Highlights
- •The study confirms an association between Parkinson's disease and changes in gastrointestinal microbiota.
- •Fecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA) are reduced in Parkinson's disease.
- •The reduction in SCFA is consistent with the altered gut microbiota composition.
- •The reduction in SCFA might contribute to gastrointestinal dysmotility in Parkinson's disease.
Abstract
Background
Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) frequently have gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g.
constipation) and exhibit the PD-typical pathohistology in the enteric nervous system
(ENS). Both, clinical symptoms and pathohistological changes in the ENS occur at early
stages and can precede the motor manifestations of PD. Two recent studies reported
an association between changes in gut microbiota composition and PD. We hypothesized
that alterations in gut microbiota might be accompanied by altered concentrations
of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), one main metabolic product of gut bacteria.
Methods
We quantitatively analyzed SCFA concentrations (using gas chromatography) and microbiota
composition (using quantitative PCR) in fecal samples of 34 PD patients and 34 age-matched
controls.
Results
Fecal SCFA concentrations were significantly reduced in PD patients compared to controls.
The bacterial phylum Bacteroidetes and the bacterial family Prevotellaceae were reduced, Enterobacteriaceae were more abundant in fecal samples from PD patients compared to matched controls.
Conclusions
Our study confirms the recently reported association between PD and the abundance
of certain gut microbiota and shows a reduction in fecal SCFA concentrations (one
main metabolic product of certain gut bacteria). The reduction in SCFA might, theoretically,
induce alterations in the ENS and contribute to gastrointestinal dysmotility in PD.
Prospective longitudinal studies in subjects at risk for PD are required to further
elucidate the causal role of gut microbiota and microbial products in the development
of PD and PD-associated dysmotility.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 27, 2016
Accepted:
August 25,
2016
Received in revised form:
August 11,
2016
Received:
April 6,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
