IBS May Be An Early Warning Sign Of This Brain Disorder, Research Suggests

Before we dive into these findings, let’s cover the current state of Parkinson's research, preceding this study.

The most common suspected cause of Parkinson’s disease is a pathological pattern of Lewy body (LB) protein deposition. These depositions, researchers say, mainly consist of misfolded α-synuclein—a presynaptic neuronal protein that is linked genetically and neuropathologically to Parkinson's disease1. 

Interestingly, the misfolded α-synuclein has not only been found in the central nervous system but also in the vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system (ENS)—the latter located within the walls of the GI tract, 2extending from the esophagus to the anal canal, in people with Parkinson’s disease.

The new study, published in BMJ Journals set out to explore the possibility of Parkinson’s disease originating in the gut, based on the fact that misfolded proteins have been found in the GI tract and esophagus.

In order to study this, researchers looked for Parkinson's patients who had digestive symptoms before being diagnosed with the brain disorder.

The researchers analyzed a combination of case-control studies of 24,624 Parkinson's patients and a cohort study utilizing a US-based nationwide medical record network. They looked for a broad range of both GI symptoms and GI diagnoses that appeared before Parkinson’s diagnoses.

Researchers found that some (though not all) gut issues were linked with Parkinson's onset. Specifically, they found that dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), gastroparesis (a condition that slows or stops the movement of food from your stomach to your small intestine), constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome without diarrhea were associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. 

The study also found that appendectomies seemed to somewhat protect from Parkinson’s risk, leading to further speculation about its role in Parkinson's pathophysiology.

What’s more, these GI symptoms and diagnoses had an even stronger correlation with Parkinson’s disease than other neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular diseases (conditions that affect blood flow and the blood vessels in the brain). 

The significance of this study lies in the potential of using GI symptoms to investigate Parkinson’s sooner, which may lead to a more successful management plan.

There are hopes for “disease-modifying therapies,” researchers state, that could prevent the progression of α-synuclein pathology. While there are no current treatments known to slow or halt the progression of Parkinson’s disease, there are active trials for tests that may be able to detect Parkinson’s disease before symptoms begin.

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