The Role of Gut Microbiota in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease

As a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is featured by mental and behavioral dysfunction, and progressive memory loss, which is the most common type of dementia. The incidence of AD is increasing as life expectancy is prolonged, but the pathogenesis of AD remains largely unknown. Recently, the role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of AD has drawn increasing attention. The composition of gut microbiota varies across age groups, and the changes in the microbiota metabolites may influence the central nervous system via the brain-gut axis. So far, it has been confirmed that gut bacteria are involved in various pathogenic mechanisms of AD, including amyloid beta-protein deposition, Tau protein hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress injury, increased blood-brain barrier permeability, neurotransmitter imbalance, reduced generation of brain- derived neurotrophic factor, and insulin resistance. An important direction of research is to investigate the regulation of gut microbiota for the prevention and treatment of AD.