Probiotic Supplementation in Patients with Alzheimer’s Dementia - An Explorative Intervention Study

Title:Probiotic Supplementation in Patients with Alzheimer’s Dementia - An Explorative Intervention Study

Volume: 15 Issue: 12

Author(s): Friedrich Leblhuber, Kostja Steiner, Burkhard Schuetz, Dietmar Fuchs*Johanna M. Gostner

Affiliation:

• Division of Biological Chemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck,Austria

Keywords: Gut microbiota, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, probiotics, neopterin, brain-gut axis, neuroinflammation, Alzheimer`s disease, dementia.

Abstract: Background: Dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota in the elderly can cause a leaky gut, which may result in silent systemic inflammation and promote neuroinflammation - a relevant pathomechanism in the early course of Alzheimer’s disease.

Objective: The rebalancing of the microbiome could benefically impact on gut inflammation and immune activation.

Methods: In this study, routine laboratory tests in twenty outpatients (9 females, 11 males, aged 76.7 ± 9.6 years) with Alzheimer’s disease were investigated. The mean Mini Mental State Examination score was 18.5 ± 7.7. Biomarkers of immune activation – serum neopterin and tryptophan breakdown - as well as gut inflammation markers and microbiota composition in fecal specimens were analyzed in 18 patients before and after probiotic supplementation for 4 weeks.

Results: After treatment a decline of fecal zonulin concentrations and an increase in Faecalibacterium prausnitzii compared to baseline were observed. At the same time, serum kynurenine concentrations increased (p <0.05). Delta values (before - after) of neopterin and the kynurenine to tryptophan ratios (Kyn/Trp) correlated significantly (p <0.05).

Conclusion: Results show that the supplementation of Alzheimer’s disease patients with a multispecies probiotic influences gut bacteria composition as well as tryptophan metabolism in serum. The correlation between Kyn/Trp and neopterin concentrations points to the activation of macrophages and/or dendritic cells. Further studies are warranted to dissect the potential consequences of Probiotic supplementation in the course of Alzheimer’s disease.

Cite this article as:

Leblhuber Friedrich , Steiner Kostja , Schuetz Burkhard , Fuchs Dietmar *, Gostner M. Johanna , Probiotic Supplementation in Patients with Alzheimer’s Dementia - An Explorative Intervention Study, Current Alzheimer Research 2018; 15 (12) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389200219666180813144834