What this means
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline associated with oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, tau neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid-beta plaque deposition, and metabolic dysfunction. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays an important role in AD pathogenesis through the microbiota-gut-brain axis.
A plain-English summary is on its way. Until then, this is the start of the authors' own summary.
- Who it was tested in
- People
- Kind of research
- A summary of earlier studies
The science
- Original title
- Gut Microbiota in Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Aging: Mechanisms, Prevention Strategies and Healthcare Burden.
- Authors
- Çeli̇k MN, Mohammadzadeh M, Ahıskalı Öksüz M et al.
- Journal
- Current nutrition reports
- Published
- Oct 24, 2026
- Study type
- Review · in humans
- PMID
- 42925463 ↗
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline associated with oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, tau neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid-beta plaque deposition, and metabolic dysfunction. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays an important role in AD pathogenesis through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of the gut microbiota in AD and healthy aging, with a particular focus on microbiota-targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies and their potential to influence disease progression. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies have demonstrated that alterations in gut microbial composition are closely associated with AD. Patients with AD commonly exhibit a reduced abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria and an increased prevalence of lipopolysaccharide-producing taxa, supporting a mechanistic link between microbial dysbiosis, systemic inflammation, and neurodegeneration. Emerging evidence indicates that dietary patterns, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, and microbiota-based therapies, including fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), may beneficially modulate gut microbial composition and influence AD-related pathophysiological processes. In addition, lifestyle factors such as sleep quality and physical activity have been increasingly recognized for their interactions with the gut-brain axis and their potential to affect cognitive health. Current evidence highlights the gut microbiota as a promising therapeutic target in AD prevention and management. Microbiota-directed interventions, together with healthy dietary and lifestyle modifications, may help attenuate neuroinflammation, improve metabolic homeostasis, and delay cognitive decline. Furthermore, given the substantial global economic burden of AD, microbiota-focused preventive strategies may contribute not only to improving clinical outcomes but also to reducing long-term healthcare and societal costs. Future longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to establish causal relationships and determine the efficacy of microbiota-based therapies in AD.
Çeli̇k MN, Mohammadzadeh M, Ahıskalı Öksüz M et al. Gut Microbiota in Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Aging: Mechanisms, Prevention Strategies and Healthcare Burden. Current nutrition reports. 2026. doi:10.1007/s13668-026-00812-x. PMID: 42925463. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42925463/