Two Chinese Scientists Receive 2019 Alzheimer Awards

Professor Wang Yan-Jian and Dr. Bu Xian-Le were awarded for their work demonstrating that the gut microbiome influences the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.

AsianScientist (Jul. 29, 2019) – Professor Wang Yan-Jian and Dr. Bu Xian-Le of Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University in Chongqing, China, have been named as joint recipients of the 2019 Alzheimer Award, conferred by the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Each year, the journal’s associate editors select an article from the previous year’s volumes that they deem to have the most significant impact on the field. The 2019 winning paper is titled ‘Gut Microbiota is Altered in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).’

Prior research has shown that alterations in gut microbiota composition are linked to a number of neuropsychiatric disorders including depression, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. However, it remained unclear whether gut microbiota was responsible for the pathogenesis of AD.

In their paper, Wang and Bu demonstrated that gut microbes influence brain function and behavior via the microbiota-gut–brain axis, and this contributes to AD development and progression. The researchers collected feces from patients with AD and normal individuals, discovering that gut microbiota composition in AD patients was different than in cognitively normal controls. Several bacterial taxa, such as Actinobacteria, Bacteroidales, Ruminococcaceae, Selenomonadales and Lachnoclostridium, contributed to the differences.

“Modulation of gut microbiota through personalized diet or beneficial microbiota intervention may be a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of AD,” said the two awardees. “Our study also suggests that AD might not be a disease of the brain itself, and that brain health is closely associated with whole-body health. We need to understand the disease pathogenesis and develop therapies systemically for AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.”

Wang and Bu were presented with the Alzheimer Medal, a three-inch bronze medal with the likeness of Alois Alzheimer, and a cash prize of US$7,500.



The article can be found at: Zhuang et al. (2019) Gut Microbiota is Altered in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.

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Source: IOS Press.
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