Administration of Bifidobacterium breve Improves the Brain Function of Aβ1-42-Treated Mice via the Modulation of the Gut Microbiome

Psychobiotics are used to treat neurological disorders, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanisms underlying their neuroprotective effects remain unclear. Herein, we report that the administration of bifidobacteria in an AD mouse model improved behavioral abnormalities and modulated gut dysbiosis. Bifidobacterium breve CCFM1025 and WX treatment significantly improved synaptic plasticity and increased the concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95). Furthermore, the microbiome and metabolomic profiles of mice indicate that specific bacterial taxa and their metabolites correlate with AD-associated behaviors, suggesting that the gut-brain axis contributes to the pathophysiology of AD. Overall, these findings reveal that B. breve CCFM1025 and WX have beneficial effects on cognition via the modulation of the gut microbiome, and thus represent a novel probiotic dietary intervention for delaying the progression of AD.

Automated summary

This study found that the administration of bifidobacteria improved behavioral abnormalities and synaptic plasticity in an AD mouse model. The microbiome and metabolomic profiles of the mice indicated a correlation between specific bacterial taxa and their metabolites with AD-associated behaviors, suggesting the involvement of the gut-brain axis in the pathophysiology of AD. Overall, B. breve CCFM1025 and WX represent a novel probiotic dietary intervention for delaying the progression of AD by modulating the gut microbiome.