Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is one of the most common types of dementia. Sadly, there is no cure yet.
But there’s a new player in this story – gut bacteria, tiny creatures living in our stomachs.
Previous studies showed gut bacteria could affect Parkinson’s disease, a similar brain disorder.
Now, researchers in Japan have identified three gut bacteria connected to DLB, which may open new ways for diagnosis and treatment.
Understanding DLB and Its Impact
DLB begins with abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies in the brain. These affect brain chemicals leading to issues with thinking, memory, and reasoning.
Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, movement difficulties, and visual hallucinations.
DLB and Parkinson’s disease are closely related. Parkinson’s typically starts with movement issues, and if a patient experiences cognitive decline within one year, they’re diagnosed with DLB.
Unfortunately, it’s hard for doctors to predict who will develop DLB from Parkinson’s.
The Role of Gut Bacteria in DLB
A research team from the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan, along with other collaborators, analyzed gut microorganisms and fecal bile acids in patients with DLB, Parkinson’s, and rapid eye movement behavior disorder.
They discovered that three gut bacteria – Collinsella, Ruminococcus, and Bifidobacterium – are associated with DLB. This discovery could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat this brain disease.
Shared Bacteria Between DLB and Parkinson’s Disease
The research team also found overlaps between gut bacteria involved in DLB and Parkinson’s disease. In both diseases, the level of Akkermansia, a gut bacterium, increased.
Conversely, bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which are important for our immune system, decreased.
Unique Bacteria in DLB
In DLB patients, the researchers found an increase in Collinsella and Ruminococcus torques, and a decrease in Bifidobacterium. This pattern was different from Parkinson’s disease patients.
These insights could help doctors analyze a person’s gut bacteria to distinguish between DLB and Parkinson’s disease.
Bifidobacterium and Its Role in Brain Health
Decreased levels of Bifidobacterium could be linked to cognitive decline in DLB. This bacterium boosts a protein that supports the growth and maintenance of neurons, the nerve cells in our brains.
Collinsella, Ruminococcus Torques, and Their Link to Inflammation
Collinsella and Ruminococcus torques are gut bacteria that regulate inflammation in a brain region called the substantia nigra, involved in movement control.
In DLB patients, the levels of these bacteria were higher than in Parkinson’s patients. This may explain why DLB patients experience delayed movement issues compared to those with Parkinson’s.
What Does This Mean for Diagnosis and Treatment?
These findings may help predict if a Parkinson’s patient will develop DLB.
Furthermore, introducing these bacteria into Parkinson’s patients could delay neuroinflammation, and increasing Bifidobacterium levels may slow down the progression of DLB and reduce cognitive issues.
Looking Ahead
Understanding the unique gut bacteria in DLB may clarify why some patients develop Parkinson’s first and others DLB. Improving gut health could delay both diseases, opening new doors for treatment.
These discoveries may pave the way for completely new dementia treatments. While more research is needed, this is indeed a hopeful step towards tackling dementia.
If you care about health, please read studies about antimicrobial in toothpaste linked to inflammation and cancer in the gut, and vitamin B may help reduce inflammation.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about vitamin D deficiency linked to chronic inflammation, and tart cherry could help reduce inflammation.
The study was published in npj Parkinson’s Disease.
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