Parkinson's Disease and the microbiome - mice experiment
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, affecting approximately 1 million people or 1% of the U.S. population over the age of 60. It is marked by the gradual and progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Notably, intestinal inflammation and gastrointestinal abnormalities often precede the diagnosis by several years. PD is also characterized by the formation of Lewy bodies, whose primary structural component is a-synuclein (a-Syn). These a-Syn aggregates have been found in the gut of PD patients, suggesting a link between the gut microbiota and PD development. In this study, we explored the role of functional biomes, including the microbiome and mycobiome, in the manifestation of PD.