The Relationship Between the Gut Microbiome and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurosci Bull. 2021 Oct;37(10):1510-1522. doi: 10.1007/s12264-021-00730-8. Epub 2021 Jul 3.

Abstract

Many recent studies have shown that the gut microbiome plays important roles in human physiology and pathology. Also, microbiome-based therapies have been used to improve health status and treat diseases. In addition, aging and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, have become topics of intense interest in biomedical research. Several researchers have explored the links between these topics to study the potential pathogenic or therapeutic effects of intestinal microbiota in disease. But the exact relationship between neurodegenerative diseases and gut microbiota remains unclear. As technology advances, new techniques for studying the microbiome will be developed and refined, and the relationship between diseases and gut microbiota will be revealed. This article summarizes the known interactions between the gut microbiome and neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting assay techniques for the gut microbiome, and we also discuss the potential therapeutic role of microbiome-based therapies in diseases.

Keywords: 16S rRNA sequencing; Aging; Gut microbiome; Microbiome-based therapies; Multi-omics; Neurodegenerative diseases.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / therapy
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Humans
  • Microbiota*
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases* / therapy
  • Parkinson Disease* / therapy