Living with Parkinson’s
Dr.
Dolhun
Talks PD
The Gut and
Parkinson’s
Rachel Dolhun, MD, is
a movement disorder
specialist, board-certified
neurologist and vice
president of medical
communications at MJFF.
For a brain disease, Parkinson’s may have a lot to do with the
gut. People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) can experience
symptoms across the entire digestive system, from swallowing
problems to slow stomach emptying to constipation. These
non-motor symptoms not only affect daily life, they influence
how well Parkinson’s medications work.
Coughing or choking when
swallowing can make eating
meals and taking pills
challenging. Slowed stomach
emptying can lead to nausea,
heartburn and feeling full
after only a few bites. It also
can cause poor absorption of
Parkinson’s medications, which
means a dose may give little or
no benefit. Constipation, too,
can impact drugs’ absorption
and effectiveness, and cause
bloating and discomfort. The
effect these symptoms have on
patients’ quality of life has made
this topic a growing priority for
researchers and The Michael J.
Fox Foundation (MJFF).
HOW PARKINSON’S
AFFECTS THE GUT
Parkinson’s affects a network
of nerves that direct swallowing
and digestion. This network
— the autonomic nervous
12
The Fox Focus
system — also controls blood
pressure and body temperature.
It keeps our bodies running so
we don’t have to think about it.
When Parkinson’s affects these
nerves, swallowing becomes
uncoordinated and gut muscles
slow down.
FINDING NEW WAYS TO
MANAGE SYMPTOMS
Available treatments for
Parkinson’s gut symptoms