Researchers have found that a specific metabolite produced by the gut microbiota may play a crucial role in modulating Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Studies published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI) suggest that circulating levels of this metabolite, propionate, can affect amyloid burden and glial activation in mouse models of Alzheimer’s.
The study, conducted by Chandra et al., revealed that propionate supplementation lowered peripheral IL-17 levels and suppressed Th17 cell activity. These findings support the idea of targeting the gut/brain/immune axis as a potential therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment.
The results of this research provide hope for future interventions involving microbiome-based or immunological approaches to combat dementia.
Source: https://www.jci.org/articles/view/194443/figure/1