In this video, research scientist Jack Gilbert explores the connection between probiotics and Parkinson's disease, introducing the concept of psychobiotics - probiotics that may support brain health through the gut-brain axis.
He presents findings from a 2021 pilot study of PS128, the probiotic strain in Neuralli MP medical food, which showed promising results in 25 Parkinson's patients.
He shares his personal connection to the research through his father's Parkinson's diagnosis and emphasizes that PS128 may serve as a valuable dietary management tool. Disclosure: Jack Gilbert is a research consultant of Bened Life, makers of Neuralli MP.
Parkinson's and the gut
Most people think of Parkinson's as a brain disease. But researchers are increasingly looking somewhere else: the gut.
Hi, I’m Jack Gilbert, I'm a research scientist. As a microbiome researcher, I've followed this science for decades. But it became a lot more personal for me when my father was diagnosed with PD.
Both brain and digestive issues can significantly affect quality of life for people with PD, and probiotics have been shown clinically to be of help.
Some probiotics benefit digestive health. Interestingly, a subset of probiotic strains may offer brain-focused support via a bidirectional pathway known as the gut-brain axis.
These are the probiotics I’d like to tell you more about today. We refer to them as “psychobiotics” or “gut-brain probiotics”. One particular gut-brain probiotic is of particular interest to me as a medical food for Parkinson’s disease: Neuralli MP, which contains the clinically studied PS128 strain.
PS128 and Parkinson’s disease: A pilot study
In a 2021 pilot study, PS128 was studied as a nutritional add-on therapy for Parkinson’s disease. After three months, 25 participants taking PS128 along with their medication reported significant improvements in motor symptoms, “ON” time, and in their quality of life.
How could a probiotic do that?
Well, psychobiotics confer mental health benefits (when taken in adequate amounts) via the gut-brain axis. This complex bidirectional communication network links cognitive and emotional processes of the brain with the gut.
Signals move between brain and gut via the vagus nerve, nutrients in the bloodstream, immune molecules, and more. It is through this network that scientists hypothesize psychobiotics affect brain chemicals such as dopamine, impacting quality of life for a person with Parkinson’s.
Back to that Parkinson’s study:
In this open-label, single-arm pilot study, 25 people with Parkinson’s disease took two capsules of PS128 (a total of 60 billion CFUs) before bed over a 12 week period. The participants in the study continued to take their usual medications, including levodopa and other anti-parkinsonian drugs. All the participants had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease for an average of 10 years.
At the beginning of the study, the researchers asked the participants to record a diary of their ON/OFF fluctuations for three days before they began taking PS128. ON time was when they felt their Parkinson’s medication was helping, and OFF time was when it wasn’t. They continued writing in their symptom diary once they started taking the probiotic, and on average ON time was increased by nearly an hour amongst participants.
At the end of the study, there was a significant improvement in the motor scores of the participants, specifically the akinesia (that's the "difficulty of moving") subscale. The participants reported improvements in their ability to perform finger, hand, and leg movements with agility.
These motor improvements were seen both in the ON state when a levodopa dose was maximally effective, and in the OFF state in the low point between doses. 68% of the participants said they felt PS128 had helped them, with one third of that 68% stating they felt much or very much improved.
Overall, the majority of participants said they received a noticeable improvement in their quality of life from PS128.
Closing thoughts
My dad is one of the roughly 10 million people worldwide managing Parkinson’s disease on a daily basis.
He also recently started taking PS128 in Neuralli MP, and we have seen significant improvements. His doctor is also very excited about the results.
As a microbiome research scientist and son of a person with Parkinson’s, I am happy to see scientists investigate new avenues that can improve quality of life for people with PD.
While probiotic strains like PS128 are not a treatment or cure for Parkinson’s disease, clinical research suggests they may help when used as dietary management alongside standard medical care.
As our understanding of the gut–brain connection grows, so does the opportunity to better support people living with Parkinson’s.
Recommended reading:
Gut-Brain Health and Probiotics for Parkinson's
