Ageing-GB
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Ageing Gut Brain Interactions
IRAS ID
233402
Contact name
Phyo K Myint
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 1 days
Research summary
This research project will address a desperate need for evidence on how diet could be used to treat and improve symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. It has been estimated that 36 million people have dementia worldwide, and in older people Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60–70% of all dementia. Research supports the hypothesis that modifiable lifestyle-related factors are associated with cognitive decline, which opens new avenues for prevention or modification of disease. The concept that inspires this proposal ‘Ageing-GB study’ is that our gut microbiota (specifically our gut bacterial
population) impact upon the gut-brain axis and thereby on behaviour, including challenging behaviours in dementia. In the absence of available cures for Alzheimer's disease, diet is an important modifiable component but we currently have little knowledge about the role of diet in clinical symptoms of dementia. A recent study from Ireland from the EU funded Nu-Age cohort reported that the gut microbiota profile in the elderly was different between community-living and institutionalized individuals, with specific microbiome profiles correlating with frailty and poor health. Changes in dietary composition and diversity were considered the main drivers of the shifts in gut bacteria profile. In this multidisciplinary research study, we will investigate the gut microbiota composition in people with dementia with challenging behaviours, test the feasibility of recruitment, and provide initial data to support a future grant application involving a dietary intervention study in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. We will test our hypothesis that gut-brain axis promotes behavioural changes in dementia and is responsive to changes in gut microbiota profile, by comparing the gut microbiota profile between three participant groups (1) Alzheimer's dementia with challenging behaviour, (2) Alzheimer's dementia without challenging behaviour and (3) healthy age-matched control elderly. We will also carry out a survey to carehomes to assess their willingness to participate in dietary supplementation study.REC name
Scotland A REC
REC reference
17/SS/0145
Date of REC Opinion
12 Mar 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion