In an animal study, Finnish researchers have identified a specific strain of bacteria in the intestine that could be the cause of Parkinson's disease.
Helsinki – More than 10 million people worldwide suffer from the disease, which often announces itself years in advance: with early warning signs that indicate Parkinson's disease at an early stage. The main cause of the disease, for which there is currently no cure, is still unknown to researchers. Researchers at the University of Helsinki have now made a discovery that could be groundbreaking: they have identified a certain strain of bacteria in the intestine in animal experiments that could be the cause of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's research: According to the study, intestinal bacteria should trigger the disease
Parkinson's disease can cause dementia, depression and difficulty speaking and eating, typical symptoms are motor disorders. There is currently no cure for the disease, which affects up to 400,000 people in Germany alone, according to the German Parkinson's Society (dpg).
Researchers still don't know the direct cause of Parkinson's, but most experts believe it's triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It is also known that in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease, there are increased deposits of the protein alpha-synuclein, also known as "Parkinson's proteins", which are responsible for changing nerve cells in the brain, similar to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Found the cause of the disease? Researchers discover gut bacterium that could trigger Parkinson's disease
Now, as part of an animal study, scientists at the University of Helsinki have identified certain strains of the bacterium Desulfovibrio in the intestine that may be the cause of the accumulation of these "Parkinson's proteins". The researchers believe that the results of their study, which was first published on the Swiss science portal frontiers, can help doctors track down people who carry these particular bacteria and use them as targets for potential therapies.
What are Desulfovibrio bacteria?
- Anaerobic desulfovibrio bacteria are commonly found in soil, water, and animal feces.
- We all come into contact with them through food, through what we drink, and through the environment.
- Previous studies show a link between desulfovibrio bacteria and inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis.
Parkinson's research: Previous studies had provided evidence of intestinal bacterium
"The results of a previous study suggested that desulfovibrio bacteria may have something to do with the onset of the disease," explains microbiologist Professor Per Saris, who was involved in the study. According to Saris, researchers have suspected for years that a toxin or bacteria that produce toxins could be causing Parkinson's disease.
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The reason for this is that constipation often precedes the symptoms of the movement disorder – even 10 years before – when the brain is already damaged. "Therefore, it was only logical to investigate bacteria as the cause of alpha-synuclein clustering," the researcher adds. In addition to bacteria, various other factors can influence intestinal health and attack the intestinal flora.
Parkinson's research: Bacterium found in the intestines of patients
The investigators discovered Desulfovibrio bacteria in the stool samples of ten people suffering from Parkinson's disease. Subsequently, these samples were administered to worms to investigate which animals produced more alpha-synuclein proteins.
It turned out that the worms of Parkinson's patients had significantly higher amounts of these proteins. In addition, they also died earlier compared to the worms fed with stool samples from healthy people.
Researchers discuss new therapeutic approach for Parkinson's disease: Removal of harmful bacteria in the intestine
"The findings of the study could enable a new therapeutic approach for Parkinson's," the researchers emphasize. "Screening carriers of the Desulfovibrio strains and then removing the bacteria from the gut could help prevent Parkinson's disease." They went on to explain: "This could potentially alleviate the symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease and slow the progression of the disease."
The next step is to compare genetic information to identify genetic differences between the bacteria of people with and without Parkinson's disease.