Kerala study links gut bacteria to Parkinson’s disease

Trillions of bacteria living in the human gut may play a role in Parkinson’s disease, a brain disorder that causes tremors, stiffness and slowed movement, according to a new study involving patients from Kerala.

Researchers from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, found significant differences between the gut bacteria of Parkinson’s patients and those of healthy individuals.

The findings were published online in npj Parkinson’s Disease, an international scientific journal.