Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 7, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease
03:20

Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease

Published on: September 22, 2023

1.5K

Gut Microbial Metabolites and Future Risk of Parkinson's Disease: A Metabolome-Wide Association Study

Yujia Zhao1, Yunjia Lai2, Sirwan K L Darweesh3

  • 1Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society
|November 12, 2024
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Pre-diagnostic plasma microbial metabolites may indicate Parkinson's disease (PD) risk. This study found associations between microbial pathways and PD, particularly in men, smokers, and overweight individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Neurodegenerative disease
  • Metabolomics

Background:

  • Gut microbiota alterations are linked to Parkinson's disease (PD).
  • Previous studies were limited by small sample sizes and post-diagnosis analysis, raising causality concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively investigate the link between plasma microbial metabolites and PD risk.
  • To establish a metabolomics framework for pre-diagnostic PD research.

Main Methods:

  • Nested case-control study within the EPIC4PD cohort.
  • Untargeted metabolomics to measure pre-diagnostic plasma microbial metabolites.

Main Results:

  • Thirteen microbial metabolites showed nominal association with PD risk (P < 0.05), including amino acids, bile acids, indoles, and hydroxy acids.
  • Three pathways implicated: valine/leucine/isoleucine degradation, butanoate, and propanoate metabolism.
  • Associations were stronger in men, smokers, and overweight/obese individuals.

Conclusions:

  • Plasma microbial metabolite changes may precede PD diagnosis.
  • Biologically plausible links between microbial pathways and PD risk were identified.
  • Individual characteristics may influence these associations.
Keywords:
gut‐brain axis; microbial metabolites; Parkinson's disease; pre‐diagnostic biosamples; untargeted metabolomics

More Related Videos

Gene-environment Interaction Models to Unmask Susceptibility Mechanisms in Parkinson's Disease08:09

Gene-environment Interaction Models to Unmask Susceptibility Mechanisms in Parkinson's Disease

Published on: January 7, 2014

7.5K
Intracerebroventricular Delivery of Gut-Derived Microbial Metabolites in Freely Moving Mice07:49

Intracerebroventricular Delivery of Gut-Derived Microbial Metabolites in Freely Moving Mice

Published on: June 2, 2022

3.1K

Related Concept Videos

Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS01:11

Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS

Genome-wide association studies or GWAS are used to identify whether common SNPs are associated with certain diseases. Suppose specific SNPs are more frequently observed in individuals with a particular disease than those without the disease. In that case, those SNPs are said to be associated with the disease. Chi-square analysis is performed to check the probability of the allele likely to be associated with the disease.
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
12.5K
Parkinson's Disease: Overview01:15

Parkinson's Disease: Overview

Neurodegenerative disorders are progressive diseases that cause irreversible damage and loss to neurons in specific brain areas. Examples of these disorders include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These disorders share characteristics such as proteinopathies, selective neuronal vulnerability, and a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The primary therapeutic goal for these conditions is...
482
Parkinson's Disease: Treatment01:24

Parkinson's Disease: Treatment

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), involve the gradual and irreversible destruction of neurons in particular brain areas. These disorders exhibit standard features like proteinopathies, selective vulnerability of some neurons, and an interaction of intrinsic properties, genetics, and environmental influences in neural injury.
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of...
222
Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
39.1K