Early Detection Through the Gut Could Change the Course of Alzheimer’s

New study shows different bacterial compositions in the guts of patients who aren’t yet showing cognitive symptoms

A new study used brain scans and stool tests to show that preclinical Alzheimer's disease shows up in the gut before the onset of symptoms. Shutterstock

It may soon be possible to learn whether someone has Alzheimer’s disease before they show symptoms by examining the bacterial makeup in their intestines, according to a Washington University School of Medicine study.

Published June 14 in Science Translational Medicine, the study looked at the gut microbe community, called the microbiome, of 164 participants. Markedly different bacterial species were found in 49 participants, who were deemed at higher risk of developing dementia based on brain scans and cerebrospinal fluid.