Effects of sleep problems and antidepressant use on the gut microbial community of Parkinson’s disease patients

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients display a modulation in microbial communities of the gut microbiota in comparison to that of healthy individuals. Parkinson's disease is commonly characterized by obstructive gait, rigidity, and bradykinesia where approximately 90% of Parkinson's patients experience sleep dysfunctions and are often diagnosed with depression. Although previous studies have demonstrated the potential effects of sleep problems and antidepressant (AD) use on the gut, the direct effect on the overall composition and relative abundance of gut microbial taxa remains unresolved. As a result, this study was conducted to characterize the effects of sleep problems and antidepressant use on the microbial composition of Parkinson’s patients. Analysis of both sleep problems and antidepressant use showed no significant difference in the gut microbial composition of Parkinson’s patients. However, phylogenetic diversity was significantly different based on antidepressant use. Moreover, family Prevotellaceae was decreased in Parkinson’s patients with antidepressant use. Indicator taxa analysis identified 50 bacterial families that may potentially explain the differences in the microbial composition of antidepressant use. Overall, antidepressant use may affect microbial diversity of Parkinson’s patients with decreased abundance in Prevotellaceae and identified indicator taxa.