They also carried a variant of the human APOE gene, a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's. The mice were genetically modified to express a mutant form of the human brain protein tau, which builds up and causes damage to neurons and atrophy of their brains by 9 months of age. To determine whether the gut microbiome may be playing a causal role, the researchers altered the gut microbiomes of mice predisposed to develop Alzheimer's-like brain damage and cognitive impairment. But it isn't clear whether these differences are the cause or the result of the disease - or both - and what effect altering the microbiome might have on the course of the disease. "What's exciting is that manipulating the gut microbiome could be a way to have an effect on the brain without putting anything directly into the brain."Įvidence is accumulating that the gut microbiomes in people with Alzheimer's disease can differ from those of healthy people. Morriss III Distinguished Professor of Neurology. Holtzman, MD, the Barbara Burton and Reuben M. "We gave young mice antibiotics for just a week, and we saw a permanent change in their gut microbiomes, their immune responses, and how much neurodegeneration related to a protein called tau they experienced with age," said senior author David M. 13 in the journal Science, open up the possibility of reshaping the gut microbiome as a way to prevent or treat neurodegeneration. The study, in mice, found that gut bacteria - partly by producing compounds such as short chain fatty acids - affect the behavior of immune cells throughout the body, including ones in the brain that can damage brain tissue and exacerbate neurodegeneration in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |