Corporate | 22 July 2025 09:00
Study Findings Reveal: Gut Microbiome May Offer Early Insight into Dementia Risk
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SYNLAB AG
/ Key word(s): Alliance/Study results
The study, co-authored by Professor Matthias Willmann – specialist in microbiology, virology, and infection epidemiology, and Medical Director at the Dr Bayer laboratory operated by SYNLAB in Leinfelden-Echterdingen – indicates that the gut microbiome may reveal a person’s risk of developing dementia long before clinical symptoms appear. The gut microbiome, comprising the full spectrum of bacteria residing in the human digestive system, is increasingly linked to various aspects of health, including brain function. In this study, researchers monitored 100 healthy individuals over a four-year period and found that changes in gut bacterial activity could predict who would later develop what is known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – a potential early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. MCI is characterised by noticeable memory or cognitive difficulties that are not severe enough to significantly disrupt daily life. While MCI can be an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s, not all individuals with MCI go on to develop dementia. Interestingly, the study found that it was not the type of bacteria that mattered most, but rather their function . The most accurate predictions were based on microbial function – specifically, which genes were active and which substances the bacteria were producing. Using this functional data, the research team developed a statistical model capable of predicting MCI with up to 84% accuracy, based on gut microbiome data collected years earlier. This suggests that changes in bacterial activity may occur well before the first noticeable cognitive symptoms. “Early detection – ideally at the preclinical stage – is crucial in Alzheimer’s, as both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are significantly more effective when applied early. If gut microbiome analysis can reliably identify individuals at risk, it could open the door to earlier interventions – potentially even before memory issues arise,” said Professor Willmann, SYNLAB expert and co-author of the study. The findings underscore the potential of gut microbiome testing as a complementary, non-invasive tool for the early detection of cognitive decline. “Although research in this area is still in its early stages, it could eventually lead to the development of new screening tools for routine diagnostics. These, in turn, could form the basis for therapies and interventions that significantly improve the lives of those affected,” added Dr Martin Roskos, Chief Medical Officer at SYNLAB Germany. Further details on the study, including its design, leadership, and contributors, can be found at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40429881/ – Ends – For more information:
About SYNLAB
22.07.2025 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News – a service of EQS Group.
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| Language: | English |
| Company: | SYNLAB AG |
| Moosacher Straße 88 | |
| 80809 Munich | |
| Germany | |
| Phone: | +49 1701183753 |
| E-mail: | ir@synlab.com |
| Internet: | www.synlab.com/ |
| ISIN: | DE000A2TSL71 |
| WKN: | A2TSL7 |
| Listed: | Regulated Unofficial Market in Hamburg |
| EQS News ID: | 2172348 |
| End of News | EQS News Service |
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2172348 22.07.2025 CET/CEST