Editors' Note: Association of Fecal and Plasma Levels of Short-Chain Fatty Acids With Gut Microbiota and Clinical Severity in Patients With Parkinson Disease

Abstract

In “Association of Fecal and Plasma Levels of Short-Chain Fatty Acids With Gut Microbiota and Clinical Severity in Patients With Parkinson Disease,” Chen et al. reported that a reduction in fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) is associated with increased clinical severity of Parkinson disease (PD). Brenner commented that this may be attributed to the fact that a reduction in SCFAs can lead to increased growth of Escherichia coli , which produce curli fibers that can accelerate production of amyloids and subsequent action pathology related to alpha-synuclein. Lin et al. agreed that curli production may lead to alpha-synuclein aggregation and neuroinflammation, as seen in PD. The authors further concurred that the gut-brain relationship in PD may be related to SCFAs, curli-producing E. coli , functional amyloids, and alpha-synuclein. In “Association of Fecal and Plasma Levels of Short-Chain Fatty Acids With Gut Microbiota and Clinical Severity in Patients With Parkinson Disease,” Chen et al. reported that a reduction in fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) is associated with increased clinical severity of Parkinson disease (PD). Brenner commented that this may be attributed to the fact that a reduction in SCFAs can lead to increased growth of Escherichia coli , which produce curli fibers that can accelerate production of amyloids and subsequent action pathology related to alpha-synuclein. Lin et al. agreed that curli production may lead to alpha-synuclein aggregation and neuroinflammation, as seen in PD. The authors further concurred that the gut-brain relationship in PD may be related to SCFAs, curli-producing E. coli , functional amyloids, and alpha-synuclein.