The microbiota gut-brain axis (mGBA), the bidirectional communication between the microbiota, intestinal tract, and the central nervous system, may be an opportune target for supporting cognitive and neurological functions and reducing mental health disorders and risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Components of plant-based foods including dietary fibers, phytochemicals, and n3-polyunsaturated fatty acids can reduce systemic and neuroinflammation which may in-part be driven by modulation of the gut microbiota. This presentation will summarize research from our team on the impacts of different plant-based foods and dietary components to modulate the mGBA to reduce inflammation and improve mental health. Utilizing mouse models of obesity and endotoxin-induced neuroinflammation, we have shown that certain plant-based foods and isolated components, particularly those from flaxseed, can beneficially alter the composition of the cecal and fecal gut microbiome to reduce systemic and central (hippocampal and prefrontal cortex) inflammation. Our results provide pre-clinical evidence for the role of dietary components to beneficially alter the mGBA, which may promote mental health and reduce risk for neurodegenerative diseases.
Krista Power is an Associate Professor at the School of Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and cross-appointed with Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, at uOttawa. Her main research focus is to investigate the role of the intestinal microbiome in mediating the effects of diet on chronic disease. In animal models, her team evaluates the impact of foods enriched in intestinal health-promoting bioactives (e.g., fermentable fibers and polyphenols), on the composition and function of the microbiota and its role in modulating intestinal diseases (i.e., inflammatory bowel disease), metabolic diseases (i.e., obesity), and mental health disorders (i.e., anxiety, depression). In collaboration with clinicians at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Dr. Power’s team is exploring aspects of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in adolescents with eating disorders to identify potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as therapeutic targets. Further, her team is studying the role of the microbiome in mediating the effects of lifestyle interventions on cognitive function in elderly participants with subjective cognitive decline.