Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: A Microbiome Modulation Technique for Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and the fifth leading cause of death among the elderly. AD involves parts of the brain that can lead to progressive memory loss and impaired language skills and cognitive thinking, affecting one's ability to carry out daily activities. Aging, bad dietary habits, family history, as well as altered gut microbiota composition may play a role in the pathogenesis of AD. Although the association between the imbalance of gut microbiota and AD is still difficult to determine, it has been suggested that dysbiosis can lead to the increased secretion of lipopolysaccharides and amyloid, which may impair the permeability of the intestine and the blood-brain barrier. Moreover, it can progress the process of neuroinflammation, amyloid-beta formation, and ultimately neuronal death. Microbiota-targeted interventions such as personalized diet, probiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) might represent a potential therapeutic option for AD. This review article discusses the procedure of FMT and its possible side effects on the recipient's body. In addition, we review the role of FMT in the context of its application in various nervous system-related disorders (AD, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis).