Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 21, 2024; 30(3): 225-237
Published online Jan 21, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i3.225
Relationship among Parkinson’s disease, constipation, microbes, and microbiological therapy
Xin-Yang Yuan, Yu-Sen Chen, Zhou Liu
Xin-Yang Yuan, Yu-Sen Chen, Zhou Liu, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong Province, China
Xin-Yang Yuan, Yu-Sen Chen, Zhou Liu, Institute of Neurology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Liu Z and Chen YS conceived the conception and contributed to literature search and drafting; Yuan XY prepared the manuscript; Liu Z contributed to the revision of the manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by the Science and Technology Planning Project of Zhanjiang, No. 2021A05071.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Zhou Liu, MD, Deputy Chief Physician, Deputy Director, Institute of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, No. 57 People’s Avenue South, Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong Province, China. liuzhou@gdmu.edu.cn
Received: September 11, 2023
Peer-review started: September 11, 2023
First decision: November 3, 2023
Revised: November 16, 2023
Accepted: December 26, 2023
Article in press: December 26, 2023
Published online: January 21, 2024
Abstract

This comprehensive review elucidates the complex interplay between gut microbiota and constipation in Parkinson’s disease (PD), a prevalent non-motor symptom contributing significantly to patients’ morbidity. A marked alteration in the gut microbiota, predominantly an increase in the abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, is observed in PD-related constipation. Conventional treatments, although safe, have failed to effectively alleviate symptoms, thereby necessitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Microbiological interventions such as prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) hold therapeutic potential. While prebiotics improve bowel movements, probiotics are effective in enhancing stool consistency and alleviating abdominal discomfort. FMT shows potential for significantly alleviating constipation symptoms by restoring gut microbiota balance in patients with PD. Despite promising developments, the causal relationship between changes in gut microbiota and PD-related constipation remains elusive, highlighting the need for further research in this expanding field.

Keywords: Parkinson disease, Constipation, Gut microbiota, Prebiotics, Probiotics, Fecal microbiota transplantation

Core Tip: This comprehensive review explores the intricate relationship between gut microbiota and constipation, a prevalent non-motor symptom observed in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Notably, we discuss the significant alterations in gut microbiota, particularly the increase in the abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, associated with PD-related constipation. Although currently available treatments are safe, their effectiveness in providing symptom relief remains suboptimal, necessitating the development of innovative therapeutic approaches. This review delves into the potential of therapies based on microbiological interventions such as prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation, in alleviating these symptoms.