USask researchers exploring brain-gut connection in new Alzheimer’s disease treatments

Dr. Ana Mendes-Silva (PhD), assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), is leading a new research project that aims to answer that question while gaining deeper insight into the connection between our gut and our brain.

Mendes-Silva’s research investigates three compounds in milk kefir—a fermented drink rich in beneficial microbes—that may slow the progression of and even prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Kefir has been consumed for centuries but recently become a popular drink among health enthusiasts. Produced by Canadian diary companies it can be purchased in grocery stores across the country. Kefir is similar to other fermented dairy products like yogurt, but it’s profile of bacteria and yeast set it apart.

“The bacteria and yeast in Kefir produce specific compounds that can help balance the gut microbiome and reduce inflammation which can have positive effects both in the gut and in the brain,” said Mendes-Silva. “We found that these specific compounds may target the amyloid beta protein found within an Alzheimer’s brain.”

The human brain consists of thousands of proteins that play key roles in critical functions. Other proteins, like amyloid beta, are known as ‘waste’ proteins that can build up in the brain. Tangles of the amyloid beta protein called plaques in the brain are thought to cause cognitive symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, and poor co-ordination that are associated with Alzheimer’s.

Funded by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) Solutions Impact Grant, Mendes-Silva and USask’s Dr. John Howland (PhD), professor in the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, have teamed up with Dr. Carlos Ueira-Vieira (PhD), from Brazil’s Federal University of Uberlândia, to dive deeper into the benefits of milk kefir.

Ueira-Vieira’s lab in Brazil first investigated the effects of different forms of kefir—including natura, metabolites and fractions—on a fruit-fly Alzheimer’s model and found that administering concentrated doses of the beverage reduced Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and progression. This foundational work is the inspiration behind Mendes-Silva project, which examines the potential of kefir in a more complex model of the disease.

After narrowing down the beneficial components in kefir to three compounds of interests, Mendes-Silva, Howland and Ueira-Vieira will begin testing to see if these compounds can be absorbed into the blood stream from the digestive tract and cross into the brain of more complex organisms.

“We have two different treatment phases, an early-stage model and a late-stage model, to measure how the compounds target both the individual amyloid beta proteins and the buildup of plaques. We will also observe if there are improvements in learning and memory and an overall reduction of neurodegeneration,” said Mendes-Silva.

This project is one part of a larger puzzle that Mendes-Silva, Howland and Ueira-Vieira are trying to solve – the complex interaction between our guts and our brains.

“We’re not just interested in the brain, but we want to see what is happening in the gut. This is a first step in evaluating what is happening within the gut-brain axis or that connection,” said Mendes-Silva. “Later we would love to investigate the microbiome balance of the gut and its impact on disease.”

Mendes-Silva said the investment from SHRF is critical for moving forward with this research.

“The SHRF grant was essential. Without the investment we wouldn’t be able to carry out the testing phases of the project,” said Mendes-Silva. “It helps cover all of our costs and really enables us to do this work.”

Dr. AG Ahmed (MD) – SHRF Solutions Impact Grant – Mitigating Substance Abuse: Culture-Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program with Indigenous Clients in Rural Saskatchewan - $141,551

Dr. Ana Mendes-Silva (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Impact Grant – Exploring kefir’s potential to treat Alzheimer’s disease – $149,940

Dr. Andrew Freywald (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Impact Grant – Developing new therapies for pediatric T-ALL – $150,000

Dr. Angela Baerwald (PhD, MD) – SHRF Solutions Innovation Grant – Prenatal Folic Acid Supplements and Musculoskeletal Health in Pregnant Women and Babies – $50,000

Dr. Changiz Taghibiglou (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Innovation Grant – Neuroprotective role of a novel SREBP1 inhibiting peptide Indip in an in vitro model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) – $50,000

Dr. Charlene Thompson (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Innovation Grant – Improving Immunization Services for Children 0-6 Years of Age in Southwest Saskatchewan – $49,998

Dr. Ekaterina Dadachova (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Innovation Grant – Investigating the use of antibody molecules armed with radiation for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease – $50,000

Dr. Haizhen Mou (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Innovation Grant – Improving Access to Primary Care in Rural Saskatchewan: Evaluating the Implementation of Two Pilot Patient Medical Home Models – $50,000

Dr. Ivar Mendez (PhD, MD) – SHRF Solutions Impact Grant – Enhancing ADHD and Autism Diagnosis in Rural and Remote Communities Using Eye Tracking Technology – $150,000

Dr. Jordan Cummings (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Innovation Grant – Supporting Parents Supporting Consent: Evaluation of Support Groups to Empower Parenting of Consent, Body Agency, and Child Sexual Abuse Prevention – $49,091

Dr. Schroder Sattar (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Innovation Grant – FIRST-Sask Study – $50,000

Dr. Stacey Lovo (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Impact Grant – Planning and Evaluation of kisipapameek, a Mobile Health Services Pod, for Pediatric Rehabilitation – $150,000

Dr. Tim Bradley (MD) – SHRF Solutions Impact Grant – Assessing the Incidence and Prevalence of Birth Defects in Saskatchewan Based on Existing Datasets – $149,840

Dr. Wen Jun (Chris) Zhang (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Impact Grant – A non-invasive methodology for removal of lung cancerous tumors – $148,800

Dr. Daniel Chen (PhD) – SHRF Solutions Innovation Grant – Engineering out-of-body lung models for fighting lung diseases – $50,000

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For media inquiries, contact:

Victoria Dinh
USask Media Relations
306-966-5487
victoria.dinh@usask.ca