The potential of the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HEAL9 in fighting early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related gut issues is gaining attention(1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HEAL9 attenuates cognitive impairment and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and related bowel symptoms in SAMP8 mice by modulating microbiota-gut-inflammasome-brain axis

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The research, conducted on a mouse model, sheds light on how probiotics might slow down cognitive decline and improve gut health by targeting the connection between the brain and the digestive system, also known as the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis.
Researchers used the SAMP8 mouse, a well-known model for studying Alzheimer’s-like symptoms. These mice develop memory problems, accumulate amyloid-beta (Aβ), experience neuroinflammation, and show gut issues like inflammation and gut barrier breakdown as they age.

Role of Probiotics in Brain and Gut Health

The researchers treated mice with the HEAL9 probiotic for two months. By the end of the treatment, the mice showed improvements in memory and learning.

Possible benefits of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HEAL9 are as follows:

• Supports the digestive system by enhancing intestinal movement and digestion.
• Lowers amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation in the brain and gut, potentially slowing Alzheimer’s progression.
• Reduces activity in overactive glial cells, leading to lower inflammation levels.
• Restores gut lining integrity, preventing harmful bacteria from triggering inflammation.
• Lowers levels of inflammasome components, reducing inflammation in both the brain and gut.

Gut Microbiome Modulation in Alzheimer’s Therapy

The research suggests that targeting the gut microbiome with specific probiotics like HEAL9 could be a promising approach for early intervention in Alzheimer’s disease. Probiotics may help improve memory problems, reduce harmful protein build-up, and decrease inflammation while improving gut health.
The findings align with previous research showing that probiotics can support brain health in both animals and humans. In addition to Alzheimer’s, the MGB axis might play a role in other neurological conditions like Parkinson’s, depression, and autism—disorders that are also associated with gut problems.

Further studies are needed to understand how HEAL9 works, but these results provide hope that this probiotic could one day be part of a therapeutic strategy to slow cognitive decline and improve the quality of life in patients with Alzheimer’s and other brain-related disorders.

1. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HEAL9 attenuates cognitive impairment and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and related bowel symptoms in SAMP8 mice by modulating microbiota-gut-inflammasome-brain axis – (https:pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/fo/d4fo02075h)

Source-Medindia