BEYOND THE SUPPLEMENT SPACE: New Developments In The Field Of Microbiome-Based Interventions In Neurodegenerative Diseases

Dementia resulting from neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) is already among the leading causes of mortality worldwide and is projected to be the third leading cause of death by 2040, being only surpassed by ischemic heart disease and stroke. Faced with this global challenge, initiatives to support healthy aging are being developed worldwide. With their effects on the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA), microbiome-based interventions (probiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics) could play an important role in supporting neurological and cognitive health throughout aging.

The Rosell® Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics (RIMAP) by Lallemand has published a new review of the literature entitled “Leveraging Microbiome-Based Interventions to Improve the Management of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Evidence for Effects Along the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis”. It presents a comprehensive summary of preclinical and clinical evidence for the use of microbiome-based interventions in the management of symptoms and disease progression in five neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs): Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Huntington’s disease.

Sylvie Binda, Research and Development Vice-President at Lallemand Health Solutions and corresponding author of the paper, explained the vision behind this new review: “My motivations to write this review were threefold. First, I wanted to highlight findings from studies conducted with strains that have shown a range of benefits in NDDs. Second, I wanted to show that while the exploration of microbiome-based interventions in NDDs was not a common research topic or a priority 10 years ago, it has become a rapidly growing and evolving field that demonstrates the immense potential of biotics interventions. Lastly, I wanted to suggest that the “next generation probiotics” we hear so much about could also include probiotics that have been known and used for a long time, but that now have new applications at particular doses.”

The microbiota-gut-brain axis, its modulation, and its role in neurodegenerative diseases
This review focuses on the use of microbiome-based interventions as a strategy to modulate the MGBA in NDDs. Recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition, in the research topic “Beyond the Plate: The Role of Diet and the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Neurodegenerative Diseases”, it provides a summary of current knowledge on the MGBA and ways in which it is altered in NDDs. Microbiome-based interventions and their mechanisms of action are reviewed, and important considerations for the design of interventions are discussed to set the stage for the review of research findings.

A growing base of evidence supports the benefits of biotics in Alzheimer’s disease
The review outlines the growing base of preclinical and clinical evidence supporting the use of biotics supplements to modify key biomarkers of brain pathology, inflammation, and metabolic function, and induce positive changes in disease progression and core symptoms. Research on Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most prevalent NDD globally, is more extensive and outlines the positive effects of microbiome-based interventions on general cognition, with preliminary evidence for efficacy in specific cognitive domains. Nevertheless, the review reveals that important clinical areas, such as mental wellbeing, have been overlooked to date. The benefits of probiotics for mental health have been supported by several studies, including randomized controlled trials.

A range of benefits in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases
While the use of microbiome-based supplements for the improvement of gastrointestinal comfort in Parkinson’s disease has received considerable support, studies also provide evidence for their positive effects on several other key aspects of the disease, including mental wellbeing and sleep quality. However, the investigation of effects on core motor symptoms and cognition remains scarce.
Research on other NDDs included in the review is still in its early days, but evidence available so far is promising and motivates the pursuit of further studies on microbiome-based interventions in these conditions.

Exciting developments in research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
The Rosell® Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics has an ongoing  collaboration with researchers at the Université de Montréal to study the effects of probiotics in a model organism of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worms with a genetic mutation that induces ALS-like symptoms were fed different probiotic strains to assess their effects on the disease.  Results showed that the probiotic exerted neuroprotective effects and restored motor function in C. elegans worms that were fed this probiotic.  

About the Rosell Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics
The Rosell® Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics (RIMAP) is the research center of Lallemand Health Solutions, a global leader in the probiotic industry that specializes in developing and producing scientifically supported bacteria- and yeast-based supplements for human health. The RIMAP is a pioneer in microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) research and remains focused on the significant scientific documentation of its probiotic strains and formulations across health applications. Using cutting-edge technologies and innovative scientific approaches, RIMAP researchers and their network of collaborators work together to lead probiotics forward.