Author: Ieshita Pan1, Praveen Kumar Issac2, Md Mostafizur Rahman3, Ajay Guru4, Jesu Arockiaraj5
Affiliation:
1 Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Integrative Physiology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 602105, India. ieshitapan.sse@saveetha.com.
2 Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Integrative Physiology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 602105, India.
3 Laboratory of Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh.
4 Department of Cariology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India. ajayguru.sdc@saveetha.com.
5 Toxicology and Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India. jesuaroa@srmist.edu.in.
Conference/Journal: Mol Neurobiol
Date published: 2023 Oct 18
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1007/s12035-023-03691-3. , Word Count: 324
Parkinson's disease is a chronic neuropathy characterised by the formation of Lewy bodies (misfolded alpha-synuclein) in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra and other parts of the brain. Dopaminergic neurons play a vital role in generating both motor and non-motor symptoms. Finding therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease (PD) is hindered due to an incomplete understanding of the disease's pathophysiology. Existing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota participates in the pathogenesis of PD via immunological, neuroendocrine, and direct neural mechanisms. Gut microbial dysbiosis triggers the loss of dopaminergic neurons via mitochondrial dysfunction. Gut dysbiosis triggers bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, which increases the permeability barrier and induces systemic inflammation. It results in excessive stimulation of the innate immune system. In addition to that, activation of enteric neurons and enteric glial cells initiates the aggregation of alpha-synuclein. This alpha-synucleinopathy thus affects all levels of the brain-gut axis, including the central, autonomic, and enteric nervous systems. Though the neurobiological signaling cascade between the gut microbiome and the central nervous system is poorly understood, gut microbial metabolites may serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for PD. This article summarises all the known possible ways of bidirectional signal communication, i.e., the "gut-brain axis," where microbes from the middle gut interact with the brain and vice versa, and highlights a unique way to treat neurodegenerative diseases by maintaining homeostasis. The tenth cranial nerve (vagus nerve) plays a significant part in this signal communication. However, the leading regulatory factor for this axis is a diet that helps with microbial colonisation and brain function. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), derived from microbially fermented dietary fibres, link host nutrition to maintain intestinal homeostasis. In addition to that, probiotics modulate cognitive function and the metabolic and behavioural conditions of the body. As technology advances, new techniques will emerge to study the tie-up between gut microbes and neuronal diseases.
Keywords: Faecal microbial transplantation; Gut dysbiosis; Neurodegenerative disease; Probiotics.
PMID: 37851313 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03691-3