Can Parkinson’s Disease Start in the Gut? A New Way of Thinking
For a long time, Parkinson’s treatment has focused on the brain. Medicines like levodopa target specific brain chemicals to help with tremors, stiffness, and slowness. However, none of the current treatments have been successful at slowing or halting the progression of the disease.
Now, researchers are looking somewhere surprising: the gut.
New studies suggest that, in some people, Parkinson’s may actually begin in the digestive system years before any shaking or stiffness shows up. What exactly have they found?
There is a sticky protein called alpha-synuclein that builds up in the brains of people with Parkinson’s. This protein has also been found in the gut. Research suggests that the protein may travel up to the brain along the vagus nerve.
Translation: Parkinson’s could actually begin in the body rather than the brain.
This matters because if we can catch it early – maybe even in the gut – we might be able to slow or stop it before it causes too much damage.
Understanding Gut Changes That May Lead to Parkinson’s
What could be causing these changes in the gut?
Two things stand out:
- Gut bacteria. The gut is full of bacteria, some good and some bad. People with Parkinson’s seem to have fewer good bacteria that help protect the gut and brain. This imbalance is called gut dysbiosis, and it may play a role in Parkinson’s.
- Gut sensing cells. Special cells in the gut that help detect food and send signals to the brain might also be involved. These cells also carry alpha-synuclein and may play a role in how the disease begins.
Because of this, researchers are testing new treatments that target the gut, including:
- Probiotics and diets like the Mediterranean diet, which may improve gut health
- Fecal transplants (yes, really!) to replace bad gut bacteria with healthy ones
- Diabetes drugs (like exenatide), which may help protect brain cells
This is a very hopeful time. We don’t have a cure yet, but the idea that Parkinson’s might begin in the gut opens exciting new paths for treatment. If we can protect the gut, we might also be protecting the brain.
