By Laurel Lyle | VP-Development Operations
We are now supporting groundbreaking research at Brigham & Women's Hospital. Dr. Laura Cox’s previously funded work found that a 30% reduction in calories consumed, prevented age- and Alzheimer’s-related changes in the gut microbiota of mice, and found that it suppressed a specific bacterium that contributed to beta-amyloid plaque deposition.
This is a promising finding, but calorie restriction could lead to malnutrition in the elderly, highlighting the need for other approaches. There is evidence that the Mediterranean diet, with high polyphenols, high fiber, and high unsaturated fat, decreases Alzheimer’s risk whereas the Western diet, characterized by low fiber, high sugar, and high saturated fat, increases Alzheimer’s risk.
The current project will identify microbes altered by the Mediterranean and Western diets that are linked to amyloid load and memory in an animal model of AD. Furthermore, it will test whether administering a beneficial microbe can improve dietary response. This project may lead to novel ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s by harnessing the metabolic potential of the gut microbiota.
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