A PARADIGM BETWEEN INTESTINAL DYSBIOSIS AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE

UN RETRATO DE LA EVIDENCIA CIENTÍFICA

Abstract

Introduction: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease whose main manifestations are muscle stiffness, gait disturbances, and resting tremor. However, it can present gastrointestinal symptoms. From this perspective, the objective of this study is to identify, analyze, and understand the relationship between intestinal dysbiosis and the development of Parkinson's disease. Methodology: This is a literature review with a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory, and explanatory approach. To support the study, data were collected using keywords in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases between 2018 and 2024. As inclusion criteria, articles in Portuguese and/or English were selected, and articles that presented deviations from or tangent to the topic were excluded. Results and Discussion: The authors point out that there is a direct relationship between intestinal dysbiosis and the development of Parkinson's disease, because when there is a change in the permeability of the intestinal membrane, it facilitates the entry of pathogens into the intestinal barrier, which triggers the inflammatory process. Thus, the production of the alpha-synuclein protein by the intestine increases, which in turn migrates to the central nervous system through the vagus nerve. In this context, they mention that changes in the intestinal microbiota have been observed, even before Parkinson's disease, and that this process reduces the diversity of the intestinal flora. In addition, the authors corroborate the fact that many patients with PD present gastrointestinal symptoms before motor symptoms, therefore, patients with inflammatory bowel disease are more predisposed to developing PD. Conclusion: It is therefore understood that intestinal dysbiosis has a direct link with the development of Parkinson's disease. However, more robust studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.