Gut bacterial profiles in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#humans #animals #mice #parkinson-disease #gastrointestinal-microbiome

Gut bacterial profiles in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review

Li et al., 2023 | CNS Neurosci Ther | Systematic Review

Citation

Li Zhe, Liang Hongfeng, ... Xu Pingyi. Gut bacterial profiles in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2023-Jan;29(1):140-157. doi:10.1111/cns.13990

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Recent advances have highlighted the relationships between gut dysbiosis and Parkinson's disease (PD). Microbiota transplantation from PD patients to mice can induce increased alpha-synuclein-mediated motor deficits. Human studies have identified differences in the gut microbiota of PD patients compared to healthy controls. We undertook a systematic review to evaluate the available evidence for the involvement of gut bacteria in the etiology of PD. METHODS: The PubMed databank, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databank, and Wanfang Data were searched from inception until June 2021 to identify human case-control studies that investigated relationships between PD and microbiota quantified from feces. We evaluated the resulting studies focusing on bacterial taxa that were different between PD patients and healthy controls. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were found in which 53 microbial families and 98 genera exhibited differences between patients with PD and healthy controls. The genera identified by more than two studies as increased in PD were Bifidobacterium, Alistipes, Christensenella, Enterococcus, Oscillospira, Bilophila, Desulfovibrio, Escherichia/Shigella, and Akkermansia, while Prevotella, Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Fusicatenibacter, and Haemophilus had three or more reports of being lower in PD patients. More than one report demonstrated that Bacteroides, Odoribacter, Parabacteroides, Butyricicoccus, Butyrivibrio, Clostridium, Coprococcus, Lachnospira, Lactobacillus, Megasphaera, Phascolarctobacterium, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, Streptococcus, and Klebsiella were altered in both directions. CONCLUSION: Our review shows that the involvement of the gut microbiome in the etiology of PD may involve alterations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacteria and an increase in putative gut pathobionts. SCFAs-producing bacteria may vary above or below an "optimal range," causing imbalances. Considering that Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Akkermansia are beneficial for human health, increased Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the PD gut microbiome may be associated with PD medications, especially COMT inhibitors, while a high level of Akkermansia may be associated with aging.

Key Findings

Twenty-six studies were found in which 53 microbial families and 98 genera exhibited differences between patients with PD and healthy controls. The genera identified by more than two studies as increased in PD were Bifidobacterium, Alistipes, Christensenella, Enterococcus, Oscillospira, Bilophila, Desulfovibrio, Escherichia/Shigella, and Akkermansia, while Prevotella, Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Fusicatenibacter, and Haemophilus had three or more reports of being lower in PD patients. More than o

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population pd and healthy controls
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Animals
  • Mice
  • Parkinson Disease
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome
  • Bacteria
  • Feces
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Systematic Review, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Vertical: probiotics

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09