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Gut microbiome alterations in Alzheimer's disease
Vogt NM, Kerby RL, Dill-McFarland KA, Harding SJ, Merluzzi AP, Johnson SC, Carlsson CM, Asthana S et al.. Scientific reports, 2017-10-19
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. However, the etiopathogenesis of this devastating disease is not fully understood. Recent studies in rodents suggest that alterations in the gut microbiome may contribute to amyloid deposition, yet the microbial communities associated with AD have not been characterized in humans. Towards this end, we characterized the bacterial taxonomic composition of fecal samples from participants with and without a diagnosis of dementia due to AD. Our analyses revealed that the gut microbiome of AD participants has decreased microbial diversity and is compositionally distinct from control age- and sex-matched individuals. We identified phylum- through genus-wide differences in bacterial abundance including decreased Firmicutes, increased Bacteroidetes, and decreased Bifidobacterium in the microbiome of AD participants. Furthermore, we observed correlations between levels of differentially abundant genera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of AD. These findings add AD to the growing list of diseases associated with gut microbial alterations, as well as suggest that gut bacterial communities may be a target for therapeutic intervention.
Key findings
- Recent studies in rodents suggest that alterations in the gut microbiome may contribute to amyloid deposition, yet the microbial communities associated with AD have not been characterized in humans.
- Our analyses revealed that the gut microbiome of AD participants has decreased microbial diversity and is compositionally distinct from control age- and sex-matched individuals.
- Furthermore, we observed correlations between levels of differentially abundant genera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of AD.
- These findings add AD to the growing list of diseases associated with gut microbial alterations, as well as suggest that gut bacterial communities may be a target for therapeutic intervention.
Why it matters
Described by its authors as an early characterization in humans, this study compared stool samples from people with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease and age- and sex-matched controls, and found lower microbial diversity and a distinct mix of bacteria in the AD group, including "decreased Firmicutes, increased Bacteroidetes, and decreased Bifidobacterium." Levels of some of these bacteria correlated with Alzheimer's markers in spinal fluid. Because it measured people who already had the disease at a single point in time, it cannot show whether gut changes contribute to Alzheimer's or result from it; the authors' idea of gut bacteria as a treatment target was not tested here.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Scientific reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Scientific Reports: journal h-index 463 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 2,113 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 192.1 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 38.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 32 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 832 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Federico E. Rey: h-index 54 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29051531) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 59 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13601-y
- PubMed: 29051531
- Original source →
- Free full text: Scientific Reports →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Vogt, N. M., Kerby, R. L., Dill-McFarland, K. A., Harding, S. J., Merluzzi, A. P., Johnson, S. C., et al. (2017). Gut microbiome alterations in Alzheimer's disease. Scientific reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-13601-y
Vancouver
Vogt NM, Kerby RL, Dill-McFarland KA, Harding SJ, Merluzzi AP, Johnson SC, et al. Gut microbiome alterations in Alzheimer's disease. Scientific reports. 2017. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-13601-y. PMID: 29051531.
BibTeX
@article{vogt2017-29051531,
author = {Vogt, N. M. and Kerby, R. L. and Dill-McFarland, K. A. and Harding, S. J. and Merluzzi, A. P. and Johnson, S. C. and Carlsson, C. M. and Asthana, S. and others},
title = {{Gut microbiome alterations in Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Scientific reports},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-017-13601-y},
pmid = {29051531},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-13601-y}
}
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