Background pattern of a brain with neural connections

Team Liddle

Role of enteroendocrine cells in the origin of Parkinson’s pathology

2021-Present

The gastrointestinal tract has been implicated in the origins of PD through the formation and spread of pathological alpha-synuclein. Moreover, environmental toxins, alterations in the gut microbiome, and gut inflammation contribute to the risk and progression of PD. We propose the targeted study of a novel circuit that connects microbes and immune regulators with enteroendocrine cells, sensory cells of the gut. In this circuit under investigation, enteroendocrine cells are predicted as the origin of toxin- and microbe-stimulated pathological alpha-synuclein that spreads to the vagus and beyond.

Tags
Alpha-synuclein Enteroendocrine cells Gut-brain axis

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Contributions

Here is an overview of how this team’s article findings have contributed to the PD field as of June 2025. There are two different categorizations of these contributions – one by impact to the PD community and a second by scientific category.

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Team Liddle

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