Gut inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases

A recent study, published in the international scientific journal Alzheimer' s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, delves into the mechanisms linking inflammatory bowel disease to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. The work is the result of the active engagement of the Department of Pharmacy of the University of Naples Federico II in international biomedical research and stems from collaboration with five prestigious Italian universities in the study of mechanisms potentially involved in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

The research explores the gut-brain axis, an emerging field that investigates the complex links between gut balance and brain function. In this study, the mechanisms by which peripheral inflammation, such as that in the colon, can alter brain fluid dynamics and impair the proper functioning of the glymphatic system, a brain "cleansing" system responsible for the elimination of brain metabolic waste during the nighttime hours of sleep, were explored.

Through the use of advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques and in vivo spectroscopy in animal models, it has been shown that a single peripheral inflammatory event can alter brain biological rhythms and hinder the removal of metabolic wastes, impairing the connection and communication between neurons.

These results indicate that a gut inflammatory process can trigger subtle but significant brain alterations (synaptopathies) that, if uncompensated, may represent early events potentially involved in processes that, in the long run, can promote the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

Among the researchers involved were Rosaria Meli and Giuseppina Mattace Raso of the Department of Pharmacy, Federico II University, who contributed significantly to the work. Coordinated by Professor Carla Ghelardini, the project benefited mainly from the contribution of Professor Cristina Lanni of the University of Pavia and involved several Italian laboratories: in addition to the Department of Pharmacy of the Federico II, Lorenzo di Cesare Mannelli (University of Florence), Anna Pittaluga (University of Genoa) and Luigia Trabace (University of Foggia) participated. The collaboration was supported by the U.S. Alzheimer's Association and national PRIN funds.

The study opens new research perspectives and suggests that keeping the glymphatic system, responsible for the disposal of brain waste, efficient could be a therapeutic target to limit brain alterations associated with inflammatory bowel disease and prevent the onset of neurological comorbidities; from a translational point of view, this study will allow early identification of individuals most at risk in the development of central disorders and develop targeted preventive strategies.