People in the earliest stage of Alzheimer's disease, prior to the onset of cognitive symptoms, have a different assortment of bacteria in their intestines than healthy individuals, a study has found.
The research opens up the possibility of using gut bacterial analysis to identify those at higher risk of developing dementia and to design treatments that alter the microbiome to prevent cognitive decline.
“We don’t yet know whether the gut is influencing the brain or the brain is influencing the gut, but this association is valuable to know in either case,” said co-corresponding author Gautam Dantas, Conan Professor of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri.
Dr Dantas pointed out that there are two main possibilities.
One is that the changes in the gut microbiome are a reflection of pathological changes in the brain.
The alternative is that the gut microbiome contributes to Alzheimer's disease, and that changing it might alter the disease's course.
The idea of examining the gut microbiome's connection to Alzheimer's originated from a casual conversation between Dr Dantas and Beau M Ances, the Daniel J Brennan Professor of Neurology, during a children's football game.
Dr Ances, who studies and treats Alzheimer's patients, spoke with Dr Dantas, an expert on the gut microbiome, about the lack of research into the gut microbiomes of people in the pre-symptomatic phase of Alzheimer's.
“By the time people have cognitive symptoms, there are significant changes that are often irreversible,” Dr Ances explained.
However, if someone is diagnosed very early in the disease process, therapeutic intervention can be more effective.
During the study, the team evaluated participants who volunteered at the Charles F and Joanne Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Centre at Washington University.
To identify those in the early stage of Alzheimer's, they looked for signs of amyloid beta and tau accumulation using brain scans and cerebrospinal fluid.
They found that about a third of the 164 participants showed signs of early Alzheimer's.
Their analysis revealed significant differences in gut bacteria between healthy people and those with preclinical Alzheimer's, regardless of a largely similar diet.
The differences, which correlated with amyloid and tau levels, did not correlate with neurodegeneration, suggesting their potential use as early Alzheimer's screening tools.
According to Dr Ances, using the gut microbiome as a screening tool is advantageous due to its simplicity and accessibility.
Dr Ances envisions a future where people can provide a stool sample to assess their risk of developing Alzheimer's, an approach that would be less invasive and more accessible than brain scans or spinal taps.
The team has initiated a five-year follow-up study to determine whether these differences in gut microbiome are a cause or a result of the brain changes seen in early Alzheimer's.
Dr Dantas noted that if a causative link is found, it could likely be inflammatory.
“Bacteria are these amazing chemical factories, and some of their metabolites affect inflammation in the gut or even get into the bloodstream, where they can influence the immune system all over the body,” he said.
“All of this is speculative at this point, but if it turns out that there is a causal link, we can start thinking about whether promoting ‘good’ bacteria or getting rid of ‘bad’ bacteria could slow down or even stop the development of symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease.”
The research was carried out by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine and was published in Science Translational Medicine.
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
MATCH DETAILS
Juventus 2 (Bonucci 36, Ronaldo 90 6)
Genoa 1 (Kouame 40)
More from our neighbourhood series:
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Milkman by Anna Burns
Ordinary People by Diana Evans
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
