The gut microbiome in animal models of Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Alterations in gut microbiome composition have been described in Parkinson’s disease (PD), and are associated with behavioral and pathophysiological hallmarks in animal models. While animal models have limitations, they provide valuable insights into how gut microbes impact the progression of PD-related symptoms over time, thus complementing human studies. Here, we describe current research in animal models that is enhancing our understanding of how the gut microbiome’s composition changes in response to both genetic and environmental risk factors of PD. This chapter will cover microbiome profiling in genetic and toxicant-induced animal models, including Drosophila melanogaster, rodents, and nonhuman primates. Understanding how the gut microbiome is altered in PD is a crucial step toward elucidating the disease’s etiology and potentially developing microbiome-based treatments.

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