Understanding Gut–Brain Connections in Parkinson Disease

Differences in fecal microbiome and metabolites correlated with functional differences between PD patients and controls.

The gut microbiome is abnormal in Parkinson disease (PD), but the functional significance of this finding remains unknown. In the current study, the authors analyzed the fecal microbiome and metabolome of 104 people with PD and 96 healthy controls. They sequenced the 16S rRNA gene to assess the microbiome and evaluated the metabolome with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Both the fecal microbiome and metabolome were significantly different between PD and control participants. The differences were greater when NMR methods were used. Fecal metabolite features predicted functional changes. There were changes in short-chain fatty acids, ubiquinones, and salicylate. There were also changes…

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)