Abstract
Adult neurogenesis (i.e., the life-long generation of new neurons from undifferentiated neuronal precursors in the adult brain) may contribute to brain repair after damage, and participates in plasticity-related processes including memory, cognition, mood and sensory functions. Among the many intrinsic (oxidative stress, inflammation, and ageing), and extrinsic (environmental pollution, lifestyle, and diet) factors deemed to impact neurogenesis, significant attention has been recently attracted by the myriad of saprophytic microorganismal communities inhabiting the intestinal ecosystem and collectively referred to as the gut microbiota. A growing body of evidence, mainly from animal studies, reveal the influence of microbiota and its disease-associated imbalances on neural stem cell proliferative and differentiative activities in brain neurogenic niches. On the other hand, the long-claimed pro-neurogenic activity of natural dietary compounds endowed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties (such as polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, or pro/prebiotics) may be mediated, at least in part, by their action on the intestinal microflora. The purpose of this review is to summarise the available information regarding the influence of the gut microbiota on neurogenesis, analyse the possible underlying mechanisms, and discuss the potential implications of this emerging knowledge for the fight against neurodegeneration and brain ageing.
Highlights
The search for new therapeutic targets against brain ageing and associated neurodegenerative diseases represents one of the most urgent and challenging issues in current biomedicine, due to the increasing proportion of the elderly population worldwide [1]
Gut-resident microbial communities are in turn modulated by extrinsic factors, such as lifestyle and diet; importantly, imbalances affecting this complex ecosystem can impact the permeability of the body barriers, including the blood brain barrier (BBB) and the enteric barrier, so as to allow the passage of potentially noxious substances to brain tissue along the so-called gut-brain axis (GBA) [34,35]
The purpose of this review is to summarise the currently available information regarding the influence of the gut microbiota on adult neurogenesis (AN) and the potential of microbiota-centred interventions as a strategy against brain ageing and neurodegeneration
Summary
The search for new therapeutic targets against brain ageing and associated neurodegenerative diseases represents one of the most urgent and challenging issues in current biomedicine, due to the increasing proportion of the elderly population worldwide [1]. Neurogenesis can be defined as the generation of new neurons, glial cells and other neural lineages from neural stem cells (NSCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) [11,12] This process includes the maturation, migration and functional integration of NSCs or NPSs into the preexisting neuronal network [13,14]. Impaired neurogenesis may occur because of a reduction in the number and/or function of NSCs and NPCs [29] This may be due to the synergic action of several mechanisms operating in the brain in ageing or neurodegenerative conditions: inflammation [30,31], oxidative stress [32], or toxic substances like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), branched chain amino acids and peptidoglycans, originating from an altered intestinal microbiota [33]. The time range was not limited, the most recent publications were prioritized
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