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Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease
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Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease
Casper Skjærbæk1, Karoline Knudsen1, Jacob Horsager1
1Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 165, J220, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|February 12, 2021
Summary
Parkinson's disease (PD) involves aggregated alpha-synuclein in the gut, causing non-motor symptoms years before diagnosis. Objective measures are crucial for understanding gastrointestinal dysfunction in PD patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Pathology
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second leading neurodegenerative disorder.
- Pathological alpha-synuclein aggregates in PD affect both the brain and the entire digestive tract.
- Gastrointestinal issues like dysphagia and constipation are common non-motor symptoms in PD patients, often preceding clinical diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the types and prevalence of subjective gastrointestinal symptoms in Parkinson's disease.
- To outline the objective gastrointestinal dysfunction observed in Parkinson's disease.
- To discuss the potential role of the gastrointestinal tract in the etiopathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on gastrointestinal symptoms and dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.
- Analysis of subjective patient-reported symptoms via questionnaires.
- Evaluation of objective measures of gastrointestinal function.
Main Results:
- Gastrointestinal pathology, including alpha-synuclein deposition, is prevalent in Parkinson's disease patients.
- Subjective gastrointestinal symptoms often do not correlate well with objective measures of dysfunction.
- Questionnaires may underestimate the severity of gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.
Conclusions:
- The gastrointestinal tract plays a significant role in Parkinson's disease, potentially initiating the disease process.
- Objective assessment of gastrointestinal function is essential for accurate evaluation in Parkinson's disease research.
- Further investigation into gut-brain axis in Parkinson's disease is warranted.
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