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Heterogeneity in the association between gut microbiota and insomnia moderated by Parkinson's disease status

Sheng-Hsuan Lin1,2,3,4, Ru-Jen Lin5, Ruey-Yi Chang3

  • 1Institute of Statistics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
|May 21, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Insomnia in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients shows unique gut microbiome differences compared to those without PD. These findings highlight the importance of considering disease context for microbiome-sleep research.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Neuroscience
  • Sleep science

Background:

  • Parkinson's disease (PD) frequently co-occurs with insomnia.
  • Emerging evidence suggests a potential role for the gut microbiome in this relationship.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in gut microbiome composition associated with insomnia in PD patients versus non-PD individuals.

Main Methods:

  • 16S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze gut microbiome profiles in 310 participants (185 PD patients, 125 controls).
  • Analyses included alpha and beta diversity, differential abundance, and functional prediction (PICRUSt2).
  • Statistical adjustments were made for relevant confounders.

Main Results:

  • Insomnia was associated with higher alpha diversity in non-PD individuals but lower alpha diversity in PD patients.
  • Distinct insomnia-associated bacterial genera were identified, with differing risk-modulating taxa between groups.
  • Functional pathway analysis revealed unique enriched pathways in controls (six) versus PD patients (two).

Conclusions:

  • Insomnia in PD patients is linked to a distinct gut microbiome profile compared to non-PD individuals.
  • Disease context is crucial when examining microbiome-sleep associations.
  • Findings may guide future research into microbiome-based interventions for sleep disturbances in PD.
Keywords:
Parkinson’s diseasealpha and beta diversitygut microbiomegut-brain axisinsomnia

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