Research reveals a complicated link between gut bacteria and brain health.
A study conducted by Rutgers Health discovered that individuals who underwent several treatments with penicillin antibiotics exhibited a slightly reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. This unexpected result underscores the intricate connection between microorganisms in the digestive system and brain health.
The research, published in Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, assessed the medical histories of over 93,000 individuals in the UK. It showed that those who had five or more courses of penicillin antibiotics in the five years leading up to their diagnosis had around a 15% lower risk of Parkinson’s disease compared to those who did not take any antibiotics.
“We observed a reverse dose-response relationship between the number of penicillin treatments and the risk of Parkinson’s disease over various timeframes,” explained Gian Pal, a neurologist at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the main author of the study. “This finding was not what we were expecting and is different from several earlier studies.”
The results contribute to the growing body of evidence suggesting that the vast number of microorganisms in the human gut could influence Parkinson’s disease, which is a progressive neurological disorder affecting mobility and balance. Some researchers theorize that inflammation or toxins from specific gut bacteria might play a role in the disease’s onset.
“There is a theory that Parkinson’s may begin in the gut, and that gut inflammation could make the gut more permeable, allowing toxins or inflammation to travel to the brain via the vagus nerve,” Pal noted.
To explore potential connections between gut bacteria and Parkinson’s disease, the researchers analyzed anonymized medical data from a large database in the UK. They compared 12,557 Parkinson’s diagnoses with records from 80,804 similar individuals who did not have the disease.
Aside from the lowered risk linked to penicillin, the study indicated that individuals who received two or more courses of antifungal treatments before diagnosis had about a 16% increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, which aligns with findings from a previous Finnish research.
However, Pal emphasized that these correlations were relatively minor and should not alter medical practices.
“The figures are quite low, so they should not change when doctors decide to prescribe antibiotics or antifungals,” he mentioned. “The key takeaway from this study is that it suggests some changes in the gut microbiome may affect the risk of Parkinson’s disease.”
The study encountered limitations, such as not being able to factor in other behaviors influencing gut bacteria, like dietary habits.
Nonetheless, Pal emphasized that the findings warrant further research into how gut microbes could potentially impact the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
“The fact that a medication taken for only a few days could slightly alter your microbiome and your risk of developing Parkinson’s is compelling. It strengthens the case for the involvement of the microbiome,” he stated.
More than 10 million individuals worldwide are affected by Parkinson’s disease, with increasing cases anticipated as the population ages. Although its precise causes remain uncertain, researchers believe a mix of genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of the disease. Typically, it is diagnosed based on visible symptoms, as no specific laboratory test exists.
Pal indicated that future research following this study will focus on whether specific types of fungi or bacteria in the gut are related to the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
“Gaining a better understanding of the antifungal makeup in the gut — an area that hasn’t been thoroughly studied — and assessing whether this could help differentiate between Parkinson’s patients and those without the condition would be important,” he remarked.
Researchers also plan to explore if modifying certain gut microbial levels could ultimately lower Parkinson’s risk or alter the disease’s progression in individuals already diagnosed.
