Race Against Dementia’s newest Fellow from Macquarie University in Sydney, Dr Pradeep Manuneedhi Cholan, received the Race Against Dementia – Dementia Australia Research Foundation Fellowship to study how the gut microbiome impacts the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
The gut is often referred to as our ‘second brain’
“The gut is often referred to as our ‘second brain’ as it can control our emotions, stress response and cognition. Previous research has shown that the metabolites produced by bacterial species in the gut can impact inflammation in the brain, which can either exacerbate or alleviate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr Cholan said.
“What is not known is specifically how the metabolites produced by different types of gut bacteria can regulate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease which is what I will be focusing on with this project.
“If successful, this project will pave the way for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and aid in the development of new drug treatments. It could also allow for better management of Alzheimer’s disease by analysing the gut composition of patients and providing them with lifestyle-based interventions tailored to their particular microbiome.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Pradeep to the team as his commitment and ingenuity are essential tools that will assist us to find new avenues for treatments to challenge dementia in the fullest sense,” – Sir Jackie Stewart, President of Race Against Dementia.
