Research
A gut microbe shields mice from Parkinson's-like brain damage
The Brief
- A gut microbe was found to shield mice from Parkinson's-like brain damage, according to Medical Xpress.
- Many Parkinson's patients report constipation and other gut problems years or decades before tremors begin.
- This timing has led researchers to ask whether the illness sometimes starts in the intestine.
Why it matters
The finding supports the idea that Parkinson's may begin outside the brain, in the gut, which could point to new ways of studying or preventing the disease.
Who’s affected
- Parkinson's researchers and neuroscientists
- people studying the gut-brain axis and the gut microbiome
- #parkinsons
- #gut microbiome
- #gut-brain axis
- #neuroscience
- #mice
Parkinson's disease is usually thought of as a brain disease, but many patients notice gut trouble—constipation above all—years or even decades before their hands begin to tremble. That timing has led researchers to ask whether the illness sometimes begins in the intestine, and…