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Updated: Jun 9, 2025
Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: September 22, 2023
Oral and gut microbiome profiles in people with early idiopathic Parkinson's disease
Keaton Stagaman1, Matthew J Kmiecik2, Madeleine Wetzel2
123andMe, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA. keatons@23andme.com.
Background:
Early detection of Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disease with central and peripheral nerve involvement, ensures timely treatment access. Microbes influence nervous system health and are altered in PD.
Methods:
We examined gut and mouth microbiomes from recently diagnosed patients in a geographically diverse, matched case-control, shotgun metagenomics study.
Results:
Here, we show greater alpha-diversity in 445 PD patients versus 221 controls. The microbial signature of PD includes overabundance of 16 OTUs, including Streptococcus mutans and Bifidobacterium dentium, and depletion of 28 OTUs. Machine learning models indicate that subspecies level oral microbiome abundances best distinguish PD with reasonably high accuracy (area under the curve: 0.758). Microbial networks are disrupted in cases, with reduced connectivity between short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria the the gut. Importantly, microbiome diversity metrics are associated with non-motor autonomic symptom severity.
Conclusions:
Our results provide evidence that predictive oral PD microbiome signatures could possibly be used as biomarkers for the early detection of PD, particularly when there is peripheral nervous system involvement.
Insights
Early detection of Parkinson's disease (PD) may be possible using oral microbiome signatures. This study found distinct microbial differences in the mouths of PD patients, suggesting potential for early diagnostic biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Neurodegenerative disease investigation
- Biomarker discovery
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems.
- Early detection of PD is crucial for timely treatment initiation.
- Gut and oral microbiomes are implicated in nervous system health and are altered in PD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in gut and oral microbiomes between recently diagnosed Parkinson's disease patients and healthy controls.
- To identify microbial signatures associated with early-stage PD.
- To explore the potential of these signatures as diagnostic biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a geographically diverse, matched case-control study.
- Utilized shotgun metagenomics to analyze gut and mouth microbiomes.
- Employed machine learning models to identify predictive microbial features.
Main Results:
- Observed greater alpha-diversity in PD patients compared to controls.
- Identified specific oral bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus mutans, Bifidobacterium dentium) overabundant in PD.
- Machine learning models accurately distinguished PD based on oral microbiome subspecies (AUC: 0.758).
- Disrupted microbial networks and reduced short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria were noted in the gut.
- Microbiome diversity correlated with non-motor autonomic symptom severity.
Conclusions:
- Predictive oral microbiome signatures show promise as biomarkers for early Parkinson's disease detection.
- These biomarkers may be particularly relevant for PD with peripheral nervous system involvement.
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