The Brain-Gut Axis in Parkinson's Disease Pathology - PubMed

7 hours ago

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by motor deficits from dopaminergic neuron loss in the Substantia Nigra pars compacta, alongside non-motor symptoms like hyposmia, sleep disorders, and gastrointestinal dysfunction.
Evidence suggests PD pathology may originate in the gastrointestinal tract in a 'body-first' subtype, spreading to the brain via the vagus nerve, or arise from 'brain-first' mechanisms, indicating bidirectional brain-gut interactions.
Environmental factors such as pesticides and heavy metals may initiate PD pathology, promoting α-synuclein misfolding and Lewy Body formation, while oxidative stress and glial activation in the enteric nervous system and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus can occur early and drive retrograde spread to the brain.
The review highlights the progression of PD pathology across the brain-gut axis, emphasizing the roles of oxidative stress and glial activation in neuronal loss, and underscores the importance of early therapeutic interventions targeting these mechanisms.

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