This post relates to the current threads on thiamine and faecal transplants.

The underlying paper being reported here is by Scheperjans et al. [1].

In addition to an association between low levels of prevotellaceae and a PD diagnosis, it shows within PwP that there is an association between low levels of prevotellaceae and high UPDRS-III total score. (Note: a low UPDRS score is good.)

It would be nice if the UPDRS-III score measured the underlying state of the disease, slowly getting worse as the disease develops. But, in fact, for many people it varies from minute to minute as the symptoms wax and wane influenced by their medications.

It is not known what the causal process is. It could be that low levels of prevotellaceae leads to poor symptomatic control, or that the Parkinson's medication leads to this state. But, but it could be that poor symptomatic control is caused by low levels of prevotellaceae. If this is the case, it would be worth investigating how to safely increase prevotellaceae levels.

Reference

[1] "Gut Microbiota Are Related to Parkinson’s Disease and Clinical Phenotype"
Filip Scheperjans, 2014
I can't get a url, but a Google search leads to a pdf.

John