A new study suggests a way of early diagnosis of this disease, when it is possible to intervene to slow down its evolution.
The very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease can be difficult to detect. Changes in the brain can begin a decade or more before any memory or thinking problems appear.
Recent research on the gut microbiome suggests a new way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease early, when treatment may be most effective.
Alzheimer’s: the link between this disease and gut health
A study published in June in Science Translational Medicine found that people in the early stages of the disease, who show no outward signs of decline, have a different composition of microbes in their intestines compared to healthy people.
“Previous studies have shown that the gut microbiome of people with clinical Alzheimer’s disease [atunci cand afectarea memoriei si a cognitiei este evidenta] it is different from that of cognitively healthy people. We asked ourselves how early in the evolution of Alzheimer’s disease these differences in the intestinal microbiome can be detected – and the answer is quite early. The potential utility of the microbiome in the early detection of preclinical Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s risk is supported by these results,” says the study’s lead author, Aurora Ferreiro, PhD, postdoctoral research associate at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
For this analysis, 164 cognitively normal participants, aged between 68 and 94 years, were examined by PET and MRI brain scans and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. The researchers looked for clumps of amyloid beta and tau proteins, which are considered to be the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease even in preclinical stages.
Almost a third (49) showed these signs of early Alzheimer’s.
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Analyzing the stool samples, the researchers discovered that, although all the subjects followed basically the same diet (according to their answers to the dietary questionnaires), those with beta amyloid and tau accumulations had distinctly different gut bacteria than their “healthy” counterparts. Dr. Ferreiro notes that his team identified seven species of bacteria that “they significantly improved our ability to predict whether or not an individual had preclinical Alzheimer’s.”
She emphasizes that the research team does not claim that certain bacteria increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. The findings only indicate a link between the composition of the gut microbiome and Alzheimer’s.
If the results are validated by further studies, Ferreiro sees potential for using gut microbiome tests to determine a person’s risk of developing dementia.
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A co-author of the study, Beau Ances, MD, PhD, professor of neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, envisions a time when people may be able to provide a stool sample and find out if they are at increased risk of developing of Alzheimer’s.
“It would be much easier and less invasive and more accessible for a large part of the population, especially for underrepresented groups, compared to brain scans or bone marrow sampling,” said Dr. Ances in a press release.
At this time, it is impossible to say whether the microbial changes in the gut are a result of Alzheimer’s disease or whether these changes could influence the disease itself.
Since the participants in this investigation had practically the same diet, no conclusion could be drawn regarding the fact that the diet could have an impact on the risk of dementia.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, early diagnosis gives a patient a better chance of benefiting from various treatments, including medications and lifestyle changes, such as controlling blood pressure, quitting smoking, exercising more, and staying active. mental and social point of view.
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“One could speculate that if one can identify a diet that moves these markers of the microbiome in a positive way, then it could be beneficial, but this is way beyond what the study tells us,” says Damman.
Regarding future research, the authors of the study launched a five-year follow-up investigation, designed to find out whether the differences in the gut microbiome are a cause or a result of the brain changes observed at the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease.
To date, there is no evidence that eating or avoiding a certain food can prevent Alzheimer’s disease or age-related cognitive decline, according to the National Institute on Aging. But the organization mentions that what we eat could affect the aging brain’s ability to think and remember. The Alzheimer’s Society indicates that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and grains and low in red meat and sugar helps reduce the risk of dementia.
2023-08-16 04:26:16
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