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Credit: Josh Hawkins/UNLV

Could changing your diet play a role in slowing or even preventing the development of dementia? Were one step closer to finding out, thanks to a new UNLV study that bolsters the long-suspected link between gut health and Alzheimers disease.

The analysis led by a team of researchers with the Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine (NIPM) at UNLV and published this spring in the Nature journalScientific Reports examined data from dozens of past studies into the belly-brain connection. The results? Theres a strong link between particular kinds of gut bacteria and Alzheimers disease.

Between 500 and 1,000 species of bacteria exist in the human gut at any one time, and the amount and diversity of these microorganisms can be influenced by genetics and diet.

The UNLV teams analysis found a significant correlation between 10 specific types of gut bacteria and the likelihood of developing Alzheimers disease. Six categories of bacteria Adlercreutzia, Eubacterium nodatum group, Eisenbergiella, Eubacterium fissicatena group, Gordonibacter,andPrevotella9 were identified as protective, and four types of bacteria Collinsella, Bacteroides, Lachnospira,andVeillonella were identified as a risk factor for Alzheimers disease.

Certain bacteria in humans guts can secrete acids and toxins that thin and seep through the intestinal lining, interact with theAPOE(a gene identified as a major risk factor for Alzheimers disease), and trigger a neuroinflammatory response affecting brain health and numerous immune functions, and potentially promoting development of the neurodegenerative disorder.

Researchers said their novel discovery of the distinct bacterial groups associated with Alzheimers disease provides new insights into the relationship between gut microbiota and the worlds most common form of dementia. The findings also advance scientists understanding of how an imbalance of that bacteria may play a role in the disorders development.

Most of the microorganisms in our intestines are considered good bacteria that promote health, but an imbalance of those bacteria can be toxic to a persons immune system and linked to various diseases, such as depression, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimers disease, said UNLV research professorJingchun Chen. The take-home message here is that your genes not only determine whether you have a risk for a disease, but they can also influence the abundance of bacteria in your gut.

While their analysis established overarching categories of bacteria typically associated with Alzheimers disease, the UNLV team said further research is needed to drill down into the specific bacterial species that influence risk or protection.

The hope is to one day develop treatments that are customized for an individual patient and their genetic makeup, such as medications or lifestyle change. Studies have shown that changes in gut microbiome through probiotic use and dietary adjustments can positively impact the immune system, inflammation, and even brain function.

With more research it would be possible to identify a genetic trajectory that could point to a gut microbiome that would be more or less prone to developing diseases such as Alzheimers, said study lead author and UNLV graduate student Davis Cammann, but we also have to remember that the gut biome is influenced by many factors including lifestyle and diet.

Genetic correlations between Alzheimers disease and gut microbiome generawas published this spring inScientific Reports.

In addition to faculty, undergraduate, and graduate student researchers from NIPM, scientists from the UNLV College of Sciences, UNLV School of Dental Medicine, UNLV School of Integrated Health Sciences Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Columbia University, and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston contributed to the study.

Scientific Reports

Meta-analysis

Cells

Genetic correlations between Alzheimers disease and gut microbiome genera

31-Mar-2023

The authors declare no competing interests.

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