A groundbreaking study by researchers at Florida State University's Gut Biome Lab has revealed a potential link between an infection caused by gut bacteria and the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The research found that the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae -; a common bacteria notorious for causing hospital-acquired infections -; can migrate from the gut into the bloodstream and eventually into the brain. This bacterial invasion may lead to increased inflammation in the brain and impair cognitive functions, mimicking symptoms seen in Alzheimer's patients.
The work was published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Hospitalizations and ICU stays, combined with antibiotic exposure, may lead to a further decline in microbiome diversity that leaves older adults at high risk not only for digestive issues but also for extra-intestinal pathologies such as neurodegenerative disorders through a dysregulation of the gut-brain axis." Ravinder Nagpal, assistant professor in the FSU College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences and director of the Gut Biome Lab The study is the first to show a direct correlation between K.
pneumoniae infection and Alzheimer's pathology, fueling the emerging field that investigates how infectious agents may trigger or aggravate Alzheimer's disease. It also paves the way for future research into how to treat harmful infectious agents in vulnerable populations such as the elderly or those recovering from sepsis. The research suggests that when antibio.