The relationship between the intestinal environment and cognitive impairment

The relationship between the intestinal environment and cognitive impairment.  Long-term personalized diet adjustment or probiotic intervention to adjust the intestinal microbiota is an achievable strategy to improve AD cognitive ability.

The intestine is not only the main place for human digestion and absorption, but also the largest immune organ. There are a large number of microorganisms living in the human intestine, about 2,000 species, accounting for about 1% to 3% of our body weight. These many kinds of microorganisms (bacteria) that live in the gastrointestinal tract are called intestinal flora. They co-exist with the human body and maintain the relative stability of the intestinal environment.

The intestinal flora includes beneficial bacteria, harmful bacteria and low harmful bacteria. The beneficial bacteria in the intestine can defend against pathogen invasion, synthesize vitamins, produce several enzymes, participate in nutrition metabolism, anti-aging and suppress cancer. At the same time, it plays an important role in regulating human immune homeostasis, maintaining host mental health, regulating brain function, behavior, and metabolism.

However, the structure and function of the intestinal tract will change in different human life cycles, especially in the old age, it is more susceptible to the influence of the human body and external environment, and the proportion of specific flora changes.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex chronic disease. Factors such as aging, heredity, peripheral disease and environment may all be predisposing factors.

In recent years, more and more clinical and biomedical evidence has shown that the gut microbiota and its metabolites may affect the function of the central nervous system, and dysbiosis has been shown to be related to cognitive impairment.

On the one hand, some intestinal strains can produce γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, histamine and other substances, which are transmitted to the brain through the intestinal nervous system, and then have a positive or negative impact on cognitive function.

On the other hand, amyloid plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of AD. Various intestinal bacteria, such as Bacillus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, etc., can promote the occurrence of diseases. Therefore, maintaining the stability of the intestinal environment and intestinal flora is extremely important.

However, we should not be afraid of the occurrence of intestinal flora imbalance, we should seek expert treatment.

Treatment of intestinal flora imbalance

1. Probiotics such as bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria can regulate the intestinal microbiota and improve the cognitive ability of AD patients.

The mechanism is related to the polyamine produced by the intestinal flora. Polyamines not only inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines, but also have antioxidant effects. In addition, these probiotics can also promote the production of neurotrophic factors in the brain and reduce the activity of inflammatory cytokines, thereby helping to prevent and early treat diseases related to cognitive impairment.

2. Exercise.

Exercise can promote the effect of intestinal flora. Exercise causes positive changes in the intestinal flora, thereby enhancing human health. A study found that the types of intestinal flora of male rugby players were significantly increased compared with healthy men who did not exercise regularly. Among them, Akkermania increased significantly, which has an important role in protecting the mucosal barrier of the digestive tract and preventing obesity.

3. Chinese Medicine

1) Oral Chinese medicine enters the digestive tract and directly contacts the intestinal flora, which can adjust the structure and composition of the intestinal flora. Tonic Chinese medicines can promote the growth and reproduction of related probiotics in the intestines, while heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese medicines can inhibit the growth and reproduction of harmful bacteria. The polysaccharide components of traditional Chinese medicine can improve the intestinal microecology, promote the growth of probiotics, and play the role of prebiotics.

2) Acupuncture can effectively regulate gastrointestinal motility and secretory function, and its mechanism is closely related to factors such as regulating gastrointestinal immune response, promoting gastrointestinal motility, improving the structure of intestinal flora, and regulating the production of brain-gut peptides.

3) Chiropractic in Tuina has the effects of cultivating vitality, regulating yin and yang, and organs. It can better improve the symptoms of spleen deficiency and the disorder of intestinal flora.

Environmental factors (such as dietary imbalance, antibiotic abuse, and lifestyle changes) may change the composition of the intestinal flora or even cause it to collapse. Based on this, it is inferred that long-term personalized diet adjustment or probiotic intervention to adjust the intestinal microbiota is an achievable strategy to improve AD cognitive ability.

(source:internet, reference only)

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