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Review
. 2024 Jan 31;16(3):412.
doi: 10.3390/nu16030412.

The Role of Diet and Gut Microbiota in Alzheimer's Disease

D M Sithara Dissanayaka  1   2 , Vijay Jayasena  3 , Stephanie R Rainey-Smith  1   2   4 , Ralph N Martins  1   2   5 , W M A D Binosha Fernando  1   2
Affiliations
Review

The Role of Diet and Gut Microbiota in Alzheimer's Disease

D M Sithara Dissanayaka et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia, is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau tangles. Currently, Alzheimer's disease (AD) impacts 50 million individuals, with projections anticipating an increase to 152 million by the year 2050. Despite the increasing global prevalence of AD, its underlying pathology remains poorly understood, posing challenges for early diagnosis and treatment. Recent research suggests a link between gut dysbiosis and the aggregation of Aβ, the development of tau proteins, and the occurrence of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress are associated with AD. However, investigations into the gut-brain axis (GBA) in the context of AD progression and pathology have yielded inconsistent findings. This review aims to enhance our understanding of microbial diversity at the species level and the role of these species in AD pathology. Additionally, this review addresses the influence of confounding elements, including diet, probiotics, and prebiotics, on AD throughout different stages (preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD) of its progression.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease (AD); dietary components; gut microbiota; gut–brain axis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Findings relating to gut–brain–microbiome interactions (created with BioRender.com, 24 January 2024). ↑ increase ↓ decrease.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dietary pattern interventions to delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (created with BioRender.com). Dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), MIND diet (Mediterranean–DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), and ketogenic diet are associated with improved cognitive, behavioural, and brain function. ↑ increase ↓ decrease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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