Probiotic bacteria prevent α-synuclein accumulation in a Parkinson’s disease model

A team of scientists from the University of Edinburgh (UK) and the University of Dundee (UK) has determined that the probiotic bacteria Bacillus subtilis can prevent the accumulation of α-synuclein in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Parkinson’s disease. The results of their paper, published in Cell Reports, add further support to the emerging evidence that the gut microbiome is linked to brain function. The group utilized C. elegans that had been genetically modified to produce human α-synuclein. The roundworms were then fed with different types of over-the-counter probiotics to determine whether certain types of bacteria could impact the formation of...