Savannah Wasson: Diet and Cognitive Decline

My NTC grant funded my research in the lab of Dr. Demetrius Maraganore under post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Rebecca Solch-Ottaiano. We are interested in better understanding theimpact diet has on gut microbiota, and how this affects cognitive decline, using an animal model. The basis of our project is that gut dysbiosis, an imbalance of gut bacteria, may lead to increased intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation, including neuroinflammation. We tested this by feeding rats either a Western diet or a Mediterranean diet, and then testing different aspects of memory through a variety of mazes (Y-maze, Morris Water Maze, Radial Arm Water Maze).

From past research in this lab, we have demonstrated a correlation between the Western diet and decreased spatial and long-term memory. This year, we conducted fecal microbiotatransplants with hopes that transplanting the healthy microbiome from a rat eating the Mediterranean diet to a rat eating the Western diet will show improved cognitive function in the Western diet rat. I have also been analyzing images of the intestines of the rats for different biomarkers of inflammation. This project is hoping to elucidate the mechanism by which the gut-brain-microbiota axis acts. There has been a lot of research verifying the connection, but the causal relationship is not yet understood. If we can establish the mechanism by which diet leads to cognitive decline, a long-term goal of this project is to develop a pill which patients sufferingfrom mild-cognitive impairment can take to restore their gut microbiota and hopefully prevent further cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

I have seen this project through since its inception two years ago, and the hard work has finally paid off in my first publication! I am so grateful for my NTC grant enabling me to dedicate so much time to this research that ultimately has personal significance to me, and I am excited to continue my research during my senior year.