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A new study using a roundworm model of Parkinson\u2019s disease found that a probiotic bacterium could prevent, and in some cases reverse, toxic protein buildup.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins in the brain are the hallmark sign of Parkinson\u2019s disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n Many experts believe that these toxic protein clumps lead to the progressive loss of brain cells that control movement.<\/p>\n But the science is not clear-cut<\/a>, and the underlying mechanisms that cause Parkinson\u2019s remain elusive.<\/p>\n Without an effective way of preventing or curing Parkinson\u2019s, treatment primarily focuses on alleviating symptoms.<\/p>\n A recent line of research<\/a> has been looking into a possible link to the gut microbiome, the trillions of microbial species that populate our intestines.<\/p>\n Could changing a person\u2019s gut microbiome be a way of modifying their risk of developing Parkinson\u2019s or even serve as an effective treatment?<\/p>\n A group of scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee, both in the United Kingdom, set out to investigate.<\/p>\n