A study ensures that cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) could be therapeutically beneficial to treat these two diseases
People with intestinal disorders could have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease according to a study from Edith Cowan University (Australia) that has confirmed the link between these two pathologies. The information, they write in the journal Communications Biology, could lead to earlier detection and new treatments.
Alzheimer’s disease destroys memory and thinking ability and is the most common form of dementia. It has no known curative treatments and is expected to affect more than 82 million people by 2030.
Previous observational studies have suggested a link between Alzheimer’s and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, but until now it was unclear what underpins these links.
New data now published on these relationships confirm a genetic link between Alzheimer’s and multiple intestinal disorders.
The study analyzed large genetic datasets from Alzheimer’s disease and several studies of intestinal disorders, each involving approximately 400,000 people.
Research leader Emmanuel Adewuyi says this is the first comprehensive assessment of the genetic link between Alzheimer’s and multiple bowel disorders. The team found that people with Alzheimer’s and intestinal disorders have genes in common, which is important for many reasons.
This is the first comprehensive evaluation of the genetic relationship between Alzheimer’s and multiple intestinal disorders
«Study provides novel insight into the genetics behind the observed co-occurrence of AD and intestinal disorders», highlights Adewuyi.
Not only does it improve our understanding of the causes of these diseases, he adds, “but it also identifies new targets to investigate to potentially detect the disease earlier and develop new treatments for both pathologies.”
Now, warns Professor Simon Laws, study does not conclude that intestinal disorders cause Alzheimer’s disease or vice versaalthough he recognizes that the results are immensely valuable.
“These findings provide additional evidence to support the concept of the ‘gut-brain’ axis, a two-way link between the cognitive and emotional centers of the brain and the functioning of the intestinal tract,” explains Laws.
When the researchers took a closer look at shared genetics, they found other important links between Alzheimer’s and intestinal disorders, such as the role that cholesterol may play.
According to Adewuyi, abnormal cholesterol levels have been shown to be a risk for both Alzheimer’s disease and intestinal disorders.
“Looking at the common genetic and biological features between Alzheimer’s and intestinal disorders suggests an important role for lipid metabolism, the immune system, and cholesterol-lowering drugs,” he explains.
Findings provide additional evidence to support the ‘gut-brain’ axis concept
And he adds that while more study is needed on shared mechanisms between the diseases, there is evidence that high cholesterol can be transferred to the central nervous system, resulting in abnormal cholesterol metabolism in the brain.”
And there is also evidence to suggest that abnormal blood lipids may be caused or worsened by gut bacteria (H. pylori), “supporting potential roles for abnormal lipids in AD and intestinal disorders.”
“For example, elevated cholesterol in the brain has been linked to brain degeneration and subsequent cognitive decline».
In fact, some studies have already established a relationship between cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.
The authors of this paper argue that the cholesterol link could prove vital in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
Thus, the work suggests, despite the fact that there are currently no known curative treatments, cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) could be therapeutically beneficial for treating both Alzheimer’s and intestinal disorders.
«Evidence indicates that statins have properties that help reduce inflammation, modulate immunity and protect the gut», says Adewuyi.
Research also indicates that diet may play a role in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and intestinal disorders.
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