Crosstalk of Gastrointestinal Pathogen Infection, Food Allergy, and Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease

Bin (Brenda) Su* and Chun Xu

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia worldwide, is underrecognised as a systemic disorder that extends beyond the central nervous system. Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of the Gut–Brain Axis (GBA), a bidirectional communication network linking intestinal microbes, immune responses, and neural pathways. Perturbations in this axis, such as enteric microbial dysbiosis and food allergy, may contribute to immune dysregulation, gut microbial alterations, and intestinal barrier dysfunction, which are hypothesised to influence β-amyloid aggregation, tau pathology, and ultimately cognitive decline. These insights underscore the importance of intestinal homeostasis in modulating susceptibility to neurodegeneration. Several factors contribute to the pathogenesis of AD; however, this review focuses on food allergies and Gastrointestinal Pathogens (GIPs). Despite decades of research, there is currently no curative treatment; existing pharmacological therapies provide only modest symptomatic relief and slow disease progression. Consequently, clinical interest has grown in complementary and integrative approaches, particularly traditional herbal medicines and acupuncture, which have long histories of use in maintaining systemic balance and preventing AD progression. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that such interventions may regulate gut microbiota composition, enhance barrier integrity, suppress pro-inflammatory signalling, and confer direct neuroprotective effects. In this review, we discuss the therapeutic potential of traditional medicine-based interventions as adjunctive strategies for AD management, with emphasis on their ability to target the GBA, modulate immune responses, and improve neuroprotection. These perspectives may provide insight for future preventive and therapeutic frameworks for AD.

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Published on: Jul 22, 2026 Pages: 1-9

Full Text PDF Full Text HTML DOI: 10.17352/2455-5460.000105
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