Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9424-3526

Date Available

10-17-2018

Year of Publication

2018

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

College

Medicine

Department/School/Program

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Ai-Ling Lin

Second Advisor

Dr. Ming Gong

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and a growing disease burden that has seen pharmacological interventions primarily fail. Instead, it has been suggested that preventative measures such as a healthy diet may be the best way in preventing AD. Prebiotics are one such potential measure and are fermented into metabolites by the gut microbiota and acting as gut-brain axis components, beneficially impact the brain. However, the impact of prebiotics in AD prevention is unknown. Here we show that the prebiotic inulin increased multiple gut-brain axis components such as scyllo-inositol and short chain fatty acids in the gut, periphery, and in the case of scyllo-inositol, the brain. We found in E3FAD and E4FAD mice fed either a prebiotic or control diet for 4-months, that the consumption of the prebiotic inulin can beneficially alter the gut microbiota, modulate metabolic function, and dramatically increase scyllo-inositol in the brain. This suggests that the consumption of prebiotics can beneficially impact the brain by enhancing metabolism, helping to decrease AD risk factors.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2018.405

Funding Information

This research was supported by the following National Institute of Health and National Institute of Aging grants: NIH T32DK007778, NIH/NIA R01AG054459, NIA K01AG040164, and UL1TR0000117.

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