Parkinson's Disease Medication Alters Small Intestinal Motility and Microbiota Composition in Healthy Rats.

ABSTRACT: Parkinson's disease (PD) is known to be associated with altered gastrointestinal function and microbiota composition. To date, the effect of PD medication on the gastrointestinal function and microbiota, at the site of drug absorption, the small intestine, has not been studied, although it may represent an important confounder in reported microbiota alterations observed in PD patients. To this end, healthy (non-PD) wild-type Groningen rats were employed and treated with dopamine, pramipexole (in combination with levodopa-carbidopa), or ropinirole (in combination with levodopa-carbidopa) for 14 sequential days. Rats treated with dopamine agonists showed a significant reduction in small intestinal motility and an increase in bacterial overgrowth in the distal small intestine. Notably, signif

SUBMITTER: van Kessel SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8788331 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature