Transanal Irrigation in patients with Parkinson's Disease and chronic constipation: rebalancing the Gut Microbiota?

Constipation prevalence in Parkinson's disease (PD) ranges from 24.6% to 80% and is manifest since the prodromal stage. Emerging studies suggest that the GM plays a critical role in PD pathophysiology through the gut-brain axis, influencing neuroinflammation, motor deficits, and potentially disease progression. Moreover, therapeutic interventions used for gastrointestinal symptoms might impact the gut microbiome in PD. Transanal irrigation (TAI) has emerged as an effective treatment for neurogenic bowel dysfunction in various neurological conditions. While TAI demonstrates efficacy in managing constipation symptoms, its effects on gut microbiota composition remain largely unexplored in PD patients.