Gut Microbiota is Altered in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease
Abstract
Previous studies suggest that gut microbiota is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and depression. However, whether the composition and diversity of gut microbiota is altered in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains largely unknown. In the present study, we collected fecal samples from 43 AD patients and 43 age- and gender-matched cognitively normal controls. 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing technique was used to analyze the microbiota composition in feces. The composition of gut microbiota was different between the two groups. Several bacteria taxa in AD patients were different from those in controls at taxonomic levels, such as Bacteroides, Actinobacteria, Ruminococcus, Lachnospiraceae, and Selenomonadales. Our findings suggest that gut microbiota is altered in AD patients and may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD.
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Reduced microbial diversity and taxonomic shifts have been associated with cognitive impairment, suggesting that microbial dysbiosis may contribute to AD via modulation of systemic and neuroinflammatory responses.
“Reduced microbial diversity and taxonomic shifts have been associated with cognitive impairment, suggesting that microbial dysbiosis may contribute to AD via modulation of systemic and neuroinflammatory responses212.”
From Artificial intelligence-driven multi-omics approaches in Alzheimer's disease: Progress, challenges, and future directions (2025) · cites this paper as [212]
Abnormal gut microbiota has been reported in several AD mouse models.
“Abnormal gut microbiota has been reported in several AD mouse models [589, 590].”
From Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (2020) · cites this paper as [590]
Human studies comparing the composition of the GM of elderly participants suffering from cognitive impairment with healthy individuals indicate significant changes in GM composition, specifically an increase in pro-inflammatory taxa and a reduction in anti-inflammatory taxa.
“Human studies comparing the composition of the GM of elderly participants suffering from cognitive impairment with healthy individuals indicate significant changes in GM composition. Specifically, there is an increase in pro-inflammatory taxa and a reduction in anti-inflammatory taxa (104–109).”
From Signalling cognition: The gut microbiota and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (2023) · cites this paper as [107]
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- Authors
- Zhuang, Z.-Q., Shen, L.-L., Li, W.-W., Fu, X., Zeng, F., Gui, L., Lü, Y., Cai, M., Zhu, C., Tan, Y.-L., Zheng, P., Li, H.-Y., Zhu, J., Zhou, H.-D., Bu, X.-L., & Wang, Y.-J.
- Affiliations
- Army Medical University (CN)
- Department of Neurology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- The Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (CN)
- Department of Neurology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, China
- Department of Microbiology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Corresponding author
- Bu, Xian-Le
- Wang, Yan-Jiang
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-05-30
- Volume
- 63
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1337-1346
- ISSN
- 1387-2877 (ISSN-L)
- 1875-8908
- OpenAlex
- W2799884346
- Cited by
- 885
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 80 · 2025: 135 · 2024: 153 · 2023: 132 · 2022: 131 · 2021: 125 · 2020: 76 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 7
- FWCI
- 22.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Alzheimer s Disease (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Keywords
- gut microbiota, Alzheimer's disease
- MeSH terms
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Feces, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Case-Control Studies, Gastrointestinal Tract
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