Objective: To identify predictive markers of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the gut microbiota composition of subjects at risk for developing PD due to a positive family history and prodromal symptomatology.

Background: PD is characterized by prodromal symptomatology preceding the motor symptoms by years. Gastrointestinal manifestations, in particular obstipation, are known predictors of PD.¹ Recently, three independent studies indicate the gut microbiota composition of PD patients to significantly differ from healthy age-matched controls.² Here, we have identified a cohort at risk for developing PD, to investigate the predictive potential of gut microbiota changes in prodromal PD.

Methods: We have reviewed the medical records of treated PD patients at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and have identified >200  cases with a recorded family history of Parkinson. This cohort will be reviewed for prodromal symptomatology as defined by the MDS research criteria for prodromal PD. Exclusion criteria will be third degree relatives, absence of prodromal symptomatology, progression to clinical Parkinsonism and/or gastrointestinal confounders known to influence gut microbiota composition. Eligible candidates will be requested to fill out a questionnaire concerning gastrointestinal confounders and collect a stool sample using a standardized stool sample collection kit prefilled with stool DNA stabilizer. In addition, subjects will be invited to visit the UMCG for clinical assessment of both motor and non-motor symptomatology associated with PD. Stool samples will be analyzed using the 16S ribosomal RNA gene for taxonomic classification of gut microbiota composition.

Results: Currently, patient records with a recorded family history of PD are being reviewed for eligible candidates who are first or second degree relatives of PD patients and have prodromal symptomatology without known gastrointestinal disease.

Conclusions: Baseline characteristics of this study cohort will be presented as well as data from stool sample analyses and clinical assessments.

References: 1.         Postuma RB, Gagnon J-F, Pelletier A, Montplaisir J. Prodromal autonomic symptoms and signs in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Mov Disord. 2013 May;28(5):597–604.

2.         Scheperjans F, Aho V, Pereira PAB, Koskinen K, Paulin L, Pekkonen E, et al. Gut microbiota are related to Parkinson’s disease and clinical phenotype. Mov Disord. 2015;30(3):350–8.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/detection-of-early-changes-in-microbiota-composition-in-prodromal-parkinsons-disease/