Gut Microbes Predict Parkinson's Risk

Researchers at University College London, in collaboration with French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, have discovered that the makeup of gut microbes can indicate an elevated risk of Parkinson s disease years before symptoms appear. The study, published in Nature Medicine, found distinct gut microbiome patterns in people with Parkinson s disease and healthy individuals with the Glucocerebrosidase gene variant, which increases Parkinson's risk. Lead investigator Anthony Schapira and co-lead author Stanislav Dusko Ehrlich highlighted that these findings could lead to early detection tests and prevention strategies, including dietary modifications. The research was supported by the The Michael J. Fox Foundation and the United Kingdom — Medical Research Council, and its findings were corroborated with additional cohorts from the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Turkey.