Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a possible cause of Parkinson’s disease. The new discovery may hopefully make it easier to relieve symptoms and even slow the progression of the disease.
The study investigated whether certain bacteria in the gut, called Desulfovibrio bacteria, may influence the development of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is characterised by the accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain, and previous studies have suggested that this accumulation may begin in the gut through interaction with certain pathogenic bacteria.
The researchers examined stool samples from ten people with Parkinson’s disease and their healthy partners in order to identify the presence of Desulfovibrio bacteria. These bacteria were isolated and then fed to nematodes, or roundworms, in the laboratory.
The results showed that nematodes fed with Desulfovibrio bacteria from people with Parkinson’s disease had significantly more and larger accumulations of alpha-synuclein in the brain compared with nematodes fed with Desulfovibrio bacteria from healthy people or with control bacteria. In addition, nematodes fed with Desulfovibrio bacteria from people with Parkinson’s disease died at a higher rate compared with nematodes fed with control bacteria.
The results suggest that Desulfovibrio bacteria may contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease by inducing the accumulation of alpha-synuclein. These findings may lead to a better understanding of how gut bacteria can influence the development of Parkinson’s disease and may also open the door to new treatment strategies targeting the gut microbiota in people with the disease.
Read the study here.