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Early-Onset Parkinson's Disease With Multiple Positive Intraoperative Spinal Tissue Cultures for Cutibacterium acnes
Mervat Mourad1, Tija M Passley2, John M Purcell2
1Clinical Specialties, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, USA.
Abstract:
An estimated 95-97% of Parkinson's disease (PD) cases are idiopathic, emphasizing the absence of a clear etiologic linkage for this debilitating, neurodegenerative, and progressive motor disease. Increasing evidence suggests a peripheral disease origin and the gradual transition of a pathological process along the gut-brain axis and olfactory routes into the brain. This disease pattern is reminiscent of an infectious process and suggests the presence of one or multiple infectious agents, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or prion-like proteins. This unusual paradigm, known as Braak's hypothesis, was first described by the scientist who developed the staging standard for cellular PD pathology and. Here, we describe a case where the small, anaerobic, Gram-positive Cutibacterium acnes was recurrently isolated from intraoperative spinal tissues in a patient with early-onset PD. C. acnes is also the bacterium that we previously isolated from cadaveric PD brain tissue. Both observations are consistent with Braak's hypothesis underscoring the importance of homeostasis and maintained immune-competence for healthy aging of the body and mind.
Insights
Parkinson's disease may stem from infections, as suggested by finding Cutibacterium acnes in spinal tissue of an early-onset patient. This supports the theory of gut-brain axis involvement in Parkinson's disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Microbiology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- Most Parkinson's disease (PD) cases lack a clear cause, suggesting unknown etiologies.
- Emerging evidence points to peripheral origins, with pathology potentially spreading to the brain via the gut-brain axis or olfactory pathways.
- This pattern aligns with infectious processes, implicating potential infectious agents.
Observation:
- Braak's hypothesis proposes a staged progression of PD pathology originating in the periphery.
- Cutibacterium acnes, a bacterium, was repeatedly isolated from intraoperative spinal tissues of an early-onset PD patient.
- The same bacterium was previously identified in post-mortem PD brain tissue.
Findings:
- The recurrent isolation of Cutibacterium acnes from both spinal and brain tissues in PD patients provides novel evidence.
- These findings support the proposed infectious etiology of Parkinson's disease.
Implications:
- The study underscores the importance of maintaining homeostasis and immune competence for healthy aging.
- It highlights the potential role of specific pathogens, like Cutibacterium acnes, in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
- Further research into infectious agents and the gut-brain axis may reveal new therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease.
