Bacteria in the Gut May Be the Main Cause of Parkinson’s Syndrome

Researchers from the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland conducted an investigation. about Parkinson’s and They found that degenerative disease can also be caused by a common bacteria found in the gut.. The article points out that the microbe resides in moist environments and may be the response to the development of the condition.

The research, published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, explains that certain strains of the Desulfovibrio (DSV) bacterium may be the main cause of the development of Parkinson’s syndrome. The discovery is not unprecedented, as another previous study by the same team was concerned with the development of the condition and the increase in Desulfovibrio strains in participants’ faeces – the new study builds on the conclusion of this paper published in 2021. .

In an official statement from the University of Helsinki, Researchers claim that only 10% of Parkinson’s cases are due to genetic causes. So the discovery suggests that most people with Parkinson’s develop this condition because of strains of bacteria.

DSV strains can be found in soil, water, and even common foods. So we get the microbe daily, but In a normal situation, they do not grow too much or affect our health.. For this reason, researchers are also investigating foods that help inhibit the increase of Desulfovibrio in the gut – recommending a vegetarian diet with plenty of fiber.

Desulfovibrio and Parkinson’s syndrome

“Our findings make it possible to trace carriers of this harmful bacterium Desulfovibrio. As a result, they could be targeted for measures to remove these strains from the gut, potentially relieving and delaying the symptoms of patients with Parkinson’s disease,” says one of the researchers. Per Saris, professor of study and microbiology at the University of Helsinki.

According to Saris, many patients with Parkinson’s had constipation for a few months before they noticed the first symptoms of the disease. He believes that the common cold is caused by bacterial strains, and that perhaps this is a ‘warning light’ about the onset of Parkinson’s disease.

If the study is correct, the findings could help identify people with high levels of VSD bacteria, thereby determining a patient’s risk of developing the disease in the next 10 to 20 years. The team also believes the discovery will help devise methods to eliminate the bacteria and prevent the condition from developing..

Although previous work detected the presence of abundant VSD in the stool of Parkinson’s patients, especially in the most severe cases, scientists had yet to investigate how the bacterium was responsible for the development of the disease. The results show that the bacterium causes the growth of a neuronal protein called alpha-synuclein; Protein is considered the hallmark of the disease.