Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Gut Microbiota

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by a progressive loss of neurons that leads to a range of cognitive and/or motor dysfunctions. During recent decades, some common pathways leading to neurodegeneration have been identified, such as protein misfolding, neuroinflammation, and the dysfunction of mitochondria and protein clearance systems. More recently, an altered gut microbiota has been identified as another potential feature seen in neurodegenerative disorders, which has been shown to play a central role in health and disease. The gut microbiota communicates with the central nervous system along the microbiota-gut-brain axis modulating host health and disease. Although the specific role of gut microbiota on the pathogenesis of these diseases is still under investigation, therapeutic approaches focusing on the modification of gut microbiota could bring novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.