Fecal microbiota and volatile organic compounds in Parkinson’s disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Faecal microbiota and volatile organic compounds in Parkinson’s disease and their relation to gut physiology
IRAS ID
191557
Contact name
Thomas Warner
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
UCL Data Protection Registration Number, Z6364106/2015/11/41
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Parkinson's disease (PD) has clear effects on the digestive tract. Constipation can happen many years before the main neurological symptoms appear and the nerve cells in the gut are among the first to be affected in PD.
Conversely, the digestive tract has also influence on the brain. The amount and composition of gut bacteria and their metabolites are important for the functioning of the brain. Based on this influence of the gut on brain functioning and the early involvement of the digestive system in PD, the digestive tract could be the site of an early event influencing the development of PD. Our hypothesis is that there are changes in the gut bacteria and their metabolites in people with PD which play a role in the development and progression of the disease. A better understanding in the differences of the gut bacteria composition and its metabolites could lead in the future to diagnostic tools to make the diagnosis of PD earlier and the development of new drugs to delay or stop the progression of the disease. We will study the composition of gut bacteria and their metabolites in people with PD using stool samples. As constipation has an influence on gut bacteria and it is also a common symptom in PD, we will compare the results with a group of people with constipation but no evidence of PD. Participants will be recruited from specialist clinics at UCL Hospitals. We will take objective measurements of the bowel movements using physiological studies in order to see whether the changes in the bowel function are associated to changes in the gut bacteria and their metabolites.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/YH/0138
Date of REC Opinion
5 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion