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. 2025 Oct 21:1-11.
doi: 10.1080/17582024.2025.2574204. Online ahead of print.

Gut microbiome differences in Parkinson's disease patients in Central Kerala population

Anjali Anne Jacob  1   2 , Sudeshna Rout  3 , Rishikesh Dash  3 , Giriprasad Venugopal  2 , Ankita Ramdass Punde  4 , John K John  5 , Saritha Susan Varghese  6 , Cleetus Cherupanakkal  7 , George Chandy Mattethra  8 , Balamurugan Ramadass  3   4   9
Affiliations

Gut microbiome differences in Parkinson's disease patients in Central Kerala population

Anjali Anne Jacob et al. Neurodegener Dis Manag. .

Abstract

Background and objectives: Gut microbiota dysbiosis is increasingly implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to find gut microbiota diversity and composition of PD patients in Central Kerala population, India.

Methods: 16 PD patients were enrolled and their spouse formed the controls. Fecal Microbiome analysis was performed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing.

Results: Seven microbial species significantly contributed to the differences in beta diversity between the PD and control groups (p = 0.007). On network analysis Bifidobacterium longum, Bacteroides fragilis, Blautia obeum and Roseburia faecis represented the PD group communities and Ruminococcus bromii and Ruminococcus gnavus represented the controls. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Ruminococcus gnavus enhanced centrality in the spouse control network and Bifidobacterium longum, Eubacterium biforme, and Roseburia faecis in PD group.

Conclusions: This study offers initial evidence for identifying PD associated gut microbiome alterations in the Kerala population to be further explored with larger and more detailed longitudinal study.

Keywords: Gut microbiome; Parkinson’s disease; SCFAs; beta diversity; gut-brain axis.

Plain language summary

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a brain disorder that affects movement, thinking, and overall physical/mental health. Recent research shows that the bacteria living in our gut – called the gut microbiome – may influence PD through a connection known as the “gut-brain axis.” The study investigated the gut bacteria in PD patients and their spouses as controls to find key differences in them. We found that the composition and diversity of gut bacteria were significantly different between PD patients and controls. The study also found differences in the composition of gut bacteria between PD patients who had lived at least 25 years in Gulf countries (Kuwait and Saudi Arabia) and those who had not, suggesting the environment and diet affect gut health. Some bacterial species were linked to motor symptoms and poorer memory scores, while others were associated with better function. The species co-occurrence network revealed that bacterial communities interacted as structured networks, with specific taxa such as Bifidobacterium longum, Bacteroides fragilis, Blautia obeum, and Roseburia faecis being predominant in PD patients, while Ruminococcus bromii and Ruminococcus gnavus in controls. This research suggests that gut bacteria might play an important role in PD and offers clues for developing microbiota directed interventional therapies. Further research is needed to explore how changing the gut microbiome might help prevent or reduce severity related to the disease.

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