Research continues to demonstrate the many ways the gut microbiome can influence human health. Australian scientists recently established a clear genetic link between it and Alzheimer’s disease.
A pivotal study
Conducted by researchers at Edith-Cowan University and published in the journal Communications Biologythis landmark study comprehensively explored the genetic link between Alzheimer’s disease and various intestinal disorders. To do this, its authors studied genetic data from pan-genomic studies involving hundreds of thousands of subjects.
This analysis has enabled the identification of common genes in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and intestinal disorders. According to the team, such genetic overlap suggests potential common causes: the researchers were able to identify biological pathways “ significantly enriched » in genes linked to the two pathologies, where cholesterol seemed to play a central role.
It had previously been shown that hypercholesterolemia can increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, increasing cholesterol levels in the brain and promoting the growth of beta-amyloid proteins, linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Previous research had also suggested that it promotes intestinal disorders, and that certain bacteria in the gut microbiota caused or even aggravated these effects through chronic inflammation.
” Examination of the genetic and biological characteristics common to Alzheimer’s disease and these intestinal disorders indicate an important role for lipid metabolism, the immune system and cholesterol-lowering drugs “Said Emmanuel Adewuyi, lead author of the new study. “ There is evidence that hypercholesterolemia can affect the central nervous system, and various observations suggest that abnormal blood lipid levels may be caused or promoted by H. pylori. »
Results promising to improve the detection and treatment of these conditions
Although more research is needed to identify and understand the full mechanisms involved, scientists believe that cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins could potentially be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease and bowel disorders. The study also presents new markers that clinicians could use to detect this form of dementia early.
” This work sheds new light on the genetics behind the observed co-occurrence between Alzheimer’s disease and intestinal disorders “says Adewuyi. ” This improves our understanding of the causes of these conditions and suggests new ways to screen for and treat both types of conditions.. »
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