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Gut microbiota in dementia with Lewy bodies

Hiroshi Nishiwaki1, Jun Ueyama2, Kenichi Kashihara3,4

  • 1Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.

NPJ Parkinson'S Disease
|December 9, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Gut microbiota alterations, including increased Ruminococcus torques and Collinsella, distinguish dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) from Parkinson

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Microbiology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • α-synucleinopathies encompass Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD).
  • Gut microbiota and fecal bile acids are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, but their specific roles in DLB remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in gut microbiota and fecal bile acid profiles between DLB, PD, and iRBD patients.
  • To identify microbial and metabolic biomarkers predictive of DLB.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of gut microbiota composition and fecal bile acids in 278 patients (28 DLB, 224 PD, 26 iRBD).
  • Utilized random forest models to differentiate DLB from PD based on microbial signatures.

Main Results:

  • DLB patients showed decreased short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, similar to PD.
  • Ruminococcus torques and Collinsella were elevated in DLB but not PD, potentially increasing intestinal permeability.
  • Low Bifidobacterium and high Ruminococcus torques/Collinsella predicted DLB.
  • Elevated fecal ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) production was observed in DLB.

Conclusions:

  • Specific gut bacteria (Ruminococcus torques, Collinsella) and bile acid profiles (UDCA) are associated with DLB.
  • These microbial and metabolic changes may contribute to DLB pathogenesis, potentially through altered intestinal permeability and neuroinflammation.
  • Therapeutic strategies targeting Bifidobacterium may offer a way to slow DLB progression.

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