Age-Related Dysbiosis as a Contributing Cause of Delerium

Delerium is not an often discussed topic in the context of aging research, but it is an age-related occurrence, usually presenting in the old, particularly those suffering neurodegenerative conditions. Researchers here argue that the aged gut microbiome contributes meaningfully to risk of episodes of delerium. The balance of populations in the gut microbiome changes with age in detrimental ways, such as an increase in pro-inflammatory microbial species and a loss of those microbes that generate beneficial metabolites. It is now known that Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients exhibit a distinctly different gut microbiome from similarly aged individuals without evident neurodegenerative conditions. Delirium is a clinical syndrome characterized by an acute change in attention, awareness, and cognition with fluctuating course, frequently observed in older patients during hospitalization for acute medical illness or after surgery. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial and still not completely understood, but there is general consensus on the fact that it results from the interaction between an underlying predisposition, such as neurodegenerative diseases, and an acute stressor acting as a trigger, such as infection or anesthesia. Alterations in brain insulin sensitivity and metabolic function, increased blood-brain barrier permeability, neurotransmitter imbalances, abnormal microglial activation and neuroinflammation have all been involved in the pathophysiology of de...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs