A groundbreaking clinical study conducted by researchers at Ghent University Hospital in Belgium has shown the potential of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to improve symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD is a neurogenerative and incurable disorder that affects about 10 million people worldwide, with its motoric symptoms including balance problems and tremors. The study, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, revealed that the actively treated group showed more improvement in motor symptoms after 12 months compared to the placebo group. The researchers believe that FMT, which involves transplanting healthy gut bacteria from a donor into the patient, could be a valuable new treatment for this debilitating disorder.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by protein clumps that damage dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain. The researchers found that these clumps are believed to form in the gut wall in the early stages of the disease. Gut bacteria can influence this process, and PD patients often have an altered gut microbiome compared to healthy individuals. The study involved participants with early-stage PD who received healthy donor stool transplants through a tube inserted into their small intestine. The results showed a significant improvement in motor symptoms, with the improvement becoming more pronounced between the sixth and twelfth month after the transplant. Further research is needed to determine if this treatment also slows the progression of the disease.
