There are some 250 symptoms associated with celiac disease/ gluten sensitivity, and can affect essentially any organ in the body~ skin, brain, nerves. So... hard to give a comprehensive list.

Here is one fairly comprehensive listing of symptoms.

The most commonly recognized symptoms are GI symptoms (diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, GI bleeding, malabsorption).

More common neurological symptoms include neuropathy, ataxia, seizures, cognitive decline, depression. It can also cause neuromuscular symptoms and movement disorders. You can have neurological symptoms with or without having GI symptoms.


From: Neurologic Manifestations of Gastrointestinal Disease by Mark B. Skeen, MD, Neurologic Clinics, Volume 20, Number 1, February 2002

"Neurologic disease associated with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease includes a wide range of manifestations:

Central nervous system (CNS) manifestations include dementia, cerebellar ataxia, myelopathy, encephalopathy, brain stem encephalitis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy,chronic, progressive leukoencephalopathy, progressive myoclonic ataxia, seizures, isolated CNS vasculitis, and a syndrome of celiac disease with encephalopathy and bilateral occipital calcifications.”

“Several reports document the existence of peripheral neuropathy in association with celiac disease.”


How does it relate to Parkinson's Disease? I'm not sure I've seen any hard evidence, although I do see the question arise from time to time. The neurological symptoms of gluten sensitivity are diverse and just starting to be recognized... the connection might be one of potential misdiagnosis in some cases?

There is also the possible zonulin / BBB connection. Zonulin regulates the tight junctions of the intestinal barrier, and the blood brain barrier. It has been shown that those with celiac disease, diabetes, MS, and some other autoimmune diseases have higher levels of zonulin. It has also been shown that the ingestion of gluten actually leads to increased zonulin levels in all people....possibly leading to "leaky gut" and "leaky brain".

Affinity purification and partial characterization of the zonulin/zonula occludens toxin (Zot) receptor from human brain.
PMID: 10617135 Jan 2000

When the finely tuned trafficking of macromolecules is dysregulated in genetically susceptible individuals, both intestinal and extraintestinal autoimmune disorders can occur. This new paradigm subverts traditional theories underlying the development of autoimmunity, which are based on molecular mimicry and/or the bystander effect, and suggests that the autoimmune process can be arrested if the interplay between genes and environmental triggers is prevented by re-establishing intestinal barrier function.
Mechanisms of disease: the role of intestinal barrier function in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases. PMID: 16265432 Sept 2005


CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, we concluded that gliadin activates zonulin signaling irrespective of the genetic expression of autoimmunity, leading to increased intestinal permeability to macromolecules.
Gliadin, zonulin and gut permeability: Effects on celiac and non-celiac intestinal mucosa and intestinal cell lines. PMID: 16635908 April 2006

There is, however, growing evidence that the loss of the intestinal barrier function typical of celiac disease could be responsible of the onset of other autoimmune disease. This concept implies that the autoimmune response can be theoretically stopped and perhaps reversed if the interplay between autoimmune predisposing genes and trigger(s) is prevented or eliminated by a prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Systemic autoimmune disorders in celiac disease. PMID: 17053448 Nov 2006


Sorry... still gave you a lot to read~

Cara