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Publication Date

2025-5

First Advisor

Chris Vriezen

Document Type

Honors Project

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Neuroscience

Keywords

microbiome, Alzheimer's disease, bacteria, pathogens

Abstract

The gut microbiome has proven to be an important factor in the regulation of human health and disease, by a variety of different facets. The gut-brain axis, which comprises the nervous systems and gut, is an important pathway by which microbes in the gut can communicate with other areas of the body to influence host health. Microbiota mainly facilitate this communication via the production of primary and secondary metabolites, compounds that influence a variety of different pathways. In this study, we investigate the role of the gut-brain axis in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), an especially devastating neurological condition. This research has two objectives: First, to identify candidate bacterial isolates that can be used as potential probiotics, and secondly, to develop an in-vitro simplified gut environment to evaluate activity of these isolates in the presence of pathogenic or beneficial bacteria. Using 152 bacterial strains isolated from soil samples that have previously demonstrated antibiotic qualities, we aim to determine which strains will inhibit pathogenic representative bacteria, while not affecting beneficial bacteria. We believe a strain with these properties can be used as a potential probiotic for treatment of AD via the gut-brain axis. We also perform metabolomic and genomic sequencing of the candidate strains to determine which metabolites may contribute to their antimicrobial activity. As AD currently has no cure, this research is important to investigating the possible microbial interactions that may contribute to the pathologies of this disease.

Rights

©2025 Sofia Guerra. Access limited to the Smith College community and other researchers while on campus. Smith College community members also may access from off-campus using a Smith College log-in. Other off-campus researchers may request a copy through Interlibrary Loan for personal use.

Language

English

Comments

78 pages: color illustrations, charts. Includes bibliographical references (pages 62-70). 

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