Alzheimer’s: Low gut bacteria count may be a symptom of the disease, according to research

Researchers at the University of Washington in the United States have observed a change in the gut microbiome of patients with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. The research, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, opens the door to more research in this area.

neurodegenerative diseases like alzheimer’s diseaseamong others, it may have silent onsets, show few symptoms, and are often mistaken for symptoms of other diseases.

However, some specific signs and symptoms may be helpful in the differential diagnosis and improve the response time between symptom onset, diagnosis and treatment. This, in some cases, prevents rapid progression of the disease, increasing life expectancy and quality.

Aiming to improve the diagnosis, several researchers have observed possible relationships between the behavior of our cells and the microorganisms present in our bodies. This time, the scientists found a correlation between a decrease in the diversity of the gut microbiome and the preclinical manifestations of Alzheimer’s.

Preclinical manifestations are those in which the patient already has abnormalities on tests and examinations, such as accumulation of Tau and ß-amyloid proteins, but does not yet have symptoms such as memory problems, instability, and disorientation.

The research was carried out with 164 male participants aged between 68 and 94 years. None of the participants had cognitive impairment. However, 65 had preclinical signs of Alzheimer’s.

They were followed through 2019-2021 and passed imaging tests and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, as well as collecting stool samples. When analyzed, stool samples from participants with symptoms of illness were less rich in bacteria, primarily the bacillus of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.

For the team, they believe this may be another tool to break the tie in differential diagnosis, although the study didn’t show a robust relationship between gut health and Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Therefore, the study opens a new window of research into gut-brain axis relationships, trying to learn how they are related. In the future, with this understanding, the development of faster and more effective treatments for these and other diseases for which there is no cure yet can be established.