Two studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Research UK conference backed evidence of a link with brain health.
A team from King’s College London who analysed blood samples of nearly 140 people found a distinct gut bacterial make-up in Alzheimer’s sufferers, as well as more signs of inflammation.
The King’s team found brain stem cells treated with blood from people with Alzheimer’s were less able to grow new nerve cells than those given blood from healthy people.
It suggests inflammation associated with gut bacteria could affect the brain via the blood.
Professor Yvonne Nolan of University College Cork, Ireland, found rats given gut bacteria from people with Alzheimer’s performed worse in memory tests, grew fewer nerve cells and had more brain inflammation.
Prof Nolan said: “Our findings suggest symptoms of Alzheimer’s may, in part, be caused by abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract.”
