New evidence suggests Parkinson’s may start in the gut.
New evidence suggests Parkinson's may start in the gut.
New Evidence Suggests Parkinson’s Disease Could Start in the Gut
New evidence from a mouse study supports the notion that Parkinson’s disease could start in the gut.
Researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City recently conducted a study in mice to investigate the connection between Parkinson’s disease and changes in the gut[^1^]. Parkinson’s disease is known to cause neurological changes that affect motor skills and may eventually lead to losing the ability to walk.
The researchers suspected that a protein connected with Parkinson’s impacts people via the gut, years before they show hallmark symptoms of the disease[^1^]. To test this, they created an injection to administer to two groups of mice — one regular group and one engineered group with similar genetic factors to humans who develop Parkinson’s disease[^1^]. The scientists believed that the engineered mice would respond to the injection by exhibiting gastrointestinal symptoms, similar to those experienced by people with Parkinson’s disease[^1^].
Parkinson’s Disease and Constipation
Parkinson’s disease, a type of movement disorder, can cause nerve cells to degenerate, leading to stiffness, tremors, shaking, and other uncontrollable movements[^2^]. However, before experiencing these movement difficulties, there are other symptoms that people may not necessarily connect with Parkinson’s disease, such as REM sleep behavior disorder, depression, anxiety, and constipation[^2^]. Interestingly, many people who develop Parkinson’s report experiencing constipation and other gastrointestinal symptoms up to 20 years prior to developing motor symptoms[^2^].
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According to the study authors, constipation occurs in approximately 70% of Parkinson’s disease patients[^2^].
Impact of Alpha-synuclein on the Gut
Alpha-synuclein, a protein found in the body, becomes misfolded in people with Parkinson’s disease, contributing to the progression of the disease[^3^]. This misfolded protein can also be found in the gut, leading researchers to wonder if the immune system is involved in the development of the disease[^3^]. The blood of Parkinson’s patients often contains immune cells that are primed to attack the neurons, but where and when they are primed remains unclear[^3^].
To investigate this further, the researchers focused on causing gastrointestinal symptoms in mice engineered to have misfolded alpha-synuclein[^3^]. They administered alpha-synuclein injections to two groups of mice: regular mice and engineered mice[^3^]. The mice were closely monitored for 6 weeks, checking for symptoms of gastric distress and changes in weight[^3^].
Alpha-synuclein Injection Led to Gut Problems
After receiving the alpha-synuclein injections, both the regular mice and the engineered mice became sick temporarily, but the regular mice returned to normal[^3^]. However, 25% of the mice with the human gene continued to be sick and experienced weight loss between 22 and 24 days post-injection[^3^]. Although they regained their weight by day 29, these mice experienced severely affected gastrointestinal transit time, which translates to constipation[^3^]. This effect was observed only in the mice with the human gene and weight loss, while the regular mice and the engineered mice without weight loss did not experience significant constipation[^3^].
While these results add to the evidence that Parkinson’s disease may start in the gut, no changes were observed in the brains of the mice during the study[^3^]. The researchers highlighted their ultimate goal of developing a mouse model that accurately recreates the human disease process[^3^].
Paving the Way for New Parkinson’s Treatments
Dr. Pooja Patel, a neurologist at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, emphasized the importance of understanding the connection between the gut and Parkinson’s disease[^4^]. By studying the gut microbiome at the cellular level, researchers can identify the types of bacteria that differ between Parkinson’s patients and those without the disease[^4^]. This research could potentially lead to the development of immunosuppressant medications to lower the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease[^4^].
Additionally, understanding the specific gut bacteria responsible for causing inflammation or genetic mutations that result in Parkinson’s disease could lead to dietary recommendations or nutritional supplements to improve gut health[^4^]. Dr. Patel believes that these advancements may not only benefit Parkinson’s disease but also pave the way for treatments for other diseases[^4^].
As research continues to unravel the complex relationship between the gut and Parkinson’s disease, these findings provide new insights and possibilities for understanding, preventing, and treating this debilitating condition.
References [^1^]: Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “New evidence suggests Parkinson’s disease starts in gut.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 August 2023. [^2^]: Parkinson’s Foundation. “Non-Movement Symptoms.” Available at: https://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Symptoms/Non-Movement-Symptoms [^3^]: Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “New mouse study finds early evidence linking protein to Parkinson’s disease.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 September 2023. [^4^]: Medical News Today. “Parkinson’s: New research suggests disease may start in the gut.” Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/parkinsons-new-research-suggests-disease-may-start-in-the-gut
