Longevity & AgingGut Bacteria Metabolite IPA Reverses Alzheimer's Memory Loss in Mice
Researchers found that indole-3-propionate (IPA), a metabolite produced by gut bacteria from dietary tryptophan, is significantly depleted in Alzheimer's disease patients and mouse models. Supplementing IPA in 5×FAD transgenic mice reduced amyloid-beta plaques, decreased tau phosphorylation, suppressed neuroinflammation, and restored cognitive performance in multiple behavioral tests. The compound crossed the blood-brain barrier, activated the pregnane X receptor (PXR) pathway, and modulated microglial and astrocyte activity. These findings establish a mechanistic gut-brain axis link in AD and position IPA as a promising therapeutic candidate.
