Gastrointestinal Features of Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are among the most common nonmotor manifestations of Parkinson's disease (PD), and they have many important ramifications for patients. The purpose of this review is to raise awareness of the full spectrum of GI symptoms in PD which include weight loss, sialorrhea, dysphagia, nausea, constipation, and defecatory dysfunction. We will discuss their practical significance, and outline a clear approach to their evaluation and management. A brief discussion about the impacts of commonly used medical and surgical PD therapies on GI symptom manifestation is also included.

Enteric Dysfunctions in Experimental Parkinsons Disease: Alterations of Excitatory Cholinergic Neurotransmission Regulating Colonic Motility in Rats

“…PD is associated with alterations of gut motor functions (Cloud and Greene, 2011;Pfeiffer, 2011;Pellegrini et al, 2015), which have been proposed to result both from an early Fig. 5.…”

“…PD is also associated with gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility, including dysphagia, constipation, and defecatory disorder, which contribute to PD morbidity (Braak et al, 2006;Cloud and Greene, 2011;Pellegrini et al, 2015).…”

Gastrointestinal manifestations in Parkinson’s disease: prevalence and occurrence before motor symptoms

“…Drooling: feeling of excessive saliva in the mouth [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Dysphagia: difficulty swallowing solids, liquids or saliva, with or without chocking [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Heartburn: burning sensation in the chest behind the sternum, usually occurring shortly after eating lasting a few minutes to several hours.…”

“…Heartburn: burning sensation in the chest behind the sternum, usually occurring shortly after eating lasting a few minutes to several hours. This burning sensation may travel up to the throat [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Bloating and early satiety: postprandial discomfort manifested by sensation of stomach fullness, inability to finish a meal or abdominal distention [12][13][14][15][16][17][18].…”

“…Whereas GIS are well recognized non-motor manifestations of PD [12][13][14][15][16] only a few studies have explored their prevalence [17][18][19][20][21][22]. However, none of the questionnaires employed in these previous studies addressed the issue of timing of appearance of GIS in relationship to the onset of motor symptoms.…”