Scientists have discovered a new link between bacteria in the mouth and gut and the distressing memory issues associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Specific changes in the trillions of beneficial bacteria in the gut could potentially act as early warning signs of the degenerative disease, helping doctors better treat Parkinson’s patients before symptoms become severe.

Harmful bacteria in the gut send signals to the brain that triggers damage seen in the degenerative condition, according to scientists.

Research has long shown that diets high in ultraprocessed food can disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in the gut, triggering inflammation that can trigger a host of health complications—including problems with brain activity.

Now, experts from King's College London have explored the impact of these compromised bugs on Parkinson's—which causes cognitive decline and mobility problems due to the death of nerve cells in the brain.

The researchers studied 88 participants with Parkinson's and found they had a less diverse gut microbiome—the community of 'friendly' bacteria that live in the gut and communicate with the brain—than the healthy controls.

They also had higher levels of harmful bacteria in the gut, many of which had likely come from the mouth, which has been linked to the degenerative disease.

Intriguingly, their experiments also showed that a good and consistent oral hygiene routine could potentially ward off this precursor of the disease.

Research has long suggested that activity in the gut can impact the brain. Researchers have now found people with Parkinson's have more harmful bacteria in the gut which could contribute to cognitive decline

Regularly eating ultraprocessed foods has been previously linked with Parkinson's with the additives in the foods said to promote inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain

Research has long suggested that activity in the gut can impact the brain, showing how gut and brain health are closely aligned.

Dr Saeed Shoaie, co-author of the study and leader of the quantitive systems biology lab at King’s College, said: ‘The human gut and oral bacterial communities are increasingly linked in neurodegenerative disease.

‘Disruptions in the gut-brain axis could trigger inflammation and immune responses that contribute to neuronal damage.’

The researchers found people with Parkinson's have more harmful bacteria in the gut which could contribute to cognitive decline

Regularly eating ultraprocessed foods has been previously linked with Parkinson's with the additives in the foods said to promote inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain

In the current study, researchers found that harmful bacteria found in the mouth can travel to the gut, where they have knock-on effects for the rest of the body.

It comes as studies show Parkinson's is on the rise in the UK.

Currently, around 153,000 people are affected, but experts predict this figure will rise to 172,000 adults by 2030.

Symptoms of Parkinson's include uncontrollable tremors, slow movements and muscle stiffness. Thinking and memory changes including becoming more forgetful can also occur

Researchers said that a consistent oral hygiene routine could help ward off cognitive decline, with common gum diseases having been flagged as a potential driver of Alzheimer's

The staggering increase is thought to be a result of a combination of factors including environmental toxins and the rapidly aging population.

Writing in the journal Gut Microbes, researchers suggested a significant change in gut bacteria may promote inflammation, which damages neurons in the brain that create dopamine, a neurotransmitter that affects movement and mood and is lacking in Parkinson's sufferers.

The researchers found that patients with mild cognitive impairment had more harmful bacteria in the gut, which could cause damage to dopamine-producing neurons in the brain.

Therefore, the experts suggested that eating a balanced diet, potentially supplemented with probiotics, could slash the risk of developing Parkinson's and help delay the cognitive symptoms of the condition.

However, Dr Frederick Clasen, co-author of the study, said: 'We don't yet know if the bacteria are causing the cognitive decline or if changes in the body due to Parkinson's allow these bacteria to grow.

Symptoms of Parkinson's include uncontrollable tremors, slow movements and muscle stiffness. Thinking and memory changes including becoming more forgetful can also occur

Researchers said that a consistent oral hygiene routine could help ward off cognitive decline, with common gum diseases having been flagged as a potential driver of Alzheimer's

'But our findings suggests they [harmful bacteria] may play an active role in worsening symptoms'.

Actor Michael J Fox (pictured here) was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at just 29 years old. He now advocates for more research into the condition

There are around 18,000 new diagnoses of Parkinson's every year in the UK, mostly in people 45 and older.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive movement disorder in which the brain cannot produce enough dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls movement.

A lack of dopamine leads to issues like tremors and falls, and can contribute to cognitive changes.

In the study, saliva and stool samples were taken from two groups of Parkinson's patients—41 showed signs of mild cognitive impairment and 47 suffered significant cognitive symptoms, akin to dementia.

There were also 26 healthy control participants with no Parkinson's diagnosis.

The authors found a clear difference in the types and functions of bacteria between the groups.

In patients with cognitive impairment, the gut contained more harmful bacteria that had come from the mouth.

Researchers found that these bacteria can release toxins that can damage gut tissue that makes up the digestive tract and promote inflammation, potentially having a harmful affect on the brain.

Researchers added that low levels of beneficial bacteria such as Roseburia faecis in the gut, together with a decrease of bacteria in the mouth were the most important risk factors in predicting Parkinson’s with dementia.

They also found that the migration of bacteria that is usually found in the mouth to the gut could be a risk factor for Parkinson's.

However, researchers acknowledged that they failed to consider other lifestyle factors—such as diet, stress, sleep, and exercise—that are known to impact the gut microbiome.

According to the Parkinson's Foundation, digestive issues are one of the most common symptoms in Parkinson's, with constipation affecting up to 70 per cent of those diagnosed.

This symptom often begins before the onset of tell-tale movement delays and other early signs of the disease.

While research on Parkinson's and the gut is in its infancy, it has long been suggested that activity in the gut influences the brain.

'These toxins could be used as biological markers to identify patients at higher risk of Parkinson's,' explained Frederick Clasen, microbiome researcher and co-author of the study at King’s College London.

'In the future, they might also be targets for new treatments that protect the brain by changing the gut environment,' he added.

The findings come as Chinese scientists discovered those who regularly eat ultraprocessed foods have nearly triple the risk of developing Parkinson's.

They found people who ate 11 or more servings of ultraprocessed foods a day—such as sugary condiments, sweets, and processed meat—were 2.5 times more likely to show early signs of the degenerative disease.

The researchers believe additives in ultraprocessed foods like emulsifiers and sweeteners may trigger chemical reactions that damage dopamine-creating neurons in the brain.

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