1 research outputs found
BMI, Alcohol Consumption and Gut Microbiome Species Richness Are Related to Structural and Functional Neurological Abnormalities
The incidence of neurological diseases is increasing throughout the world.
The aim of the present study was to identify nutrition and microbiome factors related to structural
and functional neurological abnormalities to optimize future preventive strategies. Methods: Two
hundred thirty-eight patients suffering from (1) structural (neurodegeneration) or (2) functional
(epilepsy) neurological abnormalities or (3) chronic pain (migraine) and 612 healthy control subjects
were analyzed by validated 12-month food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and 16S rRNA micro-
biome sequencing (from stool samples). A binomial logistic regression model was applied for risk
calculation and functional pathway analysis to show which functional pathway could discriminate
cases and healthy controls. Results: Detailed analysis of more than 60 macro- and micronutrients
revealed no distinct significant difference between cases and controls, whereas BMI, insulin resistance
and metabolic inflammation in addition to alcohol consumption were major drivers of an overall
neurological disease risk. The gut microbiome analysis showed decreased alpha diversity (Shannon
index: p = 9.1× 10
−7
) and species richness (p = 1.2 × 10
−8
) in the case group as well as signifi-
cant differences in beta diversity between cases and controls (Bray–Curtis: p = 9.99 × 10
−4
; Jaccard:
p = 9.99 × 10
−4
). The Shannon index showed a beneficial effect (OR = 0.59 (95%-CI (0.40, 0.87);
p = 8 × 10
−3
). Cases were clearly discriminated from healthy controls by environmental information
processing, signal transduction, two component system and membrane transport as significantly
different functional pathways. Conclusions: In conclusion, our data indicate that an overall healthy
lifestyle, in contrast to supplementation of single micro- or macronutrients, is most likely to reduce
overall neurological abnormality risk and that the gut microbiome is an interesting target to develop
novel preventive strategies