From bread to dementia

Gluten ensures that our daily bread is fluffy, our pasta elastic and our cakes airy. As we consume all these products several times a day, it is also an integral part of our diet. For some people, however, gluten can do more than just bind dough, it can cause health problems ranging from the gut to the brain. Studies show that people with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance can experience neurological symptoms such as brain fog, memory loss, disorientation and confusion. These symptoms are reminiscent of those that occur in dementia diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

But how exactly does this happen and can it happen to you?

Eating bread does not automatically lead to dementia or intestinal problems. However, studies show that people with gluten-related diseases such as coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity are particularly susceptible to neurological symptoms and may have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Two main mechanisms are being discussed:

From leaky gut to leaky brain

Gluten cannot be completely broken down into its components by our digestive enzymes. One component of gluten in particular, the protein gliadin, remains undigested. In people with coeliac disease and gluten sensitivity, the undigested gliadin is recognized as harmful by the immune system in the intestine. To combat the gluten, the immune system releases so-called cytokines. Gliadin can also bind to the intestinal wall, where it triggers signaling cascades that loosen the junctions between the cells. As a result, the intestine becomes permeable and permanently inflamed. This clinical picture is known as leaky gut.

As the intestine can no longer function adequately as a protective barrier, cytokines, undigested food components, pathogens, germs and other substances can pass unhindered through the intestine into the bloodstream. From there, the foreign substances reach the blood-brain barrier. This is now the barrier that protects the brain from harmful substances. The cytokines from the intestine now also trigger inflammation here, which makes the blood-brain barrier permeable, resulting in the so-called leaky brain.

Once in the brain, harmful substances, which can now also pass through the blood-brain barrier, also trigger inflammation of the nerve cells and oxidative stress, a risk factor for the development of dementia. In addition, other toxic substances can enter the brain via the so-called gut-brain axis and cause further damage to the brain, possibly contributing to the development of dementia.

Cross-reaction with brain proteins triggered by gluten

In addition to cytokines, the immune system also produces special antibodies against gluten proteins. Studies show that the amino acid sequence of gluten proteins is similar to that of certain proteins in the brain. This coincidental structural similarity can lead to gluten antibodies also attacking brain proteins – this is known as cross-reactivity. This can lead to inflammatory reactions or functional disorders in the brain. These mechanisms could be the cause of dementia-like symptoms in celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

If you would like to know more about this interesting topic, please visit us here at Knowledge stops Dementia.

With this newsfeed, the ‘Knowledge stops Dementia’ team says goodbye to you for this year and would like to thank you for your loyalty and support in 2024!

We wish you a merry and blessed Christmas

and good luck

and above all continued good health

in the New Year!

References

• Obrenovich, M. E. M. (2018a). Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain? Microorganisms, 6(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms6040107

• Lerner, A., & Benzvi, C. (2021). “Let Food Be Thy Medicine”: Gluten and Potential Role in Neurodegeneration. Cells, 10(4), 756. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040756

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