A bug often found in the digestive tract of human beings could be a cause of Parkinson's disease, a new study has found. Researchers at the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland believe the bacteria desulfovibrio (DSV) could be at the root of the debilitating disease.
Often found in wet, boggy environments, DSV is thought to trigger a build-up of toxic proteins which then damages vital brain cells. By now demonstrating a potential path from the presence of the bacteria to physical changes in the brain that coincide with Parkinson's disease, the researchers hope to one day improve early diagnosis of the disease in humans, or even slow its progress.
"Our findings make it possible to screen for the carriers of these harmful Desulfovibrio bacteria," says senior author Per Saris, a microbiologist at the University of Helsinki in Finland.
