Cited by 588Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsGut microbiota and healthNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

The gut-brain axis: is intestinal inflammation a silent driver of Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis?

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Houser, Madelyn C., Tansey, Malú G.·2017·npj Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

The state of the intestinal environment can have profound effects on the activity of the central nervous system through the physiological contributions of the microbiota, regulation of intestinal barrier function, and altered activity of peripheral neurons. The common language employed for much of the gut-brain communication is the modulation of immune activity. Chronic proinflammatory immune activity is increasingly being recognized as a fundamental element of neurodegenerative disorders, and in Parkinson’s disease, inflammation in the intestine appears particularly relevant in pathogenesis. We review the evidence that intestinal dysfunction is present in Parkinson’s disease and that it may reflect the earliest manifestations of Parkinson’s disease pathology, and we link these findings to dysregulated immune activity. Based on this, we present a model for Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis in which the disorder originates in the intestine and progresses with inflammation as its underlying mechanism. More in-depth investigations into the physiological mechanisms underlying peripheral pre-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease are expected to lead to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic measures that can slow or limit progression of the disease to more advanced stages involving debilitating motor and cognitive symptoms.

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  • Systemic gut inflammation drives pro-inflammatory cytokine production, blood-brain barrier disruption, and migration of inflammatory cells into the brain causing neuronal dysfunction and cell death.

    “while systemically gut inflammation drives pro-inflammatory cytokine production, blood–brain barrier disruption, and migration of inflammatory cells into the brain causing neuronal dysfunction and cell death [32, 33].”

    From The gut–brain axis in early Parkinson’s disease: from prodrome to prevention (2025) · cites this paper as [32]

    The Introduction’s “Mechanisms of intestinal modulation of CNS activity” section links intestinal inflammation to systemic proinflammatory responses, blood–brain barrier disruption, and access of activated immune cells to the brain; it also links neuroinflammation to neuronal dysfunction and death. But it describes several steps as possibilities, while the citing sentence presents the entire chain as an established consequence of gut inflammation. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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  • Systemic inflammation induced by intestinal inflammation and barrier disruption is key in gut-brain communication.

    “Systemic inflammation induced by intestinal inflammation and barrier disruption is key in gut–brain communication [57,58,59].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [30]Raison CL A randomized controlled trial of the tumor necrosis factor antagonist infliximab for treatment-resistant depression: the role of baseline inflammatory biomarkers JAMA Psychiatry. 2013 70 31 41 10.1001/2013.jamapsychiatry.4 22945416 PMC4015348 · DOI · Paper page

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Authors
Houser, M. C., & Tansey, M. G.
Affiliations
Emory University (US)
Corresponding author
Tansey, Malú G.
Venue
npj Parkinson's Disease
Published
2017-01-11
Volume
3
Issue
1
Pages
3-3
ISSN
2373-8057 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2575605891
Cited by
588
References
125
Citations by year
2026: 53 · 2025: 54 · 2024: 55 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 69 · 2021: 112 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 54 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 14
FWCI
34.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • npj Parkinson s Disease (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1444932)
  • Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
  • Parkinson's Disease Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS092122)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
gut-brain axis, Parkinson's disease, intestinal inflammation, intestinal dysmotility, gut microbiota, intestinal barrier function, neuroinflammation, immune dysregulation, neurodegeneration, pathogenesis

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