Objective: The primary objective of this project is to evaluate the effect of long administered gluten-free diet (GFD) on motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The secondary aim is to evaluate effects of GFD on autonomic symptoms, cognition and elementary biochemical parameters. We share the initial safety and efficacy data of the first 11 patients after 6 months on GFD or standard diet.

Background: Chronic inflammation in the intestine is strongly associated with PD¹ and pro-inflammatory immune activity has been shown to increase levels of α-synuclein in the gut and the brain². The GFD is associated with lower inflammatory properties compared to the standard diet³.

Method: The GFD was administrated to 6 PD patients (2 males and 4 females, age 60.1±8.2 years, disease duration 5.8±3.5, BMI 27.7±1.4). The control group involved 5 patients (5 females, age 60.0±7.2, disease duration 6.8±4.0, BMI 27.3±2.0) on the standard diet. We compared the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Score (MDS-UPDRS) score I. II, III, IV and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores before and 6 months after diet application in both groups. We checked changes, and values ​​of glycemia, glycated hemoglobin and parameters of the lipid spectrum in both groups of patients as well. Wilcoxon sign-rank test was used to compare differences at baseline and follow-up.

Results: The first results showed the safety and tolerability of the GFD as well as the good compliance of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Although this dataset represents a small sample of patients in a short period on the diet for statistical analysis, initial longitudinal results show a trend of improvement in MDS-UPDRS II (p = 0.07), MoCA (p = 0.06) test, and significant reduction in serum triglycerides (p = 0.03) in treated group whereas no significant change in these variables were observed for untreated group.

Conclusion: Gluten-free diet as an option to reduce inflammation in the intestine is safe and well tolerated in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Longer follow-up of more subjects is needed to verify the indicated trends in improvement of MDS-UPDRS II and MoCA scores and reduction of serum triglyceride level.

Supported by Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, grant nr. NU21-04-00443.  All rights reserved.

References: 1. Mulak A et al. World Journal of Gastroenterology: WJG 2015;21:10609.
2. Houser MC et al. npj Parkinson’s Disease 2017;3:3.
3. Funda DP et al. Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews 1999;15:323-327

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/gluten-free-diet-in-parkinsons-disease-patients-feasibility-safety-and-preliminary-results/