Inter-Organ Crosstalk in Neurodegenerative Disease

Abstract

Inter-organ communication plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (ND), including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Emerging research highlights the involvement of the gut–brain axis, immune system, and peripheral metabolic systems in modulating neuroinflammation, protein misfolding, and neuronal dysfunction by releasing cytokines, adipokines, growth factors, and other soluble factors, which in turn affect neuronal health and systemic inflammation. This review explores the complex bidirectional interactions between the brain and peripheral organs, including the gut, adipose tissue, liver, muscle, bone and immune system. Notably, the gut microbiome’s role in neurodegenerative diseases through the gut–brain axis, the impact of adipose tissue in inflammation and metabolic regulation, and the muscle–brain axis with its neuroprotective myokines are also discussed. Additionally, we examine the neuro-immune axis, which mediates inflammatory responses and exacerbates neurodegeneration, and liver–brain axis that is implicated in regulating neuroinflammation and promoting disease progression. Dysregulation of inter-organ pathways contributes to the systemic manifestations of neurodegenerative diseases, offering insights into both potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets, and, in turn, promising strategies for preventing, diagnosing, and treating neurodegenerative diseases.