Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders, yet the contribution of gut microbes remains incompletely understood. To address this gap, Japanese researchers examined the role of gut microbiota in constipation among patients with Parkinson's disease (n=231) and chronic idiopathic constipation (n=54) and compared them with 147 healthy controls. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, the authors identified increased abundance of two mucin-degrading commensals — Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron — in constipated individuals. Reduced fecal mucin content was also observed, suggesting impaired mucus barrier integrity.
In gnotobiotic mouse models, neither bacterium alone induced constipation. However, co-colonization with both organisms resulted in reduced fecal mucin, decreased stool moisture, and a clear constipation phenotype. Mechanistically, cooperative…
