The exact causes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are unknown. However, recent research has identified a connection between it and gut microbiota. One study specifically found that AD sufferers have a less diverse gut microbiome. Similar bacterial changes have been associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes, which are both risk factors for AD. The connection between the gut and AD points to therapeutic targets for the disease. An anti-inflammatory diet rich in probiotics may have preventive benefits. A more daring approach could involve fecal microbiota transplants from healthy, younger individuals to the elderly.
Key Takeaways:
- Alzheimer’s is thought to result from an improper buildup of amyloid-beta proteins within the brain.
- Alzheimer’s patients have been found in studies to have less gut microbiome diversity and richness.
- There is some interesting research being done on whether probiotics or even fecal transplants could help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms.
“The disorder affects 4.4 percent of people over the age of 65 and 9.7 percent of those over the age of 70; the numbers roughly double every 5 years over the age of 65”