Study in Kerala links gut bacteria to Parkinson’s disease
Researchers found significant differences in the gut bacteria of Parkinson's patients compared to healthy individuals.
Researchers from the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) and the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) have found significant differences between the gut bacteria of Parkinson’s patients and healthy individuals, according to The Hindu.
The study, which involved 65 Parkinson’s patients from SCTIMST’s Comprehensive Care Centre for Movement Disorders and 65 healthy individuals, was published online in npj Parkinson’s Disease.
Using metagenomic sequencing on stool samples, the team identified increased amounts of bacteria that may cause inflammation and decreased amounts of helpful bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, which regulate the immune system and maintain the gut lining.
Baby Chakrapani P. S., director of the Centre for Neuroscience and assistant professor at CUSAT, said the differences in bacterial abundance were strongly linked to disease severity and clinical features.
Chakrapani added that gut bacteria might be connected to how the disease progresses by influencing chemicals like dopamine, glutamate, and GABA that are vital for brain function.
The research was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and supervised by Chakrapani and Dr Syam Krishnan of SCTIMST.