Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
05:45
Author Spotlight: Process Development for the Spray-Drying of Probiotic Bacteria and Evaluation of the Product Quality
Published on: April 7, 2023
4.2K
Micro-encapsulation differentially impacts probiotic effects on brain structure and function in an elderly population
Julia Rode1, Ashley N Hutchinson1, Myrto S Chatzopoulou1
1School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro 70182, Sweden; Nutrition-Gut-Brain Interactions Research Centre, Örebro University, Örebro 70182, Sweden.
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
|September 21, 2025
Summary
Probiotics like Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001 may impact brain health in older adults. Micro-encapsulated forms showed different effects on visual processing and serotonin distribution compared to non-encapsulated forms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Gerontology
Background:
- The gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in healthy aging.
- Probiotic interventions are increasingly explored for their impact on cognitive function and brain health in the elderly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of micro-encapsulated versus non-encapsulated Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001 on brain function and cognition in older adults.
- To investigate the impact of probiotic formulation on brain morphometry, functional connectivity, cognitive performance, and neurochemical markers.
Main Methods:
- A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 87 community-dwelling elderly individuals (60-80 years).
- Assessment of resting-state functional connectivity using fMRI, brain morphometry, cognitive tests (processing speed, memory), and peripheral serotonin levels.
- Comparison between micro-encapsulated and non-encapsulated Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001 groups.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in resting-state functional connectivity in visual processing regions were observed between the two probiotic groups (p < 0.0001).
- Processing speed showed significant time*group effects (p < 0.05), while short-term memory and anxiety symptoms had non-significant effects.
- Peripheral serotonin distribution was significantly affected (p < 0.05), but brain morphometry, other cognitive domains, depression, stress, and sleep quality remained unaffected.
Conclusions:
- The formulation of probiotics, specifically micro-encapsulation, influences their impact on brain health in older adults.
- Micro-encapsulated probiotics may interact differently with the gut, leading to distinct effects on brain function, particularly visual processing and serotonin pathways.
- These findings highlight the importance of probiotic delivery systems in modulating the gut-brain axis for healthy aging.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
188
Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
188
01:22Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption
229
As individuals age, their body's physiology evolves, affecting drug pharmacokinetics. The most apparent changes occur in the gastrointestinal tract, where an increase in gastric pH, a delay in gastric emptying, and a reduction in gastrointestinal motility are observed. Remarkably, these changes do not substantially modify the absorption of orally administered drugs, particularly those absorbed via passive diffusion.Transdermal drug delivery emerges as a highly viable method for older adults due...
229
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism
197
Geriatric patients show significant variation in how their bodies process medications, which can change how effective and safe treatments are. The liver is the primary organ where drug metabolism occurs, involving two main types of chemical reactions: phase I and II. Phase I metabolism is driven by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, which includes key types such as CYP3A, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9. Research indicates that while aging doesn't notably alter the levels or activity of these enzymes, it...
197
01:00Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution
232
Drug distribution in the human body is influenced by several factors, including plasma protein concentration, body composition, blood flow, tissue-protein concentration, and tissue fluid pH. Among these, changes in plasma protein concentration and body composition due to aging significantly affect how drugs are distributed within the body. Specifically, aging is associated with a decrease in albumin levels by about 10% and an increase in α1-acid glycoprotein levels. These alterations are...
232
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion
238
In geriatric patients, renal physiology undergoes significant changes, including diminished renal blood flow and a lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), leading to alterations in medication clearance. Drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, lithium, and digoxin, which rely on glomerular filtration for removal from the body, particularly impact pharmacokinetics. These drugs tend to have slower clearance rates in older adults, necessitating careful dosage considerations.Evaluation of renal...
238
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
228
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
228