the models without gut bacteria. The models with the PD samples showed higher levels of SCFAs and started exhibiting PD symptoms.
SFCAs may offer a new target to prevent, slow or stop Parkinson's, and sending a drug to the gut may be safer than one against a brain target, the CalTech team says.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation did not fund this study but has supported research that's shown differences in gut bacteria between people with and people without PD and continues to fund studies in this area.
Watch our webinar on constipation and learn more about a clinical trial at Virginia Commonweatlh University testing a drug to treat this Parkinson's symptom.
(Thanks again to Lymetoo for Tinyurl)
Posts: 845 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2006
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Brussels
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Interesting. Thanks for posting!
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Catgirl
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Fascinating! The gut is the second brain.
One could also hypothesize that since the primary protein for PD is found in the gut that it is ingested. And yet another hypothesis could then be that it is from food and water (meat, pesticides, toxins, heavy metals). I'll bet lyme has a role in it too.
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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I think there is some complex interplay going on that is not yet understood.
It is possible that what we assume to be the lasting effects of a borrelia infection, may in fact be an immune dysfunction caused by lack of diversity of GI bugs -- the very ones that make the short-chain fatty acids that signal release of various anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as other immune 'cooling' factors that would allow us to recover.
Or it could be that the Lyme and co's have subverted the GI flora in order create a hospitable environment for themselves.
Or it could be that the Lyme and co's are producing the inflammatory syx, and, those of us who are chronic, don't have sufficient GI diversity for a functioning immune system that would put out the fires. This GI lack may be one difference between those who recover from Lyme therapy and those who don't (or get worse).
Or there could be a million other possibilities.
But one thing that seems clear is that there are loads of microbes in our microbiota that could cause what we commonly think of as "Lyme symptoms."
This is why I have come to believe that, for many of us, the answers we seek are more likely to be found in immunity than in new ways of killing Lyme.
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