Santo Domingo.- Gut health could play a more significant role than previously thought in memory and brain aging. This is suggested by the first study conducted in the Dominican Republic on the relationship between the gut microbiota and Alzheimer’s disease, developed by researchers at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM).
The research, led by geriatrician Martín Medrano, was developed in collaboration with the Corominas Clinic and the Spanish company Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence, and published in June of this year in the scientific journal Dementia & Neuropsychologia, one of the leading Latin American publications specializing in neurosciences.
The study analyzed the gut microbiota of 88 older Dominican adults, including individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, patients with mild cognitive impairment, and cognitively healthy adults. Although the researchers found similar bacterial diversity among the groups, they identified differences in specific microorganisms associated with cognitive decline, which strengthens the scientific evidence regarding the gut-brain connection.
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One of the most relevant findings was the relationship between certain dietary habits and the gut microbiota. The researchers observed that the consumption of foods such as mango, lettuce, and carrots was associated with a greater presence of microorganisms considered beneficial, while those who consumed sausage and other ultra-processed foods more frequently presented a microbiota with a greater abundance of bacteria related to less healthy profiles.
However, the researchers clarify that these results represent an association and do not prove that a specific food prevents or causes Alzheimer’s disease. The project’s lead researcher, Dr. Martín Medrano, highlighted that the main contribution of this study consists of generating scientific evidence on a population that is underrepresented in international research.
“Most of the knowledge about microbiota and Alzheimer’s comes from Europe, the United States, and Asia. Our study shows that the Dominican population possesses unique characteristics that must be investigated and that diet, environment, and other regional factors could influence brain health through the gut microbiota,” said Medrano.
Accompanying him on this project are researchers Mar Pacheco-Herrero, Zunilda Borges, Johan de la Rosa Laureano, Jesabelle Domínguez-García, Ruth Gil-Ventura, and Gelanys Castro-Tejada.
The researchers emphasize that the results do not allow for the conclusion that there is a bacterium responsible for Alzheimer’s, nor that modifying one’s diet cures or prevents the disease. “However, our findings suggest that the gut microbiota could, in the future, become a tool to identify people at higher risk of cognitive decline and contribute to the development of new preventive and therapeutic strategies,” indicated Medrano.
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This work represents the first characterization of the gut microbiota in patients with Alzheimer’s disease carried out in the Dominican Republic and one of the first in Latin America. This is a contribution that considers the specific characteristics of the Dominican population, within one of the fastest-growing areas of biomedical research internationally.
As a next step, the research team plans to develop follow-up studies to determine whether the alterations observed in the microbiota participate in the origin of Alzheimer’s or are a consequence of the disease.
