Prof Ali Keshavarzian, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, USA, lectures on the Role of Bidirectional Gut- oral- Microbiota- Brain Axis in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis and disease course

UIPS International Seminar Programme

Prof Ali Keshavarzian, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, USA
Role of Bidirectional Gut- oral- Microbiota- Brain Axis in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis and disease course

Thursday 7 May 2026 from 09.30-10.30, David de Wied Building M2.01
Hosted by dr. Paula Perez Pardo, P.PerezPardo@uu.nl  

Short Bio:

Ali Keshavarzian is a gastroenterologist with over 38 years of experience as a clinician-scientist, specializing in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and gastrointestinal complications of Parkinson’s disease. He served as Chief of Gastroenterology for 30 years at Hines VA, Loyola University, and Rush University, and is now the Founding Director of the Rush Center for Integrated Microbiome and Chronobiology Research, as well as Director of the NIAAA-supported Rush Center for Circadian Rhythm and Alcohol-Induced Tissue Injury. His research focuses on the impact of environmental factors, such as stress, alcohol, sleep, and circadian disruption, on intestinal barrier function and host–microbiome interactions, and how these contribute to systemic inflammation and chronic disease. He was among the first to highlight the role of gut permeability, microbiota dysbiosis, and inflammation in alcohol-induced injury, HIV-associated aging, and Parkinson’s disease, with ongoing work on the gut–oral–microbiota–brain axis.

Abstract: 

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with a rising incidence, suggesting an important role for environmental factors in its pathogenesis. A pathological hallmark of PD is the aggregation of misfolded alpha-synuclein (α-syn) into Lewy bodies and neurites, with inflammation identified as a key trigger. Emerging evidence points to the gut (and possibly oral cavity) as a major source of this inflammation, linked to disrupted microbiota communities. The bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and the gut/oral microbiota—known as the microbiota-gut-brain axis (GOMBA)—appears to play a central role in PD development through neural, systemic, neuroendocrine, and immune pathways. This presentation will discuss: (1) the role and mechanisms of GOMBA in PD pathogenesis; (2) gut and oral microbiota dysbiosis in PD, including enrichment of proinflammatory and mucin-degrading taxa and depletion of short-chain fatty acid–producing bacteria; (3) the contribution of gut permeability and systemic inflammation; (4) the role of neuroendocrine pathways, including GLP-1; (5) evidence linking PD to reduced gut resilience; (6) the use of seeding amplification assays to detect α-syn aggregates in colon tissue; (7) the potential of plasma-derived extracellular vesicles as diagnostic and monitoring tools; and (8) gut-directed interventions as potential disease-modifying strategies.