Buty and the beast: the complex role of butyrate in Parkinson’s disease

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid produced by gut microbes during the fermentation of dietary fiber. However, gut microbial composition and metabolic activity are altered in the setting of Parkinson’s disease, likely playing a role in the disease’s onset and progression. This review summarizes the evidence linking gut microbial perturbations, butyrate, and Parkinson’s disease and presents potential strategies for targeting butyrate production to treat the disease.