Susan Westfall
Canada
Review Article
The Gut Microflora and its Metabolites Regulate the Molecular Crosstalk between Diabetes and Neurodegeneration
Author(s): Susan Westfall, Nikita Lomis, Surya Pratap Singh, Si Yuan Dai and Satya PrakashSusan Westfall, Nikita Lomis, Surya Pratap Singh, Si Yuan Dai and Satya Prakash
The gut microflora is a community of trillions of bacterial cells synergistically inhabiting the human gastrointestinal tract. These microbes contact everything that is consumed and release regulatory factors that affect host energy homeostasis, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, activation of immune cells, oxidative state, epithelial cell wall integrity and even neurological signals. The gut microflora is essentially an independent organ supporting human health where imbalances in the gut community populations (dysbiosis) manifest in disease. Diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease share a similar molecular pathology rooted in gut microflora activity. Both of these conditions are associated with a dysbiosis characterized by low species diversity, a higher proportion of pathobionts at the expense of symbionts, an abundance of pr.. View More»
