What is it about?
Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease and the main cause of dementia worldwide. It affects mainly women, as 2/3 of total cases are females. However, it remains unclear why women are more susceptible to this disease. Here, we described cognitive and gut microbiota (GM) alterations in male and female transgenic (Tg) mice of AD compared to control animals.
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Why is it important?
Recent investigations indicate that AD patients show different gut bacteria than healthy subjects. It has been demonstrated that different bacteria residing in the gut affects brain functioning, and GM alterations may be a critical factor associated with AD onset. In this study, we analyzed GM composition in male and female Tg mice and control groups. We found that female control animals carry different gut bacteria than their transgenic counterpart. Moreover, fermented bacterial bio-products associates with better (i.e. butyrate) or worst (i.e. propionate) cognitive performance.
Perspectives
Women´s higher vulnerability to develop dementia after the transition to the menopause has been associated with lack of sex-hormones. However, adverse effects associated with estrogen replacement therapies difficult their use in the general population. Targeting specific gut bacteria or promoting their grow and/or fermentation bio-products are attractive therapeutic strategies to overcome the growing number of dementia cases worldwide.
Claudia Perez-Cruz
CINVESTAV-IPN
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Gut Microbiota Alterations and Cognitive Impairment Are Sexually Dissociated in a Transgenic Mice Model of Alzheimer’s Disease, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, June 2021, IOS Press,
DOI: 10.3233/jad-201367.
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