Among pairs of genetically identical twins, one with Parkinson’s disease and the other twin without it, minimal variation is evident in the makeup of bacteria living in the digestive tract, according to a new study. This finding highlights the role of person-to-person variability in influencing the gut microbiome, which researchers…

All through 2021, Parkinson’s News Today brought you coverage of cutting-edge science and developments in treatment related to Parkinson’s disease. Here are the top 10 most-read Parkinson’s news stories of the year. We look forward to continuing to cover news for the Parkinson’s community in 2022. No. 10 – “…

The active agent in Solace PS128, a probiotic sold by Oryx Biomedical, eased disease symptoms and improved life quality in 25 people with Parkinson’s disease given the supplement in a small, open-label clinical trial. “Solace PS128 is the result of more than 20 years of scientific research,” David…

Opportunistic pathogens — microorganisms that live in us all,  but under specific circumstances can cause diseases like pneumonia — are more abundant in the mouths of people with Parkinson’s disease than healthy individuals, a study reported. This finding suggests that changes in oral bacteria in patients are related to disease…

Probiotic supplements could prove a useful add-on therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease, a recent study suggests. The study, “Influence of probiotic bacteria on gut microbiota composition and gut wall function in an in-vitro model in patients with Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the International Journal…

People with Parkinson’s disease have substantial changes in the bacteria living in their gut relative to people without this neurodegenerative disorder, an analysis underscores. “This dysbiosis [microbial imbalance] might result in a pro-inflammatory status which could be linked to the recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms affecting PD [Parkinson’s disease] patients,” its…

Alterations in gut microorganisms found in the appendix of people with Parkinson’s disease were associated with elevated digestive bile acids that may play a role in disease development, a study has revealed. The discovery suggests targeting microbial-derived bile acids as a…

MIT Lincoln Laboratory researchers are developing an artificial gut to study how the human microbiome — the trillions of microorganisms and their genetic material that live within our body, and are as unique to a person as fingerprints — influences the onset and progression of diseases linked to changes…

Bacterial infections in the intestines may trigger Parkinson’s progression by altering the immune system and damaging dopaminergic neurons, according to an early study supporting a “gut-brain” connection in this disease. The findings, “Intestinal infection triggers Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms in Pink1−/− mice,” were published as a letter in…

A saliva test to detect oral microbes may offer an accurate way of detecting Parkinson’s in its early stages and further understanding of the disease, a study reports. The findings, “The oral microbiome of early stage Parkinson’s disease and its relationship with functional measures of motor and non-motor function,”…