The past couple of years have been incredible for Alzheimer’s research with experts seemingly getting closer to the truth of how Alzheimer’s is developed, and, crucially, how it can be prevented.
Now, researchers have revealed that the gut health link to Alzheimer’s is becoming more apparent with gut inflammation being tied to an increased risk of developing the neurodegenerative disease.
69 humans with Alzheimer’s disease and 64 healthy humans donated blood for research with some also providing gut microbiota via stool samples.
The gut microbiota from Alzheimer’s patients was then transplanted into 16 young adult rats whose microbiomes had been depleted by antibiotics for a week. A matching group of 16 rats received gut microbiota from humans in the healthy control group.
The researchers found that Alzheimer’s could be given to young rats through a transfer of gut microbes, confirming a link between the digestive system and the health of the brain.
Lead researcher Yvonne Nolan said: “People with Alzheimer’s are typically diagnosed at or after the onset of cognitive symptoms, which may be too late, at least for current therapeutic approaches.
“Understanding the role of gut microbes during prodromal – or early stage- dementia, before the potential onset of symptoms may open avenues for new therapy development, or even individualised intervention.”
Professor Sandrine Thuret, Professor of Neuroscience at King’s College London and one of the study’s senior authors said: “Alzheimer’s is an insidious condition that there is yet no effective treatment for. This study represents an important step forward in our understanding of the disease, confirming that the make-up of our gut microbiota has a causal role in the development of the disease.
“This collaborative research has laid the groundwork for future research into this area, and my hope is that it will lead to potential advances in therapeutic interventions.”
Here’s hoping there are more developments soon.
