Interplay of alpha-synuclein pathology and gut microbiome in Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by several motor and nonmotor symptoms. Lewy body inclusions containing aggregates of a presynaptic protein α-synuclein (αSyn) inside the central nervous system hallmarks PD pathophysiology. Multiple other sites in the peripheral nervous system and the enteric nervous system have shown to be infested by αSyn pathological aggregates. Emerging studies have found correlations of the microbiota-gut-brain axis and αSyn pathology in PD as a critical determinant for the onset of nonmotor symptoms, including gastrointestinal dysfunction, autonomic dysregulation, psychosis, sleep disturbances, and mood disorders. In the present chapter, we provide a comprehensive review on the role of the microbiome and its intertwined relationships with αSyn pathology that might play crucial role(s) in the initiation and progression of PD. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.