Objective: This study aimed to determine whether people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) with an active lifestyle had increased production of certain microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the gut while simultaneously reducing gastrointestinal inflammation (calprotectin) and constipation compared to a sedentary group.

Background: Parkinson’s disease is associated with gastrointestinal dysfunction, which could lead to decreased levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), resulting in decreased intestinal motility and increased fecal calprotectin levels, the latter being considered a biomarker for intestinal inflammation. In addition, gastrointestinal manifestations such as constipation often precede motor symptoms and represent early involvement of the digestive tract in the pathological process.

Method: We quantitatively analyzed SCFA concentrations (using gas chromatography) and calprotectin (using quantitative ELISA) in stool samples from people with PD who were  separated into two groups; ACTIVE and INACTIVE based on their International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) scores. In addition, constipation was evaluated with the ROME IV and the Cleveland Constipation Scoring System (CSS). For statistical analysis, we used a two-sample modified Welch’s t-test to ensure that both groups had similar socio-demographic characteristics. The same test was then used to confirm that the level of physical activity differed between the groups, as the sample sizes were unequal. To analyze the three different labels of short-chain fatty acids, a Bonferroni correction was used to adjust the final p-value for multiple comparisons.

Results: A total of 35 participants (20 men and 15 women) were included in the final analysis. Age, disease stage (Hoen & Yahr) and Montreal Cognitive Assessments (MoCA) were similar between groups. SCFAs levels were significantly higher in the ACTIVE group than in the INACTIVE group. Fecal calprotectin was also significantly lower in the ACTIVE group than in the INACTIVE group. According to Rome IV and CSS, the INACTIVE group suffered more from constipation than the ACTIVE group.

Conclusion: An active lifestyle can reduce the degree of intestinal inflammation, increase the level of short-chain fatty acids in the blood and stool and reduce constipation in people with PD.

References: Aho VTE, Houser MC, Pereira PAB, Chang J, Rudi K, Paulin L, Hertzberg V, Auvinen P, Tansey MG, Scheperjans F. Relationships of gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, inflammation, and the gut barrier in Parkinson’s disease. Mol Neurodegener. 2021 Feb 8;16(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s13024-021-00427-6. PMID: 33557896; PMCID: PMC7869249.

Mulak, A., Koszewicz, M., Panek-Jeziorna, M., Koziorowska-Gawron, E. et Budrewicz, S. (2019). La calprotectine fécale, en tant que marqueur de l’activation du système immunitaire intestinal, est élevée dans la maladie de Parkinson. Frontières en neurosciences , 13 , 992.

Aya, V., Flórez, A., Perez, L. et Ramírez, JD (2021). Association entre l’activité physique et les modifications de la composition du microbiote intestinal : une revue systématique. PLoS One , 16 (2), e0247039.

Unger MM, Spiegel J, Dillmann KU, Grundmann D, Philippeit H, Bürmann J, Faßbender K, Schwiertz A, Schäfer KH. Short chain fatty acids and gut microbiota differ between patients with Parkinson’s disease and age-matched controls. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2016 Nov;32:66-72. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2016.08.019. Epub 2016 Aug 26. PMID: 27591074.

« Back to 2024 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/reduced-intestinal-inflammation-and-increased-levels-of-short-chain-fatty-acids-thanks-to-an-active-lifestyle-in-parkinsons-disease/