The Prospects for Treating Neurodegenerative Conditions by Modifying the Gut Microbiome – Fight Aging!
The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in regulating host immunity and metabolism, and changes in its composition have been linked to age-related neurological diseases (NDs). Preclinical studies have shown that gut microbiota-targeted therapies can improve behavioral outcomes by modulating microbial, metabolomic, and immunological profiles. This review discusses the pathways of brain-to-gut or gut-to-brain signaling and explores the role of the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites across the lifespan and in disease. Recent studies investigating microbial changes with aging, the impact of maternal microbiome aging on offspring health, and the contribution of the microbiome to chronic age-related diseases and acute brain injury are highlighted. Furthermore, the potential of making significant, lasting changes to the gut microbiome, such as through fecal microbiota transplant using a young donor, has been demonstrated in animal studies. This has the potential to restore a more youthful balance of populations, improve health, and extend lifespan.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2024.2302801
