PD Buddy Buzz 4: Gut Bacteria, Lithium, and the Keto Diet
Latest on Parkinson’s Disease; Tuesday, June 18, 2024
In recent developments, two significant discoveries have surfaced regarding the role of gut bacteria in Parkinson’s disease, both potentially groundbreaking.
Firstly, researchers at the University of Georgia have pioneered a new probiotic bacterium capable of synthesizing the dopamine precursor L-DOPA (we wrote about it last week). This breakthrough aims to allow Parkinson’s patients to produce L-DOPA within their gut microbiome. Unlike current treatments that require multiple daily tablets and can cause severe motor side effects, this new probiotic is administered once or twice daily in an encapsulated pill. Promising results in animal models show it maintains steady L-DOPA levels in the bloodstream and dopamine levels in the brain, leading to improvements in motor and cognitive functions.
🧫 Shortly after, a second discovery emerged focusing on inhibiting gut bacteria that metabolize levodopa before it reaches the brain, potentially enhancing its therapeutic effects in Parkinson’s treatment. Mitochondrial-targeted drugs (MTDs) have proven effective in blocking Enterococcus faecalis, a bacteria known to degrade levodopa. MTDs showed superior bacteria inhibition and lower toxicity compared to traditional antibiotics. Combining levodopa, carbidopa, and MTDs could optimize Parkinson’s therapy by ensuring more levodopa reaches the brain, potentially reducing the need for higher doses and associated side effects.
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💊 Lucy Therapeutics, known for its innovative approach to unraveling the mitochondrial roots of complex diseases, has three drug discovery programs in progress, aiming for Investigational New Drug (IND) filings by 2025. Recently, LucyTx secured $12.5 million in additional funding, led by Engine Ventures and Safar Partners, with contributions from Bill Gates, Parkinson’s UK, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which provided a $2 million grant. This funding, totaling over $36 million to date, will advance research in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Rett syndrome treatments focused on mitochondrial dysfunction. LucyTx’s novel platform integrates mitochondrial small-molecule therapies and diagnostic biomarkers to address complex neurological diseases beyond traditional genetic approaches.
🧠 Stimvia’s noninvasive neuromodulation device, URIS, has shown promise in easing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease according to early data from a pilot study. Participants reported improvements in Parkinson’s symptoms, including a notable reduction in resting tremor, and enhanced quality of life. URIS works by stimulating nerve pathways in the brain through electrodes near the peroneal nerve in the leg, providing a non-surgical alternative to deep brain stimulation (DBS). The device is being further evaluated for safety and effectiveness in larger clinical trials, aiming to offer new treatment options for Parkinson’s patients.
🔬 Cure Parkinson’s and Van Andel Institute (VAI) are funding a phase 1b clinical trial to explore whether lithium, commonly used for mood disorders, could slow Parkinson’s disease. Led by Dr. Thomas Guttuso at the University of Buffalo, the trial will recruit 20 Parkinson’s patients, adding to the 15 already funded by the NIH, for a total of 35 participants. Researchers aim to see if low-dose lithium affects two Parkinson’s biomarkers: the protein Nurr1 in the blood and ‘free water’ levels in the brain, which help understand brain changes without invasive methods. Early lab studies suggest low-dose lithium might protect dopamine neurons, and a small 2019 pilot study showed positive effects. The trial will determine if lithium warrants further testing as a Parkinson’s treatment.
🥒 A small 24-week study explored the impact of a low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) ketogenic diet on Parkinson’s disease. Seven participants with PD followed the diet and reported improved health markers, mood, cognitive function, pain reduction, and overall quality of life. The study suggests that the ketogenic diet is safe and might help reduce PD symptoms, including anxiety and depression. However, larger studies are needed to confirm these findings and make broader recommendations. This diet could potentially serve as a complementary approach to current PD treatments, which often have side effects.
🥑 When it comes to keto diet we highly recommend to watch an excellent presentation by Dr. Matthew Phillips, a clinical and research neurologist at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand, as he discusses the potential therapeutic benefits of metabolic strategies, particularly fasting and ketogenic diets, for neurological disorders. The presentation includes an informative Q&A session.
PD Buddies Top Pics
💡 A common recommendation from many PD Buddies is to use the free brain games available on Connections Unlimited
💡 Seems like music therapy is well liked by PD Buddies to address apathy. Share your solutions to common Parkinson’s problems on What Works.
💡 Do you like The Beatles? How about singing along and exercising your voice with Maggie Moore from Power for Parkinson’s?
💡 Fasting is becoming increasingly popular among PD Buddy members as they adjust to their PD-friendly diet.
Sharing is Caring: Spotlight on PD Buddy Exchange
This week’s Spotlight shines on PDP Kimi from Japan. He tried PD Buddy when we were still in the early stages last September and never gave up on trying our Routines. Thank you, Kimi! Take a look at Routine Exchange to see his impressive activities. There are lots of ideas and inspirations worth trying by others.
Turning Parkinson’s Disease into a Lifestyle Choice
Would you like to know how the PD Buddy App started? Join me on a personal journey five years ago when my husband was diagnosed with PD and how we turned our family life into a PD lifestyle. The routine we designed, which involves the whole family, was the origin of the idea for the PD Buddy app.
Share your ideas how to improve PD Buddy
We have been very transparent that PD Buddy is a new app still in development. We are constantly working on making the app more helpful on your PD journey and have been collaborating with people with Parkinson’s and their families to build all features right from the beginning. We hope to release a new version this week with improved Socials and fixes a few bugs. I was asked to create a simple document where people can add their suggestions. Thank you, Anne S, for your suggestion! Alternatively, you can reach out to us by email or chat on the app via “Contact Us.”
Support PD Buddy!
Your support is crucial for maintaining and improving our services for the Parkinson’s community. Please consider a monthly support of $5 to contribute to our development efforts today.
Beatrice Zatorska is a passionate science communicator and technologist. She is also the Founder and CEO of the PD Buddy App, developed based on her husband’s daily routine to assist other people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. The first version of the app is already available on the Apple and Google Play stores.
