Bacteria Causing Neuro Issues?

Hello, Summarians!

We have all heard of the mind-body connection. Occasionally we have studies that really drive home this point. I’ve included a human study that has some interesting implications. Are there examples in the rest of the animal world? Maybe we just aren’t aware of them yet …

Please give me feedback on ways I can make it more useful to you.

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High-fat diet = Increased aging rate?

The study discussed explores the use of a high-fat diet (HFD) in dogs as a model to simulate metabolic changes akin to those observed in natural aging. The HFD, typically containing 40% to 60% fat primarily from lard, induces several aging-related metabolic features, such as increased adiposity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. These changes mirror the metabolic deterioration associated with aging, including changes in body composition and insulin levels. The study found that dogs on HFD show increased fasting insulin, peripheral insulin resistance, and elevated levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and fatty acids without consistent increases in fasting glucose. This reflects a unique aspect of canine metabolism, as dogs can increase insulin secretion to avoid hyperglycemia. 

This model does not cover all aspects of natural aging but offers significant insights into metabolic dysfunction and potential therapeutic targets for aging-associated conditions in dogs. The study underscores the usefulness of HFD in capturing the insulin resistance and lipid metabolism changes seen with aging, which are crucial in understanding and managing age-related diseases in dogs. Further research could extend these findings and explore long-term clinical impacts and other potential interventions to mitigate the negative effects of age-related metabolic changes. 

McKenzie, B., Peloquin, M., Tovar, A., Graves, J. L., Ratcliff, E., Tucker, K., Vo, K., Greenwood, K., Halioua-Haubold, C., & Juarez-Salinas, D. (2024). Feeding dogs a high-fat diet induces metabolic changes similar to natural aging, including dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and peripheral insulin resistance. American Journal of Veterinary Research https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.23.11.0253 

Bottom line — A nice study to help us understand the implications of high-fat diets.

AI Cardiac echos

This article discusses the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in veterinary echocardiography, specifically focusing on the measurement of left ventricular wall thickness and internal diameter in canines. The study highlights the lack of current guidelines and variability in measurement practices among veterinarians. It proposes using AI to assist in these measurements to reduce scan times, lower the skill requirements, and improve the repeatability of measurements. 

The study involves developing an AI system that was trained and validated by a diverse group of expert echocardiographers from different countries. The experts collaboratively labeled echocardiographic images to train the AI, aiming to reflect a broad consensus and minimize biases in the training data. The AI's performance was tested against a consensus of expert opinions on new, unseen data to ensure it did not replicate any training biases. 

The validation process was rigorous, with each expert involved labeling 200 images, allowing the study to achieve a reliable consensus on measurement standards. This approach aimed to establish a high and consistent benchmark for the AI system, gauging its performance against that of human experts. 

The results showed that the AI performed comparably to human experts, although it tended to report slightly larger measurements on average. This was considered acceptable as it was within the deviation range of individual expert measurements. 

The study concludes that AI systems can potentially improve the standardization and efficiency of veterinary echocardiography. It emphasizes the importance of using a multi-expert consensus as a reference standard for validating AI systems and suggests that the methodology and validation processes should be transparent and publicly accessible for continuous improvement. 

Stowell CC, Kallassy V, Lane B, et al. Automated echocardiographic left ventricular dimension assessment in dogs using artificial intelligence: Development and validation. J Vet Intern Med. 2024; 38(2): 922-930. doi:10.1111/jvim.17012 

Bottom line — Early results show exciting promise.

Fecal Transplant Helps with Parkinson’s

The study presented is a groundbreaking randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's Disease (PD). This trial, named GUT-PARFECT, marks the first of its kind to demonstrate improvement in motor symptoms of PD patients through the administration of FMT via nasojejunal routes, using stool from healthy donors compared to a placebo group receiving their own stool. 

Significant findings from the GUT-PARFECT trial include: 

• A clinically meaningful improvement in motor symptoms, as indicated by a 5.8 point reduction in the MDS-UPDRS motor score twelve months post-FMT with healthy donor stool, compared to a 2.7 point reduction in the placebo group. 

• Non-motor symptoms, particularly constipation, showed improvement much earlier, suggesting a primary effect of FMT on the gastrointestinal system before neurological benefits are observed. 

• FMT was well-tolerated with mild, transient gastrointestinal symptoms more common in the treatment group, but no severe adverse events were reported, aligning with FMT's established safety profile from its use in Clostridioides difficile infections. 

However, the study also encountered a notable placebo effect, with the placebo group showing a significant response up to 6 months post-FMT. This raises questions about the impact of gut microbiome alterations from autologous FMT and underscores the complex dynamics of placebo effects in clinical trials. 

Despite these promising results, the study acknowledges several limitations, including the small sample size and the challenge of applying these findings broadly across all PD phenotypes without considering the potential differences between body-first and brain-first PD pathogenesis. 

The trial suggests a potential disease-modifying effect of FMT in PD, highlighting the importance of the gut-brain axis in PD pathology and opening avenues for gut microbiota-targeted therapies in PD. Future research is needed to replicate these findings in larger, multicentre studies, understand the long-term effects of FMT, and explore less invasive microbiome-altering therapies. This trial underscores the potential of FMT as a safe, cost-effective intervention with a favorable benefit-risk profile for improving PD symptoms, especially constipation, and possibly motor symptoms over time. 

Safety and efficacy of faecal microbiota transplantation in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease (GUT-PARFECT): a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, phase 2 trial Bruggeman, Arnout etal. eClinicalMedicine, Volume 71, 102563 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102563 

Bottom Line — More evidence in the support of a healthy gut and its importance to overall health.

Just putting things in perspective …