Linking Puberty and the Gut Microbiome to the Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Disorders

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Microbiology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Puberty involves critical maturation of the central nervous system, immune system, and HPA axis.
• This developmental period is highly sensitive to stress, potentially increasing later neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder risk.
• The gut microbiome influences stress and immune responses, with dysbiosis linked to these disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on puberty, neurodegeneration, and the gut microbiome.
• To examine how pubertal stress and gut dysbiosis impact neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder development.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on puberty, stress, gut microbiome, and neurodegeneration.
• Synthesis of findings regarding the interplay between these factors.

Main Results:

• Pubertal stress and gut dysbiosis are implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
• Alterations in the gut microbiome during puberty may significantly influence disease development.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the gut microbiome's role during puberty is crucial for neurodegenerative disease research.
• Targeting pubertal gut microbiome alterations may offer therapeutic strategies for preventing these disorders.