• Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
Podcast
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
24/7 Health News
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

Microbiome: certain gut microbes may warn of Alzheimer’s disease long before the first symptoms begin

June 20, 2023
in Article
0
Microbiome: certain gut microbes may warn of Alzheimer’s disease long before the first symptoms begin
file 20230620 27 veiebv

sfam_photo/Shutterstock

What if the microbes in your gut could act as an early warning system, alerting you that you could be developing Alzheimer’s disease? This might sound improbable, but recent research has found certain microbes are more common in those with very early signs of the disease, pointing to a potential new method of diagnosis for a disease that affects millions worldwide.

The gut microbiome is the collection of microbes, which include bacteria, viruses and fungi, in the gut. Having diverse populations of microbes is thought to be important for our overall health. However, in certain circumstances, the gut microbiome can also contain microbes that are harmful to our health.

In Alzheimer’s, two proteins, known as amyloid-beta and tau, accumulate abnormally in the brain. Their presence results in the characteristic memory loss and cognitive decline associated with the disease, with symptoms becoming progressively worse with time.

It’s known that amyloid-beta and tau begin to accumulate long before the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms. It’s at this stage (known as the “preclinical stage”) that the researchers saw changes in the gut microbiome.

The researchers found distinct differences in the gut microbiome profiles of older people with and without signs of preclinical Alzheimer’s. In those with signs of preclinical Alzheimer’s, the differences in the gut microbiome appeared to be connected to the accumulation of amyloid-beta and tau proteins in the brain.

Doctors currently rely on the results of various diagnostic tests to assess whether someone may have preclinical Alzheimer’s. The researchers combined these results with their participant’s gut microbiome data and put it into a machine learning algorithm, a computer program that can make predictions based on the data that you give it

They found that including the gut microbiome data improved the algorithm’s ability to diagnose preclinical Alzheimer’s accurately. This remained the case even when not all the diagnostic test data was included.

Some of the diagnostic tests for preclinical Alzheimer’s may be unpleasant, such as a lumbar puncture, or rely on expensive imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, access to which is known to be unequal globally.

Person receiving a lumbar puncture.
Current diagnostic methods, such as the lumbar puncture, are invasive and unpleasant.
Casa nayafana/Shutterstock

The idea of analysing a person’s gut microbiome, which only requires a stool (poo) sample, to assess their risk of developing the disease is appealing. It would offer a non-invasive, more accessible way of identifying those at risk of developing Alzheimer’s at an earlier stage, allowing them more time to plan and prepare for the future.

It should be noted, however, that the improvement found by the study in predicting preclinical Alzheimer’s by including the gut microbiome data was quite modest. So, while analysing gut microbiome data might complement existing methods for diagnosing preclinical Alzheimer’s, it can’t replace them just yet.

Curious finding

Unexpectedly, some of the species found to be associated with signs of preclinical Alzheimer’s have previously been thought to be beneficial for human health. One of those identified is a bacteria known as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii), which, in a previous study, was found to be more common in the gut microbiome of people without Alzheimer’s compared to those with the disease.

It’s unclear why what are considered to be potentially beneficial microbes were associated with those with symptoms of preclinical Alzheimer’s, as opposed to those who were cognitively healthy.

One explanation might be the stage of the disease. It’s important to recognise that not everyone who has signs of preclinical Alzheimer’s will go on to develop Alzheimer’s itself. There may be changes to the gut microbiome that happen in later stages of the disease, such as the loss of F. prausnitzii.

While it might be tempting to conclude that the gut microbes identified as being associated with signs of preclinical Alzheimer’s are also contributing to developing the disease, the study does not provide any evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship.

However, if a connection can be established, it opens up an exciting possibility that future treatments for Alzheimer’s might target the microbes in our gut.

The Conversation

Catherine Purse does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

ShareTweetSharePin
Previous Post

Saving lives from extreme heat: Lessons from the deadly 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave

Next Post

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever – why this tick-borne virus could become more common in richer countries

Next Post
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever – why this tick-borne virus could become more common in richer countries

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever – why this tick-borne virus could become more common in richer countries

Most Read

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

December 15, 2022
morning back pain

Morning Again Ache Trigger Is Not the Mattress

October 11, 2021
lower back pain relief exercises

5 decrease again ache aid workouts

October 11, 2021
3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

October 15, 2021
bleeding in gum

When The Bleeding in gum Is Severe ?

October 11, 2021
Good Night Sleep

6 Causes of Good Evening Sleep

October 11, 2021
Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

December 14, 2022

COVID vaccines: how one can pace up rollout in poorer international locations

October 5, 2021
Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

October 12, 2021
Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

January 3, 2023
Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

December 1, 2021
Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

December 16, 2021

Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study

October 12, 2021
The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

January 4, 2022
As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

December 14, 2022
News of war can impact your mental health — here’s how to cope

Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know

December 2, 2022
GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

December 16, 2022
Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

December 22, 2022
Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

November 29, 2021
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

July 6, 2022
Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

December 30, 2022
How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

October 24, 2021
Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

December 2, 2022
Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why

Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why

October 12, 2022
How the relationships we have with plants contribute to human health in many ways

How the relationships we have with plants contribute to human health in many ways

October 29, 2021

10 Things I Learned During My Body Transformation

October 12, 2021
Chronic pain: An invisible disease whose sufferers are unfairly stigmatized

Chronic pain: An invisible disease whose sufferers are unfairly stigmatized

December 22, 2022
Better sleep for kids starts with better sleep for parents – especially after holiday disruptions to routines

Better sleep for kids starts with better sleep for parents – especially after holiday disruptions to routines

December 27, 2022
Too hot to handle: Climate considerations for youth sport during the hottest years on record

Too hot to handle: Climate considerations for youth sport during the hottest years on record

July 19, 2022
How to keep your pets safe in a heatwave

How to keep your pets safe in a heatwave

July 15, 2022
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS

  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS