Parkinson’s disease is a brain condition that affects how people move. Around 8 million people worldwide live with this disease. Common symptoms include shaking hands, stiff muscles, and problems with balance or walking.
For a long time, scientists didn’t know what caused Parkinson’s. But a new study offers a possible answer—certain bacteria in the gut might be part of the cause.
Our bodies are full of bacteria, especially in the gut. Most of these bacteria are helpful. They help us digest food, support our immune system, and can even affect our mood. But some bacteria can be harmful.
In 2021, a research group led by Professor Per Saris at the University of Helsinki in Finland found that people with Parkinson’s disease had more of a certain gut bacteria called Desulfovibrio. They also discovered that people who had more of these bacteria had worse symptoms. Another research team in China found similar results, which supports these findings.
Professor Saris explains that while some people may get Parkinson’s due to genes, that only explains about 10% of cases. The other 90% may be caused by environmental factors—like toxins or bacteria. He believes that harmful bacteria like Desulfovibrio may enter the body through food or other sources and then grow in the gut.
To test this idea, the researchers used tiny worms called Caenorhabditis elegans. These worms are often used in science labs to study diseases. Parkinson’s disease is linked to harmful clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These clumps damage brain cells and cause symptoms.
In the lab, the scientists gave the worms Desulfovibrio bacteria taken from people with Parkinson’s. The worms quickly developed large clumps of the harmful protein. Worms that were given bacteria from healthy people did not show the same damage.
This result suggests that Desulfovibrio bacteria may help trigger Parkinson’s disease. If that’s true, then removing these bacteria might help prevent or slow down the disease.
The idea is simple: if certain gut bacteria cause damage in the brain, then getting rid of them might stop the damage. Scientists still need to do more research, but it’s a hopeful step forward.
This study also shows how closely the gut and brain are connected. A healthy gut might be important for a healthy brain. Keeping the right balance of bacteria in the gut could help lower the risk of brain diseases like Parkinson’s.
These new findings may lead to better treatments in the future. They give hope that something as simple as changing our gut bacteria could one day help fight Parkinson’s disease.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet could help lower risk of Parkinson’s.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing Plant-based diets could protect cognitive health from air pollution.
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