The Gut a New Therapeutic Target for Brain Disorders?
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Changes in the mucus that lines the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may contribute to bacterial imbalance in the gut and exacerbate core symptoms of autism, Parkinson disease (PD), Alzheimer disease (AD), and multiple sclerosis (MS), new research suggests.
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@satyajit Neurologic and GI disorders often coexist. Gut disorders are often associated with and precede core symptoms of autism, PD, AD, and MS, yet the exact causes are unclear. The review of 113 neurologic, gut, and microbiology studies by Hill-Yardin and colleagues points to a common thread ― changes in gut mucus. In all of four neurologic disorders, there is evidence of altered levels of mucosa-associated bacterial species, the authors report. For example, a recent study involving patients with AD who also had symptoms indicative of inflammatory bowel syndrome showed an association between dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance, and an increase in mucolytic bacteria. Similarly, stool samples from AD patients have shown an increase in proinflammatory bacteria and a decrease in anti-inflammatory bacteria. Previous research has shown that microbial dysbiosis in patients with AD causes an increase in gut permeability, which may lead to systemic inflammation and impair the blood-brain barrier, the researchers note.