Gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease: associations with cognitive impairment and severity
Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that begins with memory loss and can lead to death. In Puerto Rico, AD is the fourth leading cause of death, while in the United States, it ranks fifth. Research suggests the gut microbiome contributes to the pathophysiology of AD by...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13262-2 |
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| author | Vanessa Sepúlveda-Rivera Gerianne Olivieri-Henry Hiram Morales-González Javier Ruiz-Adames Carlos Herrero-Rivera Alexandra Rentas-Echeverria Valerie Cardona-Berdecia Cecilia Soler-Llompart Ana C. Sala-Morales Guillermo Pérez-Montero Eric Blanco-Ruiz Filipa Godoy-Vitorino |
| author_facet | Vanessa Sepúlveda-Rivera Gerianne Olivieri-Henry Hiram Morales-González Javier Ruiz-Adames Carlos Herrero-Rivera Alexandra Rentas-Echeverria Valerie Cardona-Berdecia Cecilia Soler-Llompart Ana C. Sala-Morales Guillermo Pérez-Montero Eric Blanco-Ruiz Filipa Godoy-Vitorino |
| author_sort | Vanessa Sepúlveda-Rivera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that begins with memory loss and can lead to death. In Puerto Rico, AD is the fourth leading cause of death, while in the United States, it ranks fifth. Research suggests the gut microbiome contributes to the pathophysiology of AD by promoting inflammation and amyloid buildup in the brain. This study examined the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota in Puerto Ricans with AD compared to controls and its relationship with cognitive impairment severity and APOE status. We recruited 100 participants (50 AD, 50 controls), who underwent clinical and cognitive assessments (MoCA/CDR). While overall microbial diversity and richness showed no significant differences, specific bacterial taxa exhibited subtle differential abundance. Faecalibacterium and Bacteroides were moderately significant and increased on controls compared to AD. Moreover, individuals carrying the APOE E4 allele exhibited lower abundances of butyrate-producing bacteria and an enrichment of potentially pro-inflammatory genera, including Eggerthella and Lachnoclostridium. These findings suggest that gut microbiota dysbiosis may contribute to cognitive decline and AD progression, highlighting the potential for microbiome-targeted therapeutic interventions in AD prevention and treatment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-df9569ca5d97423ca6bbd1816f352e2b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-df9569ca5d97423ca6bbd1816f352e2b2025-08-20T03:05:17ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111710.1038/s41598-025-13262-2Gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease: associations with cognitive impairment and severityVanessa Sepúlveda-Rivera0Gerianne Olivieri-Henry1Hiram Morales-González2Javier Ruiz-Adames3Carlos Herrero-Rivera4Alexandra Rentas-Echeverria5Valerie Cardona-Berdecia6Cecilia Soler-Llompart7Ana C. Sala-Morales8Guillermo Pérez-Montero9Eric Blanco-Ruiz10Filipa Godoy-Vitorino11Internal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusMicrobiology Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusInternal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusInternal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusInternal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusInternal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusInternal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusInternal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusDivision of Cancer Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Puerto RicoInternal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusInternal Medicine Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusMicrobiology Department, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusAbstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that begins with memory loss and can lead to death. In Puerto Rico, AD is the fourth leading cause of death, while in the United States, it ranks fifth. Research suggests the gut microbiome contributes to the pathophysiology of AD by promoting inflammation and amyloid buildup in the brain. This study examined the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota in Puerto Ricans with AD compared to controls and its relationship with cognitive impairment severity and APOE status. We recruited 100 participants (50 AD, 50 controls), who underwent clinical and cognitive assessments (MoCA/CDR). While overall microbial diversity and richness showed no significant differences, specific bacterial taxa exhibited subtle differential abundance. Faecalibacterium and Bacteroides were moderately significant and increased on controls compared to AD. Moreover, individuals carrying the APOE E4 allele exhibited lower abundances of butyrate-producing bacteria and an enrichment of potentially pro-inflammatory genera, including Eggerthella and Lachnoclostridium. These findings suggest that gut microbiota dysbiosis may contribute to cognitive decline and AD progression, highlighting the potential for microbiome-targeted therapeutic interventions in AD prevention and treatment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13262-2Alzheimer’s diseaseGut microbiotaAPOE |
| spellingShingle | Vanessa Sepúlveda-Rivera Gerianne Olivieri-Henry Hiram Morales-González Javier Ruiz-Adames Carlos Herrero-Rivera Alexandra Rentas-Echeverria Valerie Cardona-Berdecia Cecilia Soler-Llompart Ana C. Sala-Morales Guillermo Pérez-Montero Eric Blanco-Ruiz Filipa Godoy-Vitorino Gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease: associations with cognitive impairment and severity Scientific Reports Alzheimer’s disease Gut microbiota APOE |
| title | Gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease: associations with cognitive impairment and severity |
| title_full | Gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease: associations with cognitive impairment and severity |
| title_fullStr | Gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease: associations with cognitive impairment and severity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease: associations with cognitive impairment and severity |
| title_short | Gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with Alzheimer’s disease: associations with cognitive impairment and severity |
| title_sort | gut microbiota distinguishes aging hispanics with alzheimer s disease associations with cognitive impairment and severity |
| topic | Alzheimer’s disease Gut microbiota APOE |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13262-2 |
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